[MISTER, spoken]
There's my field, there's my cattle, there's my men

[FIELD HANDS]
He want his ham hocks hot
And his lemonade cold
Don't want to hear no lip
Just do what you told
Pluck them chickens
Scrub them pots and pans
You gonna churn that butter
'Til it cramp your hands
If you think hard work
Been doggin' you before
Hunh! Get ready for the big dog!

[MISTER, spoken]
This my house

[MISTER, FIELD HANDS]
Fix that
Work!
Broken window 'fore the
Work!
Rain come in
You got to
Work!
Kill that rat with this here
Work!
Rollin' pin
Mop this floor
Pick up all this mess
You know that
Cleanliness next to Cleanliness next to
Godliness Godliness

[FIELD HANDS]
If you think hard work
Been doggin' you before
Get ready for the big dog!
Huh!

[MISTER, CELIE]
Sweep dis barn Nettie go to the
Milk dat cow Schoolhouse
Water from da well Get her college degree
Fields to plow
Brush my horse Nettie teachin' the children
Feed dat pig
Tree to chop To spell Tennessee
Ditch to dig

Fetch dem eggs
Pitch dat hay
Patch the fence Won't be time for a garden
So the billy don't stray
Pull the turnips No birds gonna sing
Hose the green
Feed the baby goats Won't be time for my readin'
'Til the last one weans
[FIELD HANDS]
Get ready for the big dog!

[MISTER]
Work!

[FIELD HANDS]
Huh!

[MISTER, spoken]
Harpo! I dun told you 'bout this. Get my belt! I'm gon' beat you clean to death, boy!

[HARPO, spoken]
No! Pa!

[MISTER, spoken]
Come here!

[CELIE, spoken]
When I lay me down to sleep
I will say my prayer

[MISTER, spoken]
You spill your food on the floor, you gon' eat it off the floor, you little pig

[CELIE]
That God love me so deep
He will promise our souls to keep
Together
[MISTER, spoken]
Bedroom's upstairs

[CELIE]
I say a prayer

[FIELD HANDS]
He like his bath real hot
Like it 'bout to boil
You got to rub his feet
With some liniment oil
Shave his whiskers
Hope it's understood
That you best not cut him
Or he beat you good
If you think hard work been doggin' you before

Get ready for the big dog! Hunh!