When I was just a little pick (*)
I almost learnt from cousin Nick
Ol’ Massa found out sure enough
And poor ol’ Nick he got strung up
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
The year was 1863,
A paper said that I was free
But no one read it to my ears
And so I slaved for two more years
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
A teacher came from Ohio
To learn us what we’d need to know
Before she told us what was what
She up and died of whooping cough
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
I heard about a school was free
Way out east in Tennessee
Before I got to go to town
The damned ol’ Rebs had burned it down
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
So now that I am old and gray
Listen close to what I say
The white folks they will write the show
If you can’t read
You’ll never know
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
I almost learnt from cousin Nick
Ol’ Massa found out sure enough
And poor ol’ Nick he got strung up
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
The year was 1863,
A paper said that I was free
But no one read it to my ears
And so I slaved for two more years
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
A teacher came from Ohio
To learn us what we’d need to know
Before she told us what was what
She up and died of whooping cough
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
I heard about a school was free
Way out east in Tennessee
Before I got to go to town
The damned ol’ Rebs had burned it down
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
So now that I am old and gray
Listen close to what I say
The white folks they will write the show
If you can’t read
You’ll never know
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Better git yer learnin’
Before it goes away
(*) short for “pickaninny,” a common term for a young black child
×
![]()
Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
