Little John, I Am

I was born the son of a southern, sharecroppin’ man
Born with the reins and the plow in my calloused hands
I was workin’ in the fields with my dad when I was age two
And by ten I could do what my dad could do
My daddy was a hard workin’, man of the land
His name was John, Little John, I am

Well, my momma took sick and died when I was thirteen
It was just dad and the dogs and the crops and me
We’d work six days from sun-up ‘till sundown
And on Sunday pray for the rain to come down
My daddy was a God-lovin’, Christian man
His name was John, Little John, I am

Oh, my daddy taught me how to work hard and how to live right
Taught me how to promenade the girls on a Saturday night
He said, ‘Never hit a man ‘till you know that all’s been said and done’
I never liked to fight but every fight I’ve won
My daddy had hands of steel and the heart of a lamb
Lord, his name was John, Little John, I am

I was born the son of a southern, sharecroppin’ man
And like my father before me, I work the land
And my only born son, Johnathon, has just turned three
And he’s a weedin’ out the cornrows, kneelin’ next to me
My daddy was a hard workin’, man of the land
His name was John, Little John, I am