Lyrics

Milk White Mule

lyrics and music by Rainey Lewis



In my mind sometimes I see
A little bitty girl smiling back at me
Riding her mule down a red dirt road
Gonna help her daddy fetch a sugar cane load
Gonna help her daddy fetch a sugar cane load

In the winter times are hard
After the cotton's in the ginning yard
That's when daddy cuts the cane
Children know that sorghum time has come again
Children know that sorghum time has come again

Oh whoa, Molly B.
Won't you haul this cane for me
Oh whoa, cane so sweet
Gonna make molasses for the baby to eat
Gonna make molasses for the baby to eat

Mother's up before the sun
Biscuits cooking when the milking's done
Mighty cold out in the barn
Biscuits good to keep your pockets warm
Biscuits good to keep your pockets warm

Light the lantern, hitch the mule
Children help before it's time for school
Ride down where the cane stands tall
Trim the tassels and then we'll haul
Trim the tassels and then we'll haul




Whoa whoa, cut and load
Haul this cane down river road
Whoa whoa, to the mill
Daddy while we're riding can we chew a little still?
Daddy while we're riding can we chew a little still?

Crush the cane the juices flow
Down the trough into the pan they go
The secret's passed from son to son
Gold as honey when the cooking's done
Gold as honey when the cooking's done
The people come from far and wide
As far up the river as the Blytheville side
Drive their teams down Faulkner way
There won't be a drop of strop left today
There won't be a drop of strop left today

Deep in dreams I see the sight
White mule standing in the lantern light
But who is left on that old farm?
Lone wind blowing through an empty barn
Lone wind blowing through an empty barn
In my mind they come to me
That girl and her mule are just a memory
And though that old mule's race is run
We can still remember when we sing this little song
We can still remember when we sing this song

Oh whoa, Molly B.
Won't you haul this cane for me
Oh whoa, cane so sweet
Gonna make molasses for the baby to eat
Gonna make molasses for the baby to eat
Whoa whoa, Molly B.
Best damn mule in Tennessee
Whoa whoa come with me
Gonna make molasses from our sweet memories
Gonna make molasses from our sweet memories

End