I was sitting out there in the shade of a big ol' cotton tree.
Just mindin' my own business, soakin' up the yellow sun.
Then outta nowhere, this scruffy little dog comes real close.
Looks at me, lowers his head as if to say he ain't got no one.

You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, no, you ain't staying with me.
You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, you don't get nothin' for free.

But this ol' dog just looks me in the eye, and walks on over.
He's walkin' slowly, tail down, just dragging his dusty feet.
Reckon he's got me down as a helpful old man out for the day.
He don't see that I have my life in a bag, and I'm downbeat.

You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, no, you ain't staying with me.
You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, you don't get nothin' for free.

Well I'd had my fix of the sky blue rays, and I made to leave.
And this ol' dog followed on behind as I ambled on my way.
Oh, I shouted at 'im to leave me be, I moved on faster, I stopped.
But whatever I did, he was comin' along, he was here to stay.

You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, no, you ain't staying with me.
You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, you don't get nothin' for free.

And so it was for quite a while, when I could get me some food,
I'd ask the folk for just a bit more to keep the little guy strong.
Still, I kept thinkin' he'd push off one day, just like he'd come.
But no, this mangy little bag of bones just kept tagging along.

You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, no, you ain't staying with me.
You gotta go, yeah, you gotta go, you don't get nothin' for free.

Then one day my whole view changed 'bout this useless mutt.
A bunch o' ruffians come up to me and were pushing me around.
And this ol' dog started barkin' 'n' snarlin' 'n' biting on their leg.
He chased them clean away, I was saved by the brave ol' hound.

You gotta stay, yeah, you gotta stay, boy, you are stayin' with me.
You gotta stay, yeah, you gotta stay, you'll get all your food for free.