Well, I lived in a town   Way down south   By the name of Owensboro   And I worked in a mill   With the rest of the “trash”    As we're often called   As you know       Well, we rise up early   In the morning   And we work all day real hard   To buy our little meat and bread   Buy sugar, tea, and lard       Well, our children they   Grow, grow up unlearned   With no time to go to school   Almost before they learn to walk   They learn to spin and to spool       Well, the folks in town   They dress so fine   And spend their money free   But they would hardly look   At a factory hand   That dresses like you or me       Would you let them wear   Their watches fine   Let them wear their gems   And pearly strings       But when that day   Of judgement comes   They'll have to share   Their pretty things