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