GOVERNOR AL SMITH

(Spoken) Getting' right now

Al Smith nominated for president, darlin'
Al Smith nominated for president, darlin'
Al Smith nominated for president
My vote to him I'm a-gonna present, darlin'

Al Smith is a mighty fine man, darlin'
Al Smith is a mighty fine man, darlin'
Al Smith is a mighty fine man
He wants to be president of our land, darlin'

(Spoken) Hot dog! In Chicago, just from Tennessee and here's what the people say:

Al Smith is a-getting on a boom, darlin'
Al Smith is a-getting on a boom, darlin'
Al Smith is a-getting on a boom
He don't favour the open saloon, darlin'

Smith wants everything to be just right, darlin'
Smith wants everything to be just right, darlin'
Smith wants everything to be just right
The law's gonna get you if you get tight, darlin'

I think I'll buy me a little camphor gum, my darlin'
I think I'll buy me a little camphor gum, my darlin'
I think I'll buy me a little camphor gum
For then I think I can buy a little rum, my darlin'

Moonshine's been here long enough, darlin'
Moonshine's been here long enough,, darlin'
Moonshine's been here long enough
Let's all vote right and get rid of such, darlin'

Many a good man's been poisoned to death, darlin'
Many a good man's been poisoned to death, darlin'
Many a good man's been poisoned to death
And with a real drink was never blessed, darlin'

Four dollar bills and a bottle of beer, darlin'
Four dollar bills and a bottle of beer, darlin'
Four dollar bills and a bottle of beer
I wish to the lord my honey was here, darlin'

Source: transcription of reissue on Uncle Dave Macon 'The Country Music Hall of Fame Series' MCA MCAD-10546. Original issue Brunswick 263, recorded in Chicago, Ill, 26 July 1928.

This is another example of Uncle Dave's forays into social commentary. It was written during the 1928 presidential campaign when the Governor of New York, Al Smith, ran on the Democatic ticket against Herbert Hoover. Macon's support seems a little odd given that Smith was a Northerner and a catholic whose core constituency was immigrants groups in the larger cities. However, Smith was opposed to Prohibition and, by this stage, many country people were beginning to believe that Prohibition was doing more harm than good because of poor drink and general disregard for the law. Although he was a genuinely moral and religious man, Uncle Dave didn't mind a drop or two. As Charles Wolfe put it, there was a duality to Uncle Dave (and to many country singers), 'a curious combination of traditional morality (what man should be) and life-embracing gusto (what man is)'. [Quote from Charles Wolfe in 'Stars of Country Music' Ed Bill C. Malone and Judith McCulloh, Urbana, Uni of Illinois Press, 1975, p59].

PS.