1.

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

chorus:

Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark,
Fare thee well, I say,
Fare thee well, Old Joe Clark,
I’m a goin’ away.

2.

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.

3.

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.

4.

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.

5.

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.