I been t’inkin’ 'bout de preachah; whut he said de othah night,
   'Bout hit bein’ people's dooty, fu' to keep dey faces bright; 
How one ought to live so pleasant dat ouah tempah never riles, 
   Meetin' evahbody roun' us wid ouah very nicest smiles. 

Dat's all right, I ain't a-sputin' not a t'ing dat soun's lak fac', 
   But you don't ketch folks a-grinnin' wid a misery in de back; 
An’ you don't fin' dem a-smilin' w’en dey's hongry ez kin be, 
   Leastways, dat's how human natur’ allus seems to 'pear to me. 

We is mos' all putty likely fu' to have our little cares, 
    An I think we 's doin' fus' rate w’en we jes' go long and bears, 
Widout breakin' up ouah faces in a sickly so't o' grin, 
   W’en we knows dat in ouah innards we is p'intly mad ez sin.

Oh dey's times fu' bein' pleasant an' fu' goin' smilin roun', 
    ‘Cause I don't believe in people allus totin' roun' a frown, 
But it's easy 'nough to titter w’en de stew is smokin' hot, 
   But hit's mighty ha’d to giggle w'en dey's nuffin' in de pot.