I live in the cemetery ol' caretaker they call me 

In the wintertime I rake the leaves and in the summer I cut the weeds 

When a funeral comes the people cry and pray 

They bury their dead and they all go away 

But through their grief I still can see their hate and greed and jealousy 

So here I work and I somehow hide from a world that rushes by outside 

And each night when I rest my head I'm contented as the peaceful death 

But who's gonna cry when old John dies who's gonna cry when old John dies 

Once I was a young man dashing with the girls 

Now no one wants an old man I lost my handsome curls 

But I wanna say when my time comes lay me facing the rising sun 

Put me in the corner where where I buried my pup 

Tell the preacher to pray then cover me up 

Don't lay flowers where my head should be maybe God let some grow for me 

And all the little children that I love like my own 

Will they be sorry that old John's gone 

Who's gonna cry when old John dies who's gonna cry when old John dies