Dirt Cheap – English Lyrics

• By: Cody Johnson
• Album: Leather

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant story behind Cody Johnson's "Dirt Cheap," a song that beautifully illustrates the value of memories and roots. By exploring the lyrics and background of this heartfelt ballad, you'll gain a deeper understanding of country music's storytelling tradition and learn how it celebrates the simple, yet priceless, aspects of life.

[English]

They came in thinkin' top dollar

To that old cotton crop farmer

They knocked on his screen door, and he said

"Lord, what you need, boys," and they said

"You know all the others went and cashed out

We got the subdivision all mapped out

It'll sit right here on this land

And you can leave town a rich man"

And he said, "Boys, whatever you're offerin', it won't be enough

'Cause I got a little girl that used to swing right there

I still see her pink bow in her brown hair

She's in the big city, but she still calls home

What's she gonna do if she comes back, and we're gone?

And over there, under that wide oak tree

Beneath the cross is where my best buddy's buried

Lasted 13 huntin' season runnin' strong

Keep your money 'cause a man can't leave his dog

And over there is where I got down on one knee

You can't buy that kind of dirt cheap"

One man smiled and he kinda looked away

The other said, "Before we go, I gotta know one thing

Between the droughts and the floods through all the years

What in the world got you through?

How the hell'd you get here?" And he said

"That little girl that used to swing right there

I still see her pink bow in her brown hair

Runnin' up after one of them long days

A big smile makin' every little worry fade

And over there, under that wide oak tree

Beneath the cross, where my best buddy's buried

All them huntin' seasons freezin' in a Jon boat

Me and him, double-barrel and a two-stroke

And that woman that said yes when I got down on one knee

Yeah, you can't buy that kind of dirt cheap"

No, it ain't somethin' you fall into

It's somethin' God gives you

And you hold on to

...

Just like that little girl who used to swing right there

I still see her pink bow in her brown hair

She's in the big city now, but she still calls home

She's comin' back next week, and man, it's been too long

And over there, under that wide oak tree

Beside the cross, where my best buddy's buried

Lays a puppy posted up in the shade

That woman never could turn away a stray

I guess this's why she said, "Yes" when I got down on one knee

Oh, long as all this is here, why the hell would I ever leave?

And you can't buy that kind of dirt cheap

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cotton /ˈkɒtn/ A2	noun - a soft white fibrous substance that surrounds the seeds of a plant
farmer /ˈfɑːrmər/ A1	noun - a person who owns or manages a farm
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - an urban area that has a name, defined boundaries, and local government, and that is generally larger than a village and smaller than a city.
rich /rɪtʃ/ A2	adjective - having a great deal of money or assets; wealthy
girl /ɡɜːrl/ A1	noun - a female child or young woman
city /ˈsɪti/ A1	noun - a large town or urban area
hair /her/ A1	noun - any of the fine threadlike strands growing from the skin of humans, mammals, and other animals
buddy /ˈbʌdi/ A2	noun - a close friend
dog /dɔːɡ/ A1	noun - a domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, nonretractile claws, and a barking, howling, or whining voice.
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
knee /niː/ A2	noun - the joint between the thigh and the lower leg in humans
dirt /dɜːrt/ A2	noun - dust, mud, or grime
drought /draʊt/ B1	noun - a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall; a shortage of water resulting from this
flood /flʌd/ B1	noun - an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a pleased, kind, or amused facial expression
worry /ˈwɜːri/ A2	noun - a state of anxiety and concern about actual or potential problems
puppy /ˈpʌpi/ A2	noun - a young dog
shade /ʃeɪd/ B1	noun - slight darkness or coolness caused by shelter from direct sunlight
stray /streɪ/ B2	noun - a domestic animal that has wandered away from its home or is homeless

Key Grammar Structures

• They came in thinkin' top dollar

  ➔ Present Participle as Adjective (thinkin')

  ➔ The word "thinkin'" (thinking) acts as an adjective describing their state of mind when they arrived. It indicates their assumption or belief.

• You know all the others went and cashed out

  ➔ Phrasal Verb ("cash out") and Informal Contraction ("went and")

  ➔ "Cash out" means to convert assets into cash. "Went and" is an informal contraction of "went to" used to indicate a sequence of actions.

• It'll sit right here on this land

  ➔ Future Simple with Contraction ('ll)

  ➔ "It'll" is a contraction of "It will", indicating a future action or event.

• And he said, "Boys, whatever you're offerin', it won't be enough"

  ➔ Conditional Clause with 'whatever' and Future Negative ('won't')

  ➔ "Whatever you're offerin'" functions as a conditional clause meaning "no matter what you offer". "Won't" is a contraction of "will not", indicating a future negative.

• 'Cause I got a little girl that used to swing right there

  ➔ Relative Clause with 'that' and Past Habit ('used to')

  ➔ "That used to swing right there" is a relative clause modifying "a little girl". "Used to" expresses a past habit or state that is no longer true.

• Lasted 13 huntin' season runnin' strong

  ➔ Ellipsis (Subject Omission) and Present Participle as Adverbial Modifier ('runnin')

  ➔ The subject is omitted, implying "They" (the hunting seasons). "Runnin' strong" (running strong) modifies the verb "lasted" and describes how the seasons lasted.

• Keep your money 'cause a man can't leave his dog

  ➔ Informal Contraction ('cause), Modal Verb ('can't')

  ➔ "Cause" is an informal contraction of "because". "Can't" is a contraction of "cannot", expressing inability or prohibition.

• Between the droughts and the floods through all the years

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase ('Between...and')

  ➔ "Between the droughts and the floods" indicates a range or connection between two distinct elements. It shows the encompassing hardships over the years.

• It's somethin' God gives you

  ➔ Cleft Sentence with 'It is' and Informal Contraction ('somethin')

  ➔ This is a cleft sentence emphasizing what God gives. The informal contraction "somethin'" represents "something."