The Aching Body and the Hungry Belly Blues

The Aching Body and the Hungry Belly Blu
copyright 2000 Patricia M. Shannon

Oh, my feet are aching and my back sure hurts,
I'm so tired of digging in this hard clay dirt.
My kids are hungry, and I've got no food,
and winter's coming. Well, I've got the blues.

(chorus)
The blues, I've got the blues;
the achin' body and the hungry belly blues

When I was a kid, I had such big plans,
when I was grown, I would be a rich man;
No need to study 'cause I knew that I'd be
the star quarterback on an NFL team.

When I was in high school, I was the big star,
I could outrun everybody by far;
but when I got to college, I found there to be
many more players much better than me.

I played football in college a couple of years,
but those remedial courses, they kept me tears.
When I goofed off in high school, I did not see
I could not live my life by what you see on TV.

(chorus)
The blues, that's why I've got the blues;
the achin' body and the hungry belly blues.

When I was a young man, I met the one
who will always be my rising sun;
when I asked her to be my wife, I said
"I will make you happy the rest of your life."

When we got married, we hadn't a clue
about being adults, or what we should do.
When we got married, we hadn't a plan,
and the children came quickly, all four of them.

I try to teach my children the way they should be
so they don't end up diggin' ditches like me;
I try to teach my children the way they should go
so they don't end up in a lifetime of woe.

(chorus)
The blues, they ain't going to have the blues,
the achin' body and the hungry belly blues.

Now, three of my kids, they're doing just great,
but my youngest child, he makes my heart break;
"No need to study,", said he to me,
'cause a platinum rock (or, rap) star was what he would be.

(chorus)
The blues, now he's got the blues,
the achin' body and the hungry belly blues.