Listen all you rounders, you ought to be like me
Don't worry about consumption even if they call it T.B

T.B., oh T.B., some say tonic is fine
Take all the medicine you want, I'll take good liquor for mine

Yo-de-lay-ee yo-de-lay-yo yo-de-lay

The hospitals and the doctors done everything they could
(Lord, they done all they could)
Happiness and the sunshine, it really done me all the good

So don't let that old T.B. ever get you down
(Don't let it get you down, boy)
First they want your insurance, then they wanna lay you in the ground

Just say in your mind, troubles you forgot (forget 'em, boy)
'Cause good old contentment, Lord, gonna help you a lot

Lord, ain't no use to worry, no need to lay down and die
'Cause nine times out of ten ain't nobody will cry

T.B., oh T.B., some say tonic is fine
Take all the medicine you want, I'll take good liquor for mine

Yo-de-lay-ee yo-de-lay-yo yo-de-lay