An’ I walked up to get in.
What you reckin’ the man said to me?
“No nigger can ride the Red Ball.”
So I turned around an’ went back home
An’ began to paint my face.
But I forgot to paint my neck an’ hands.
So I went back an’ tried him again.
Didn’t have no luck. An’ I’m
Gonna get me a mule an’ name him Red Ball,
An’ I can ride just the same.