[Verse 1: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet, Both]
Great God almighty, gonna pick a bale of cotton
Great God almighty, gonna pick a bale of hay
Great God almighty, gonna pick a bale of cotton
Great God almighty, gonna pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well-a, oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day

[Verse 2: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of hay
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Well-a, oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day

[Verse 3: The Golden Gate Quartet]
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my wife can a-pick a bale a day
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my wife can a-pick a bale a day
[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Oleander Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day

[Verse 4: Henry Owens & The Golden Gate Quartet & Leadbelly]
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale of cotton
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale a day
Oh, me and my gal
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale of cotton
Me and my gal gonna pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day

[Verse 5: Henry Owens & The Golden Gate Quartet, & Leadbelly]
Me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day
Me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Golden Gate Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
[Verse 6: Henry Owens & The Golden Gate Quartet & Leadbelly]
Me and my partner can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my partner can a-pick a bale a day
Me and my partner can pick a bale of cotton
Me and my partner can a-pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Oleander Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day

[Verse 2: Henry Owens & The Golden Gate Quartet & Leadbelly]
Got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of hay
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale of cotton
You got to jump down and turn around and pick a bale a day

[Chorus: Leadbelly & The Oleander Quartet]
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day
Oh Lordy, pick a bale of cotton
Oh Lordy, pick a bale a day