By Bill Anderson
Dedication: To Whispering Bill Anderson and a friendship I value as much as any other because of his talent and also his inspiration To Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Porter Wagoner, Ernest Tub, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins and Lefty Frizzell for singing prison songs when I was still a prisoner
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY DADDY USED TO SAY TO ME, SON,
WE GOT A LOT OF LAND, WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE
GO GET YOUR MARBLES, PUT'EM IN THE HOUSE
TEAR DOWN YOUR CASTLES IN THE SAND
COME WITH YOUR POPPY TO THE COTTON PATCH
GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS

GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS, SON
IF YOUR GONNA GROW UP TO BE A BIG BIG MAN
A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS

WELL I REACHED TWENTY ONE AND I THOUGHT I WAS A PRETTY BIG WHEEL
I LEFT THE COUNTRY FOR THE CITY, MET A SLICKER WITH A SHADY DEAL
HE SAID HOLD UP THE BANK BOY AND TAKE ALL THE MONEY
AND RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN
THE ONLY WAY YOU'LL EVER GET ALONG IN THIS WORLD
IS TO GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS
GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS

WELL ITS FOUR IN THE MORNING' AND THE WARDEN IS CALLING' MY NAME
HE SAID HE'S TEACHING' ME A LESSON NOW HE'S MAKING' ME GO WORK IN THE RAIN
DIG THAT DITCH BOY FILL IT UP
IM WANTING' YOU TO UNDERSTAND
THE ONLY WAY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT A GUY LIKE YOU
IS TO GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS
GET A LITTLE DIRT ON YOUR HANDS

HEY DAVID GOT TO GET A LITTLE DIRT ON THOSE HANDS BOY
YEAH IF YOU WANT TO GROW UP TO BE A BIG BIG MAN
YOU BETTER REMEMBER WHAT OLD WHISPERING BILL TOLD YOU IN THIS SONG
GET A LITTLE DIRT ON THOSE HANDS