[Verse 1]

There was a camp town man

Who used to plow and sing

He loved that mule and the mule loved him

And the days got long

As it does about now

I'd hear him singin' to his mule and cow

[Pre-Chorus]

Come on my sweet old girl

I'll bet the whole damn world

[Chorus]

We're gonna make it yet, 'til the end of the road

Singin' hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

Singin' hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

They say hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

No more

[Verse 2]

Said it's a mean 'ol world

Heavy and mean

That big machine is justa pickin' up speed

And we're sippin' on tea

And we're sippin' on wine

Wе'll get to heaven in our own sweet timе

[Chorus]

So come on you Asheville boys

Turn up your old time noise

Kick 'til the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor

Singin' hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

Singin' hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

No more

[Verse 3]

But the camp town man doesn't plow no more

I seen him walking down to the cigarette store

Guess he lost that knack, and he forgot that song

Woke up one morning and the mule was gone

[Chorus]

So come on you ragtime kings

And come on you dogs and sing

And pick up a dusty ol' horn and give it a blow

Playin' hard times ain't gonna rule my mind honey

Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind

No more