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The preacher man says it's the end of time 00:01
And the Mississippi River, she's a-goin' dry 00:12
The interest is up and the stock market's down 00:15
And you only get mugged if you go downtown 00:23
I live back in the woods, you see 00:26
My woman and the kids and the dogs and me 00:34
I got a shotgun, a rifle and a four-wheel drive 00:38
And a country boy can survive 00:46
Country folks can survive 00:49
I can plow a field all day long 00:53
I can catch catfish from dusk 'til dawn (yeah) 01:00
We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too 01:07
Ain't too many things these old boys can't do 01:11
We grow good-ole tomatoes and homemade wine 01:14
And a country boy can survive 01:23
Country folks can survive 01:25
Because you can't starve us out and you can't make us run 01:28
'Cause we're them old boys raised on shotguns 01:37
We say grace, and we say ma'am 01:40
If you ain't into that, we don't give a damn 01:45
We came from the West Virginia coal mines 01:48
And the Rocky Mountains, and the western skies 01:54
And we can skin a buck, we can run a trotline 01:58
And a country boy can survive 02:05
Country folks can survive 02:08
I had a good friend in New York City 02:11
He never called me by my name, just hillbilly 02:20
My grandpa taught me how to live off the land 02:23
And his taught him to be a businessman 02:31
He used to send me pictures of the Broadway nights 02:34
And I'd send him some homemade wine 02:42
But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife 02:46
For 43 dollars, my friend lost his life 02:53
I'd love to spit some beech nut in that dude's eyes 02:57
And shoot him with my old .45 03:05
'Cause a country boy can survive 03:08
Country folks can survive 03:10
'Cause you can't starve us out and you can't make us run 03:13
'Cause we're them old boys raised on shotguns 03:22
We say grace, and we say ma'am 03:25
If you ain't into that, we don't give a damn 03:30
We're from North California and South Alabam' 03:33
And little towns all around this land 03:40
And we can skin a buck, and run a trotline 03:43
And a country boy can survive 03:51
Country folks can survive 03:54
A country boy can survive 03:56
Country folks can survive 04:00
04:11

A Country Boy Can Survive – English Lyrics

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By
Hank Williams, Jr.
Viewed
183,097,056
Language
English
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Lyrics & Translation

"A Country Boy Can Survive" is a signature song by Hank Williams, Jr. that provides an insightful look into the self-sufficient and traditional values often associated with rural American culture. Through its evocative storytelling and Hank Williams, Jr.'s unique blend of country and Southern rock, the song offers a rich vocabulary related to rural life, resilience, and a distinctive perspective on societal changes, making it a powerful piece for language learners interested in American idioms and cultural narratives.

[English]

The preacher man says it's the end of time
And the Mississippi River, she's a-goin' dry
The interest is up and the stock market's down
And you only get mugged if you go downtown
I live back in the woods, you see
My woman and the kids and the dogs and me
I got a shotgun, a rifle and a four-wheel drive
And a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
I can plow a field all day long
I can catch catfish from dusk 'til dawn (yeah)
We make our own whiskey and our own smoke too
Ain't too many things these old boys can't do
We grow good-ole tomatoes and homemade wine
And a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
Because you can't starve us out and you can't make us run
'Cause we're them old boys raised on shotguns
We say grace, and we say ma'am
If you ain't into that, we don't give a damn
We came from the West Virginia coal mines
And the Rocky Mountains, and the western skies
And we can skin a buck, we can run a trotline
And a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
I had a good friend in New York City
He never called me by my name, just hillbilly
My grandpa taught me how to live off the land
And his taught him to be a businessman
He used to send me pictures of the Broadway nights
And I'd send him some homemade wine
But he was killed by a man with a switchblade knife
For 43 dollars, my friend lost his life
I'd love to spit some beech nut in that dude's eyes
And shoot him with my old .45
'Cause a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
'Cause you can't starve us out and you can't make us run
'Cause we're them old boys raised on shotguns
We say grace, and we say ma'am
If you ain't into that, we don't give a damn
We're from North California and South Alabam'
And little towns all around this land
And we can skin a buck, and run a trotline
And a country boy can survive
Country folks can survive
A country boy can survive
Country folks can survive

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary Meanings

survive

/sərˈvaɪv/

B1
  • verb
  • - continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship.

plow

/plaʊ/

B2
  • verb
  • - to turn up the earth of (an area of land) with a plow, especially before sowing.

catch

/kætʃ/

A1
  • verb
  • - to intercept and hold (something thrown, propelled, or dropped).

grow

/ɡroʊ/

A2
  • verb
  • - (of a living thing) to increase in size or substance.

starve

/stɑːrv/

B2
  • verb
  • - suffer severely or die from hunger.

raise

/reɪz/

B1
  • verb
  • - bring up (a child).

skin

/skɪn/

B2
  • verb
  • - to remove the skin from (an animal or fruit).

friend

/frend/

A1
  • noun
  • - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

taught

/tɔːt/

A2
  • verb
  • - past tense of teach - impart knowledge to or instruct (someone) as to how to do something.

knife

/naɪf/

A1
  • noun
  • - an instrument composed of a blade fixed into a handle, used for cutting or as a weapon.

shoot

/ʃuːt/

A2
  • verb
  • - discharge a bullet or arrow from a gun or bow.

woods

/wʊdz/

A2
  • noun
  • - a large area covered with trees; a forest.

wine

/waɪn/

A1
  • noun
  • - an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice.

downtown

/ˌdaʊnˈtaʊn/

A2
  • noun
  • - the main business or commercial area of a town or city.

coal

/koʊl/

B1
  • noun
  • - a combustible black or dark brown rock consisting mainly of carbonized plant matter, found mainly in underground deposits and widely used as fuel.

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Key Grammar Structures

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