I lost my folks when I was only three
And then Uncle Zed took charge of me
He was sharper still and twice as hard
He lived a sermon is own back yard

A said yes sir no sir thank you please
Said if I didn't he'd put me across his knees
He didn't waist time on sympathy
But he taught me a great philosophy

He said skin your own pole cat son
When the going gets rough don't you run
There's a world of truth in what he said
Skin your own pole cat if you wanna get ahead

Now uncle never let any soft words fall
I used to think he didn't love me at all
He sat me down by his side one day
He said now son life is this a way

In a river of sin you can swim around
There's plenty of friends that will help you drown
But if you ain't strong and you ain't stout
There ain't nobody gonna help you out

He said skin your own pole cat son...

Well a few short years and I was grown
Uncle said boy now you're on your own
I started out to live a good life
I loved the pretty girls and I took me a wife

Well I've got forty acres of fertile ground
A big house started gonna settle down
And a little bit later when the kids come along
I'll think about uncle and I'll sing this song

He said skin your own pole cat son...
Yeah he said skin your own pole cat son...