The Frozen 400 Pound Fair-to-middlin' Cotton Picker

johnny cash

I left the field one evening my fingers so cold and sore
from fair to middlin' cotton • 300 pounds or more
Jim McCann was still pickin' straddle in the row
the sun began to sinkin' and the wind began to blow

he was bound to get 400 a draggin' a twelve foot sack
I hollered out "Jim come weight it!" but I only saw his back
so I went on home to supper and I gathered around my kin
I was thinkin' of Jim out there pickin' with winter settin' in

next morning the air was freezin' • the snow was nine feet deep
I jerked on my long red handles and I left my kids asleep
I got myself a shovel and went to where I seen Jim go
and commenced to a diggin' for him at the other end of his row

I found his body frozen and I took him in to thaw
I dragged in his sack and I weighed it and I added Jim's marks that I saw
the total was over 400 so he'd picked more than he'd bet
of fair to middlin' cotton • but Jim ain't thawed out yet