Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)

Subject: True Blue Bill
From: Sir
Date: 08 Oct 97 - 05:00 PM

My father, who knew many folk songs and instilled in his children a love for them, used to sing a comic song called "True Blue Bill" which I suspect was not really folk but a Gene Autry song. I would appreciate hearing from any who would know it. The words started out "Oh, I'm a truthfull fellow, they call me True Blue Bill. I never told a falsehood and I bet I never will" and "I was raised up in the mountains where all the snakes have legs. Where the hoot owls speak in English and the roosters lay square eggs. I shaved my beard and moustash the morning I was born. I beat up my old man and drank his rye and corn. Oh I'm a truthfull fellow they call me True Blue Bill...." Sir

Subject: Lyr Add: TRUE BLUE BILL
From: Jon W.
Date: 08 Oct 97 - 05:18 PM

I was taught this song as a scout nearly 30 years ago. I have never run into anyone else who has heard of it until now. The verses I remember go like this:

TRUE BLUE BILL

I was born up in the mountains, where the rattlesnakes have legs,
Where the hootowls speak in English, and the roosters lay square eggs.
I shaved my beard and mustache, the first day I was born,
And I beat up on my old man and drank his riot corn.

Chorus:
Oh, I'm a truthful fellow, they call me True Blue Bill
I never told a falsehood, and I bet I never will.

One day when I was sailing the islands of the sea,
By cannibals I was captured, and they tied me to a tree.
They danced and beat their tom-toms, and they got rather rough,
But I told them I wouldn't make good steak, 'cause I was too darn tough.

I used to be an aviator, and in my aeroplane,
I flew across to Paris and I started back again.
When I got halfway over, the darned old motor balked,
So I left the darn thing sit up there, and I got out and walked.

The Father of Our Country, he never told a lie,
and he was my great-great-grandmother, so I ask you why should I?

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: Dale Rose
Date: 08 Oct 97 - 08:47 PM

This was discussed in the thread entitled "truthful fellow" Last entry was on June 13.

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: Sir
Date: 08 Oct 97 - 10:01 PM

Hey, Thanks, Jon! I could remember parts of the song but I think you've given me all my dad used to sing. -Sir

Subject: Lyr Add: TRUE BLUE BILL (Autry, Raney & Marvin)
From: Dale Rose
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 12:27 AM

TRUE BLUE BILL
Words and Music by Autry, Raney & Marvin. Arr. by N. Manoloff

[Yodel] True-oo-hoo Blue-oo-hoo Bi-hill.

1. I grew up in the mountains, out where the snakes have legs,
Where the hoot-owls speak in English and the roosters lay square eggs.
I shaved my beard and mustache the morning I was born,
And that night beat up my old man and drank his rye and corn.

CHORUS: Oh, I'm a truthful fellow; they call me True Blue Bill.
I never told a falsehood; you bet I never will.
[Yodel] De-odle-lay-ee-hee-o-lay-hee.

2. I've had some great adventures. I've sailed the seven seas.
I've tamed man-eating monsters from lions on down to fleas.
I've swum the wide Pacific and I've walked around the moon.
I waded forty feet of snow the thirty-first of June. CHORUS

3. I used to be a flyer, and in my aeroplane,
I flew across to Paris and started home again.
When I got halfway over, the dog-gone motor balked,
So I let the blamed thing set up there and I got out and walked. CHORUS

4. One time when I was shipwrecked, on islands in the sea,
By cannibals I was captured, and tied up to a tree.
They danced and beat their tom-toms; they got rather rough.
But they said I wouldn't make good steak; I was too dog-gone tough.

LAST CHORUS: The father of our country could never tell a lie,
And he was my great uncle; I ask you, why should I?

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: Sir
Date: 09 Oct 97 - 04:20 PM

Thanks, Dale. I thought it was a Gene Autry song. -Sir

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From:
Date: 03 May 98 - 02:31 PM

Thanks My father use to sing this song to me and I fogot the lyrics. I been trying to find it.

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From:
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 12:28 AM

My Dad has been singing this song to us for years. He is now teminally ill, and we have been looking for the lyrics for some time. This is the first reference we have found. Thanks from me and my 12 brothers and sisters.

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 01:43 PM

It sticks to the convention for songs of marvels or lies. There's almost always a line in the song where the singer says that he is telling the truth.

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: GUEST,Harold
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 10:13 AM

the one from Dale Rose He had said I walked around the room. It was, I've walked around the moon.

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: RangerSteve
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 10:27 PM

Great song. Is there a recording available? What good are great lyrics without a melody?

Subject: RE: True Blue Bill
From: Louie Roy
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 10:36 AM

RangerSteve I don't know whether there is a tape available but I have been singing this song for at least sixty years and if you want a tape let me know Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Ol' Country Girl
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 05:20 PM

Thank you all for your comments. My father used to sing this to me and I never knew where it came from. His version was:

Oh, I grew up in the mountains, out where the snakes have legs
Where the hootowls they speak English, and the roosters lay square eggs.

I shaved my beard and mustache the morning I was born,
That night I beat up my ole man and I drank his rye and corn.

Chorus:
Oh, I'm a truthful fellow, I never told a lie
I never told a falsehood and I won't until I die.


I was shipwrecked on an island, a way out in the sea
By cannibals I was captured and tied up to a tree.
They danced to the beat of tomtoms and acted mighty rough
They said I wouldn't make good steak because I was too tough.

Chorus, again.

This brings back wonderful memories, as my father died six years ago and I think of him and miss him every day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Phyllis
Date: 04 Dec 11 - 11:47 AM

I was humming this song and thinking of MY Dad recently and decided to see if there were more verses than he taught me. I was so happy find some verses that I had not heard but I will share one more:

"Oh, I'm a truthful fellow, they call me True Blue Bill
I've never told a falsehood and I bet I never will.
I've had some great adventures and I've walked upon the moon.
I've waded 30 feet of snow on the 31st of June!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Clif C in Denver
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 04:20 PM

What a piece of serendipity ! My father used to sing this to the kids when I was young and one of my best friends is a descendent of Autry's.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: Joe_F
Date: 29 Jun 12 - 09:10 PM

And of course, he *never* was unfaithful to True Blue Lou.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: PHJim
Date: 30 Jun 12 - 06:05 PM

Here's enough of the tune to get you going: True Blue Bill

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Kevin
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 08:14 PM

Wow... amazing how many dads sung this to their kids...me as well,
always loved this song but had no clue as who did it..my dad passed a few years back and before, never thought to ask him who the song was by. Tonight after a few I was playing it on the guitar and decided to just type the lyrics into google and there it was....   thanks to you who posted.

His version on the chorus was..............

Now the father of our country would never tell a lie and he was my great uncle so I ask you why should I.

the other difference was.... I was born in Texas out where the snakes have legs

Cool thanks all

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Guest, Pat
Date: 09 Apr 13 - 11:41 PM

Let me add my name to the list of those who remember learning this from their Fathers. I bet they all had the same twinkle in their eyes. Like the writer above, the tune just popped into my head and I thought I would google the lyrics.

Nice to connect on this one.

Take care.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,To
Date: 11 Jun 13 - 11:05 PM

I sung this in kindergarten

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Artistik
Date: 17 Jun 13 - 10:54 AM

What memories this brings of my dad singing this song and he "couldn't carry a tune in a bucket".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Dr N8
Date: 17 Aug 13 - 10:35 AM

Recently sang the first verse and chorus at my Grandpas funeral because he used to sing it to his kids and grandkids. Have searched the Internet for the lyrics before but to no avail. Thank you for posting!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Robin Kessinger
Date: 06 Jan 14 - 06:43 PM

Off and on, I think about "the song my Dad used to sing to me and my brother and sisters when we were growing up. I finally did a google search and found this thread. I couldn't believe how many dads sang this song to their kids

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Robin Kessinger
Date: 06 Jan 14 - 06:47 PM

Thank you for posting the lyrics to this song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Janet Steimle
Date: 15 Jul 15 - 02:42 PM

We sang this song at family reunions as kids. My mom taught it to us. It was our talent! Our version went like this:

I grew up in the mountains, out where the snakes have legs,
Where the bullfrogs speak plain English, and the roosters lay square eggs.
I shaved my beard and mustache the morning I was born.
I beat up on my old man, and drank his rye and corn.

Chorus:
Oh I'm a truthful fellow, they call me truthful Bill,
I never told a falsehood and I guess I never will.

One time when I was shipwrecked down on the southern seas,
I was taken by some cannibals and tied up to a tree.
They sang and beat their tom toms and they got mighty rough
But they said I wouldn't make good stew cause I was to darn tough.

Chorus:

I took a trip to Paris in my air-o-plane, I had a good time in Paris and started back again,
When I got halfway over the darn old engine balked, I got so darn disgusted I got right out and walked.

Chorus:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Charzie
Date: 25 Jul 15 - 03:58 AM

Awesome to hear so many people know and love this song and I am another one whose dad sang this to his kids. I also googled to see what the lyrics were because I really only remember the 1st verse since my dad has been gone many years. Funny how the lyrics evolved from the original with each rendition! Here is one more for the list:

Oh I grew up in the mountains, where all the snakes have legs,
Where the hootowls speak in English and the roosters lay square eggs,
Shaved my beard and mustache the morning I was born,
Then I beat up my old man and drank his rye and corn...

Oh I'm a truthful fellow, they call me truthful Bill,
never told a falsehood and I bet I never will.

Thanks all for the warm fuzzy memories!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: True Blue Bill (from Gene Autry)
From: GUEST,Vaun Fiedler
Date: 14 Mar 17 - 09:43 PM

I am looking for guitar chords for this song. Supposed to pay it for my Dad's memorial service.