G                        G7      C               G 
There once was a musical troop a pickin' singin' folk group 

     C                 G                                 D7 
They sang the mountain ballads and the folk songs of our land 

          G               G7            C                     G 
They were long on musical ability folks thought they would go far 

    C                      G   D7               G 
But political incompatibility  led to their downfall 


         C                    G 
Well the one on the right was on the left 

        D7                    G 
And the one on the middle was on the right 

        C                   G 
And the one on the left was in the middle 

        D7                    G 
And the guy in the rear was a Methodist 


                G7       C                 G 
This musical aggregation toured the entire nation 

        C           G                                 D7 
Singing traditional ballads and the folk songs of our land 

        G                       G7       C                  G 
They performed with great virtuosity and soon they were the rage 

    C                G   D7                 G 
But political animosity  prevailed upon the stage 


         C                    G 
Well the one on the right was on the left 

        D7                    G 
And the one on the middle was on the right 

        C                   G 
And the one on the left was in the middle 

        D7                                  G 
And the guy in the rear burned his driver's license 


                     G7         C                G 
When the curtain had ascended a hush fell on the crowd 

   C                    G                                      D7 
As thousands there were gathered to hear the folk songs of our land 

         G                   G7 
But they took their politics seriously 
  
C                             G 
And that night at the concert hall 

       C                    G       D7                  G 
As the audience watched deliriously they had a free for all 


         C                    G 
Well the one on the right was on the bottom 

        D7                    G 
And the one on the middle was on the top 

        C                     G 
And the one on the left got a broken arm 

        D7                      G 
And the guy on his rear said oh dear 


                     G7     C                      G 
Now this should be a lesson if you plan to start a folk group 

C               G                                   D7 
Don't go mixing politics with the folk songs of our land 

     G                   G7      C               G 
Just work on harmony and diction play your banjo well 

       C                  G          D7          G 
And if you have political conviction keep 'em to yourself 


        C                     G 
Now the one on the left works in the bank 

        D7                G 
And the one on the middle drives a truck 

        C                 G 
The one on the right's an all night DJ 

        D7                  G 
And the guy in the rear got drafted