I don't want to sound like I'm preachin' a sermon,
But I've heard people say:
The early bird catches the worm;
'N there's a lot of good logic in that old cliche.
There are certain obligations you just can't shirk,
You've got to put the heat on to make the kettle perk;
And if you want it to be a good day,
You've got to do a good day's work.

Chorus 1:

You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Nothin's what you get for free.
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Never was a money tree.
And furthermore, my friends, I must repeat,
Nobody's livin' down on Easy Street;
And if you want to owe for groceries,
You're gonna get an awful lot of "No sir-ee's."
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for a dollar,
'Taint as simple as you think.
You can't purloin a sirloin
Or the butcher will put you in the clink.
You just can't be a lazy bird,
You've gotta get off o' your twig;
So you can afford your room and your board,
And it's nice to have the price of a "cig."
Say, you've gotta pay the fiddler man
If you want to do a jig.
You've gotta be as busy as a bee
To be a Mister B. I. G.
And if you want some dig-dig-dignity,
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig.

Chorus 2:

You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Nothin's what you get for free.
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Never was a money tree.
And furthermore, my friends, I must repeat,
Nobody's livin' down on Easy Street;
And if you want to owe for groceries,
You're gonna get an awful lot of "No sir-ee's."
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for a dollar,
'Taint as simple as you think.
You can't purloin a sirloin
Or the butcher will put you in the clink.
You just can't be a lazy bird,
You've gotta get off o' your twig;
So you can afford your room and your board,
And it's nice to have the price of a "cig."
Say, you've gotta pay the fiddler man
If you want to do a jig.
You've gotta be as busy as a bee
To be a Mister B. I. G.
And if you want some dig-dig-dignity,
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig.
(Spoken:) Right!

Movie version:

Verse:

(Kelly (spoken):) I don't want to sound like I'm preachin' a sermon
(Silvers (spoken):) Oh, preach to me, preach!
(Kelly (sung):) But I've heard people say:
(Silvers (spoken:) What did they say?
(Kelly (spoken:) They said, uh...
(Kelly (sung):) The early bird catches the worm...
'N there's a lot of good logic in that old cliche.
(Silvers (spoken:) You know he's right, listen to him children, he's right!
(Kelly (sung):) There are certain obligations you just can't shirk.
You've got to put the heat on to make the kettle perk.
(Silvers (spoken):) Now ain't dat da troo...?
Are ya list'nin' to da man?
Dis is da man who saved me...
I was wicked,
I was mad,
But dis is de man who showed me da way,
Dis is da man who took me by da han' up to da glory room,
Dis is da man who showed me da light,
Dis man here, dis is da man who gave me da beat,
Dis is da man who made me be righteous,
Dis man...
(Kelly (sung):) And if you want it to be a good day,
You've gotta do a good day's work;

Chorus:

You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Nothin's what you get for free.
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Never was a money tree.
And furthermore, my friends, I must repeat,
Nobody's livin' down on Easy Street;
And if you want to owe for groceries,
You're gonna get an awful lot of "No sir-ee's."
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig for a dollar,
'Taint as simple as you think.
You can't purloin a sirloin
Or the butcher will put you in the clink.
You just can't be a lazy bird,
You've gotta get off o' your twig;
So you can afford your room and your board,
And it's nice to have the price of a "cig."
Say, you've gotta pay the fiddler man
If you want to do a jig.
You've gotta be as busy as a bee
To be a Mister B. I. G.
And if you want some dig-dig-dignity,
You've gotta dig, dig, dig, dig, dig for your dinner,
Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig.

Writer : WARREN, HARRY/GORDON, MACK
Copyright : Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing