Capo 1 
  
                     Am           Em7                   F             C   
There was a Camptown man who used to plow and sing 
Am                       Em7            F               C                                         
       He loved that mule and the mule loved him 
                 Am      Em7      F               C                                          
When the day got long as it does about now 
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      I'd hear him singing to his muley cow 
  
            C 
Calling come on my sweet old girl 
C 
I?d bet the whole damn world 
C                  Em7  C             F               G       G7 
We?re gonna make it yet to the end of the row 
  
             Am         Em7           F           C                                         
Singing hard times ain?t gonna rule my mind 
Am         Em7           F           C                                         
Hard times ain?t gonna rule my mind, Bessie 
Am         Em7           F              G                                          
Hard times ain?t gonna rule? my mind 
      C 
No more 
  
He said it's a big old world, heavy in need 
That big machine is just a-picking up speed 
We're supping on tears and we're supping on wine 
But we all get to heaven in our own sweet time 
  
So come on you Asheville boys 
Turn up your old time noise 
Kick till the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor 
  
Singing hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, brother 
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind 
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind 
No more 
  
But the Camptown man he doesn't plow no more 
I seen him walking down to the superette store 
Guess he lost that nag and he forgot that song 
Woke up one morning and the mule was gone 
  
So come all ye ragtime kings 
Come on you dogs that sing 
Pick up your dusty old horn and give it a blow 
  
Singing hard times ain't gonna rule my mind 
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, sugar 
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind 
No more