---
title: Boll Weevil
tags:
  - authorship/traditional
  - topic/hobbies/music/banjo
---
# Boll Weevil

Boll weevil told the farmer \
"You better treat me right \
I'll eat up all o' your cotton \
Sleep in your grain rail tonight"

Boll weevil told the farmer \
"You don't need no Ford machine \
I'll eat up all of your cotton \
Can't buy no gasoline"

Yonder comes the spider \
Crawled up and down the wall \
He must've been going \
To get his hash's haul

I don't see no water \
But I'm about to drown \
I don't see no fire \
But I'm burning down

```lily
\version "2.24.4"
\paper { indent=0 }
\header {
  title="Boll Weevil"
  instrument="5-String Banjo, gCGCD# Tuning / Gourd Banjo, eAEAC Tuning"
  % composer=""
  arranger="Josh Turknett"
  tagline = ##f
}
global = {
  \time 2/4
  \tempo 2 = 120
  % \key b \major
}

mel = { %\global
  c8\2 <g\3 c\2 dis'\1>16 g'16\5
  \deadNote c16\2 g16\3 <g\3 c\2 dis'\1>16 g'16\5 |

  ais16\3( g16\3 ) g16\3 g'16\5
  f16\4( c16\4 ) g16\3 g'16\5 |

  ais8\3 <g\3 c\2 dis'\1>16 g'16\5
  \deadNote c16\2 ais16\3 <ais\3 c\2 dis'\1>16 g'16\5 |

  c8\2 <g\3 c\2 dis'\1>16 g'16\5
  \deadNote dis'16\1 c16\2 d16\2( dis16\2 ) | \break


}

voc = {

}

lyr = \lyricmode { "
  Boll weevil told the farmer
  \"You better treat me right
  I'll eat up all o' your cotton
  Sleep in your grain rail tonight\"

  Boll weevil told the farmer
  \"You don't need no Ford machine
  I'll eat up all of your cotton
  Can't buy no gasoline\"

  Yonder comes the spider
  Crawled up and down the wall
  He must've been going
  To get his hash's haul

  I don't see no water
  But I'm about to drown
  I don't see no fire
  But I'm burning down
" }

\score {
  <<
    \new TabStaff \with {
      midiInstrument = "banjo"
      tablatureFormat = #fret-number-tablature-format-banjo
      stringTunings = \stringTuning <g' c g c dis'>
      % stringTunings = #banjo-open-g-tuning % equivalent to \stringTuning <g' d g b d'>
    }
    {
      % \set Score.stringOneTopmost = ##f
      \override Beam.concaveness = #10000
      \clef moderntab
      \numericTimeSignature
      \stemDown
      \tabFullNotation
      \global
      \mel
    }

    \new Staff = "voice" <<
      \new Voice = "vocal" \with {midiInstrument = "choir oohs"} {
        \global
        \voc
      }
    >>
    \new Lyrics \lyricsto "vocal" {
      \lyr
    }
  >>
  \layout { }
  \midi { }
}
```
