This is my take on the famous, though historically questionable, story of the promise made to ex-slaves after the Civil War.

Instruments: Banjo, bass, lap steel guitar

His ancestors were warriors some were kings and queens  
James ended up across the world where life was hard and mean 

General Sherman came marching setting all the people free
James got up and marched with him all the way to the sea
When the war was over he had no place to go
He had a wife and children but no place to call home

They made a promise one thing they would do  
They were gonna try to make things right with Forty Acres and a Mule 

So he walked all the way down to Charleston his friends called him a fool
But he got a little bit of bottomland and a worn out army mule

They made a promise one thing they would do  
They were gonna try to make things right with Forty Acres and a Mule 

That old mule died in a couple of weeks the farmland was too wet
James started digging drainage hoping for the best
But the white folks wanted that land real bad and they did not want to pay
the governor signed some papers and took James’ land away

They made a promise one thing they would do  
They were gonna try to make things right with Forty Acres and a Mule 

They said he could work on the railroad but that never came to be
or join the army but that wasn’t right for a man with a family
So it was back to the old plantation sharing his life away
but James believed deep inside it had to get better some day

They made a promise one thing they would do  
They were gonna try to make things right with Forty Acres and a Mule 

His ancestors were warriors  
some were kings and queens