Wished I had a dime
Wished I had a pretty girl
To kiss and call her mine

   Fare thee well old joe clark
   Fare thee well I say
   Fare the well old joe clark
   I'm a goin' away

I will not marry an old maid
I'll tell you the reason why
Her neck is so long and stringy
I'm afraid she'll never die

I asked my girl to marry me
And what do you think she said
Time enough to marry you
When all the rest are dead

Old joe clark did take sick
And what do you think ailed him
He drank a churn of buttermilk
And then his stomach failed him

Old joe clark did get drunk
And not a word could he utter
He fell down on the supper table
And stove his nose in the butter