I am looking rather seedy now
While holding down my claim
And my vittles are not always
Served the best
And the mice play shyly round me
As I nestle down to rest
In my little old sod shanty in the west

Oh the hinges are of leather
Ad the windows have no glass
While the board roof
Lets the howling blizzards in
And I hear the hungry coyote
As he slinks up through the grass
Round the little old sod shanty
On my claim

Yet I rather like the novelty
Of living in this way
Though my bill of fare
Is always rather tame
But I'm happy as can be
For I'm single and I¹m free
In the little old sod shanty on my claim

My clothes are plastered
O'er with dough, I'm looking like a fright
And everything is scattered
Round the room
But I wouldn't give the freedom
That I have out in the west
For the table of the Eastern man's
Old home

Still I wish that some kind-hearted girl
Would pity on me take
And relieve me from the mess
That I am in
Oh, the angel, how I'd bless her
If this her home she'd make
In the little old sod shanty on my claim