Translated in 1957 by Oscar Brand from a Pennsylvania Dutch Song.
When I first came to this land, I was not a wealthy man
So I got myself a shack, and I did what I could
And I called my shack "Break My Back"
But the land was sweet and good and I did what I could
When I first came to this land, I was not a wealthy man
So I got myself a cow, and I did what I could
And I called my cow "No Milk Now"
And I called my shack "Break My back"
But the land was sweet and good, and I did what I could
When I first came to this land, I was not a wealthy man
So I got myself a duck, and I did what I could
And I called my duck "Out of Luck"
And I called my cow "No Milk Now"
And I called my shack "Break My back"
But the land was sweet and good, and I did what I could
When I first came to this land, I was not a wealthy man
So I got myself a wife, and I did what I could
And I called my wife "Run for Your Life"
And I called my duck "Out of Luck"
And I called my cow "No Milk Now"
And I called my shack "Break My back"
But the land was sweet and good, and I did what I could