The Josh McCrae's version went something like this:

TALKING GUITAR BLUES

If you want to get in trouble I'll tell you how to do it
Just get a guitar, and then you're into it
You play all day, and you play all night, folks say,
You'll never learn to play it right, always fussin' at you,
Wont let you practice, tryin' to run you out into the henhouse."

Well I bought a guitar about a year ago,
The man said I'd learn in a week or so,
And he gave me a little book and a pick or two
And said "There it's Bub, it's up to you." That dirty dog,
Cost me all the money I had, $4.95, Cotton pickin' money too

Well,never the less I'd spent my dough,
And I couldn't let it go to waste you know,
So, I took the little book, guitar and all
Went back home where the grass grows tall, way down there in Missouri.
Good place to be if y've got a guitar, awful if y' ain't

Now for weeks and weeks I laboured hard
To try and learn those few main chords
The book said its easy as ABC, but oh my fingers was killin' me.
Got sore right on the ends, couldn't mash the strings down,
Wanted to quit, felt disgusted.

Well I kept on playin' with all ma might,
And I could see Ma's hair was turning white,
Her face was lined with discontent,
said her patience was pretty nigh spent
She's nervous, agitated, wanted to scream.

My sister, she took it the worst of all
'Cause she got married that coming fall
She said, for love, but, I have my doubts
I think that guitar chased her out
She's a game girl just couldn't take it.

Now Pa he took it in a different way
He said son y' may turn your Ma's hair grey
And chase your sister away from home
But either you or me's boy's gonna roam
And, I ain't leavin', never intended to, you figure it out

So, the next day after ma clothes was packed
I slung that guitar across my back
I went off and I caught me a long freight train
To search the world for my share of fame
I ain't found any, just hardships, heartaches, hand outs