Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Oh, with the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Well I asked my lady, "What should I do to make her happy and make love true?" She said, "The only thing that I want from you is a little, little piece of a big bamboo" With the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Well, I gave my lady a sugar cane Sweet up the sweets I did explain She gave it back to my surprise She liked the flavour but not the size She wants the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Well, I gave my lady a coconut She said, "I like it, it's OK but the only thing that worries me, what good are the nuts without the tree?" I want the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Now I gave my lady a banana plant She said, "I like it, it's elegant You must not let it go to waste It's much too soft to suit my taste?" I want the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Now I met a Chinese Mongol Dig Hung Do He got married, went to Mexico His wife divorced him very quick She wants bamboo and not chopstick It is the big, big bamboo, bamboo O la la la la la la la la la Working for the Yankee dollar Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill Money in the hand is the Yankee dollar bill