00:00 Verse one, line one. Notice the accent grunt at the end of each phrase
00:07 Second line responds to the first line. The grunts continue on the third beat of each measure, which signals where the axe would fall.
00:14 Second verse is a repeat of the first verse.
00:25 Third verse. New words: Gonna leave you, (grunt), oh may (grunt)...
00:36 Fourth verse. Look out Juli (grunt), oh may (grunt)...
00:47 Fifth verse. What's a matter with Juli, (grunt), oh may (grunt)...
00:58 Sixth verse is a repeat of the second verse.
01:07 Ledbetter explains that the singing will continue to show that the rhythm is still maintained but you won't bear the axes again until later.
01:23 Seventh verse. The singing continues without the accented beats where the axe falls.
01:32 Eighth verse is a repeat of the third verse. Notice that the tempo increases slightly at the end of this verse.
01:41 Ninth verse. I'm gonna get married, oh lord...
01:50 Tenth verse. Gonna marry Martha, oh lord...
01:58 Eleventh verse. At the end of this verse he says "Axes are coming back now."
02:10 Twelfth verse. Return to verse one with the grunts on beat three.
02:18 Thirteenth verse. Drop them axes, (grunt), oh lord, (grunt)...
02:27 Fourteenth verse. Dropping together, (grunt), oh may, (grunt)...
02:35 Return to first verse as the song begins to close.
02:44 Final verse is a repeat of verse three.
02:52 Ends with a final grunt.