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by Martha Jane Cannary (1856 - 1903), as also known as Calamity Jane

Your mother works for a living
Language: English 
Your mother works for a living.
One day I have chickens, and the next day feathers.

These days I'm driving a stagecoach.
For a while, I worked in Russell's saloon
but when I worked there all the virtuous women
planned to run me out of town,
so these days, I'm driving a stagecoach.

I'll be leaving soon to join Bill Cody's Wild West Show.
I'll ride a horse bare-back,
standing up, shoot my old Stetson hat
twice - throwing it into the air -
and landing on my head.

These are hectic days - like hell let out for noon.
I mind my own business, but remember
the one thing the world hates is a woman
who minds her own business.

All the virtuous women
have bastards and shot-gun weddings.
I have nursed them through childbirth and
my only pay is a kick in the pants when my back is turned.
These other women are pot bellied, hairy legged
and look like something the cat dragged in.
I wish I had the power to damn their souls to hell!
Your mother works for a living.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Martha Jane Cannary (1856 - 1903), as also known as Calamity Jane, no title, written 1882-3, from her letters to her daughter Janey (text adapted by the composer) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Libby Larsen (b. 1950), "A working woman", first performed 1989 [ soprano and piano ], from Songs from Letters, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-09-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 182

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