Well, once I was a slave at the sawmill   Talk about a poor boy, talk about a poor boy   Never saw a dollar bill      Well, my work was so hard at the sawmill   Think about a poor boy, think about a poor boy   When you go to write your will      Well, seen my teardrops falling down   My wife left this sawmill town   She said, sawmill life had many sins   'Cause the gravy was too thin      I can't work no more at the sawmill   Mercy on a poor boy, mercy on a poor boy   Let me have a dollar bill      If you bring your wife to the sawmill   Well, how you gonna please her, how you gonna please her   When she wants a dollar bill      They're not satisfied at the sawmill   Women like a dollar, women like a dollar   Yes, and women always will      Seen my teardrops falling down   My wife left this sawmill town   She said the sawmill life had many sins, Lord   'Cause the gravy was too thin      I can't work no more at the sawmill   Mercy on a poor boy, mercy on a poor boy   Let me have a dollar bill   Mercy on a poor boy, mercy on a poor boy   Let me have a dollar bill