Notes:
This song starts out at a decent tempo and then increases.
I would recommend finger picking, but it doesn't sound too shabby with
a little strumming. I would also recommend listening to the track to get the
picking right because the chord work isn't much. It's only 3 chords (A E D).
Hope you enjoy this classic song in the rendition of Leadbelly.
This is from a 9.5mm 1945 recording of Leadbelly, so I added what he says at the beginning.
"Now this is another work song.
When we pick cotton, you gotta jump down to pick a bale of cotton a day.
You can't fool around.
And we sang:"
A
Great God Almighty I can pick a bale of cotton
E A
Great God Almighty I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton,
E A
Me and my wife can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale of cotton.
E A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/l/leadbelly/pick_a_bale_of_cotton_crd_ver_2.html ]
A
Me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton,
E A
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
Me and my papa can pick a bale of cotton,
E A
Me and my papa can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
Me and my sissy can pick a bale of cotton,
E A
Me and my sissy can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
F A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
I can pick a pick a pick … a pick a bale of cotton
A E A
I can pick a pick a pick … a pick a bale a day
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale of cotton.
E A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale a day.
(x2)
D A D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E A
I can pick a bale a day.
(x2)
