There once was a musical troupe, a pickin' singin' folk group   They sang the mountain ballads and the folk songs of our land   They were long on musical ability, folks thought they would go far   But political incompatibility led to their downfall      Well, the one on the right was on the left   And the one in the middle was on the right   And the one on the left was in the middle   And the guy in the rear was a Methodist      This musical aggregation toured the entire nation   Singing the traditional ballads and the folk songs of our land   They performed with great virtuosity and soon they were the rage   But political animosity prevailed upon the stage      Well, the one on the right was on the left   And the one in the middle was on the right   And the one on the left was in the middle   And the guy in the rear burned his driver's license      Well the curtain had ascended, a hush fell on the crowd   As thousands there were gathered to hear the folk songs of our land   But they took their politics seriously and that night at the concert hall   As the audience watched deliriously, they had a free-for-all      Well, the one on the right was on the bottom   And the one in the middle was on the top   And the one on the left got a broken arm   And the guy in the rear, said, "Oh dear"      Now, this should be a lesson if you plan to start a folk group   Don't go mixin' politics with the folk songs of our land   Just work on harmony and diction play your banjo well   And if you have political convictions keep them to yourself      Now, the one on the left works in a bank   And the one in the middle drives a truck   The one on the right's an all-night deejay   And the guy in the rear got drafted