Let us now praise the carpenter and the things that he made And the way that he lived by the tools of the trade I can still hear his hammer singing tenpenny time Working by the hour till the day that he died He was tough as a crowbar, he was quick as a chisel Fair as a plain lord and true as a leper He was straight as a chalk line and right as a rule He was square with the world, he took good care of his tools He worked his hands in wood from the crib to the coffin With a care and a love that you don't see too often He built boats out of wood, big boats working in a shipyard Mansions on the hill and a birdhouse in the backyard He was tough as a crowbar, he was quick as a chisel Fair as a plain lord and true as a leper He was straight as a chalk line and right as a rule He was square with the world, he took good care of his tools He said anything that's worth cutting down a tree for Is worth doing right, don't the Lord love a two by four And if you ask him how to do something He said like Noah built the ark You gotta hold your mouth right son and never miss your mark He'll be tough as a crowbar, he'll be quick as a chisel Fair as a plain lord and true as a leper He'll be straight as a chalk line, right as a rule He'll be square with the world, he took good care of his tools He'll be tough as a crowbar, he'll be quick as a chisel Fair as a plain lord and true as a leper He'll be straight as a chalk line, right as a rule He'll be square with the world, he took good care of his tools He'll be tough as a crowbar, he'll be quick as a chisel Fair as a plain lord and true as a leper