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Origins: Great American Bum
DigiTrad:
THE PENDER HARBOUR FISHERMAN'S COME ALL YE
Related thread:
Lyr Req: I Hate To Be Called A hobo (6)
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Subject: Great American Bum From: mahull@terraworld.net Date: 03 Nov 98 - 08:42 PM I'm looking for the lyrics to an old song from the late depression era-30's or thereabout. I don't know the artist, but it was recorded for play on a graphaphone (I don't know what that is). The song may have been called "The Great American Bum" and all I know about it is words to the effect "this land is rolling, now if this is true, roll it here to me and I'll see what I can do." I have found a song "The Pender Harbour Fisherman's Come All Ye" that claims to be a "variation of" "The Great American Bum" but has no words that identify it as the song I'm looking for. Also found reference that this song may have been a hobo song. Any leads will be appreciated. Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Nov 98 - 11:10 PM Hi - I'm thinking the song may be The Great Historical Bum (click here). It just might be that the reference in the database under "Pender Harbour" could be wrong. Dick Greenhaus, the Esteemed Editor of the Digital Tradition Database, is seldom wrong - but he has been known on occasion to have faulty words flow from his typing fingers. A song that's often sung with "Bum" is Born 10,000 Years Ago (click here). -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 03 Nov 98 - 11:17 PM I shouldn't have doubted the Esteemed Mr. Greenhaus. I found "Great American Bum," and it's a completely different song. I'll post it in an hour or so. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM From: Joe Offer Date: 04 Nov 98 - 01:24 AM THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM (traditional) Come all you jolly jokers if you want to have some fun And listen while I relate the tale of the great American bum. From the east and west and north and south like a swarm of bees they come. They sleep in the dirt and they wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs. (chorus) I am a bum, a jolly old bum And I live like a royal Turk. And I have good luck and I bum all my chuck And the heck with the man that works. It's early in the morning when the dew is on the ground, A bum arises from his nest and gazes all around. While going east they're loaded, and going west sealed tight, "I reckon we'll have to ride aboard the fast express tonight." (chorus) Well, I met a man the other day that I never met before, And he asked me if I wanted a job a-shovelin' iron ore. I asked him what the wages was and he said: "ten cents a ton." I said: "Old fellow, scratch your …neck, I'd rather be on the bum. (chorus) Oh, lady would you be kind enough to give me somethin' to eat, A piece of bread and butter and a tender slice of meat. Some apple pie and custard just to tickle me appetite, For really I'm so hungry, don't know where I'll sleep tonight. (chorus) Some sources attribute the song to Harry McClintock, who wrote "Big Rock Candy Mountain." Dick Greenhaus, you know about these things - did McClintock write "Bum"?? I found the song in the Silverman "Folk Song Encyclopedia," with no songwriter named.
MIDI file: GREATA~1.MID Timebase: 192 Name: The Great American Bum This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1
Click Here for 1928 recording and sheet music by Harry McClintock |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: mahull@terraworld.net Date: 04 Nov 98 - 05:02 PM This is great! My 75-year old mother has mentioned this song several times recently and now I can "refresh" her memory on the song. I haven't tried the midi file yet--I'm just flat dumb when things get too far over my head, but I usually jump in with both feet. FYI--the shortcut to "The Great Historical Bum" doesn't work--gives a web publisher error. This version of "The Great American Bum" doesn't contain the words Mother thought she remembered from her young days, but I understand many of these songs had other versions or verses. Thanks again. Ann Hull |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: John in Brisbane Date: 04 Nov 98 - 06:09 PM The version that I knew from a 78 rpm of the 30's (?) had words something like "You say this land is rolling I'll tell you what to do, just roll it down to some shady nook and I'll see what I can do", plus it was interspersed with some dry humorous exchanges between the bum and a house-lady (I think) such as "Hey missus, I've got a button here, can you sew a shirt on it?" I believe that it was on the flip-side of a Regal Zonophone recording of either The Big Rock Candy Mountain or Hallelujah I'm a Bum.
Likewise Joe's words are not the ones that I used to listen to. I have a very strong memory of the music line - I'm looking forward to listening to Joe's tonight.
Regards |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: mahull@terraworld.net Date: 05 Nov 98 - 02:20 AM Hello, John from Brisbane You apparently remember the version Mother has talked about. She says the record had Big Rock Candy Mountain on the flip side. Do you remember any more of the verses? Maybe Mother will remember them in more detail after she reads Joe's posted version--if so I will post them (in several days-she lives out of town). Any ideas of the artist on that recording? Cheers! Ann Hull |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 05 Nov 98 - 02:32 AM Hi - I found this in Folk Music - An Index to Recorded Resources, another service of the Milton Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University. If I read it correctly, maybe the index attributes the song to Harry McClintock, who wrote "Big Rock Candy Mountain." Dick Greenhaus, you know about these things - did McClintock write "Bum"?? I found the song in the Silverman "Folk Song Encyclopedia," with no songwriter named.
The Great American Bum - McClintock, Harry "Haywire Mac" |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Jon Bartlett Date: 05 Nov 98 - 04:41 AM Sorry for the confusion over this: I posted "Pender harbour Fisherman's Lament", a BC variant of what I took to be "The Great American Bum", which I always thought was by Haywire Mac. Any error is thus mine and not Dick's. As the French say, "je suis desolee." The words given above in the thread have also been collected in BC. Jon |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Paul Date: 06 Nov 98 - 10:17 AM On Woody Guthrie's, "The Asch Recordings - Vol. 1", there is a song called "The Greatest Thing That Man Has Ever Done". In the liner notes they also credit it as "The Great Historical Bum". It sounds something the same as what you may be looking for, but has slightly different lyrics than the others that are posted here. |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Doctor John Date: 06 Nov 98 - 02:18 PM There are two distinct songs: "The Great American Bum" (Come all you jolly jokers ...) recorded by Cisco Houston and the "Great Historical Bum" which is very similar to "I was born about ten thousand years ago" |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: mahull@terraworld.net Date: 10 Nov 98 - 04:26 AM I've heard from the boss and have no additional verses/variations to add to this song. Ann |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 10 Nov 98 - 12:22 PM I'm still confused. the requested song had the line "this land is rolling, now if this is true, roll it here to me and I'll see what I can do."Did we ever figure out what that song might be? Did we ever figure out for sure if it was Harry McClintock who wrote the version of "Great American Bum" that I posted? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: dick greenhaus Date: 10 Nov 98 - 09:00 PM Joe- I don't know. As I recall, Sandburg's "American Songbag" contained the version you posted, which would make it predate McClintock. |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Kansas Annie Date: 10 Nov 98 - 09:15 PM I don't think this is figured out yet. My source is adamant that the recording she remembers as "The Great American Bum" was on the flip side of "Big Rock Candy Mountain," but the words to "The Great American Bum" as posted above don't match her memory. She's very insistent the song contained the words "You say this land is rolling, now if this is true (I'll tell you what to do-John in Brisbane's quote), just roll it down to this shady nook,and I'll see what I can do." I don't think the song I'm looking for is "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum," which is attributed to Harry McClintock. I think the next step is to find a source that contains the above words and/or delve into John Greenway recordings and go from there. |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 11 Nov 98 - 05:11 AM Annie, take a look at Folk Music - An Index to Recorded Resources (click me). Search under McClintock and Greenway and you'll see many of the songs they recorded. The verse you give about the rolling land seems to fit the tune of "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum," which has countless verses. In Songs of Work and Protest, Edith Fowke and Joe Glazer say 'Harry McClintock, an old Wobbly songleader who recorded the song ("Hallelujah I'm a Bum") in 1926, has made a good case for his authorship. While hoboing on the open road in 1897 or 1898, bumming his meals for his supper, McClintock says he put new words to "Revive Us Again," and called it "Hallelulia on the Bum"' The "Hallelujah on the Bum" song is in the Lingenfelter-Dwyer book called "Songs of the American West." Anybody got a copy of that book?-please check to see if the lyrics are different from what we have in the database. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM (from Sandburg) From: Jon Bartlett Date: 11 Nov 98 - 05:16 AM The words posted at the head of the thread are very close to the Cisco Houston set in Sing Out! 11-4. The headnote says "...MacMcClintock claimed to have written this song -- and perhaps he did." I don't know why Dick brings in Sandburg's Songbag. The short version given there ("We Are Four Bums") gives two all but identical verses: THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM (from Sandburg) "We are four bums, four jolly good chums, We live like royal Turks; We're having good luck in bumming our chuck God bless [to hell with] the man that works." Sandburg's source "heard among glee club boys" doesn't really help us, but the Songbag was published 1927, when Mac (1882-1957) would have been 45. No problem there, surely? The BC set was collected by Phil Thomas from the Lindsley brothers, principally George, at Beaton, BC 28 June 1967 runs as follows:
1: Come all ye jolly jokers now listen while I hum
2: Now lady would you be kind enough to give me something to eat?
3: Now I beat my way from Frisco Bay to the rock-bound coast of Maine
4: Oh we jolly old bums, we jolly old bums
5: Now I met a man the other day I never had met before
6: As I was sleeping in the shade just to pass the time away
7: Oh ogee ogee ogee, all we have to do 8: Oh we jolly old bums...[as above]. Lindsley sang this song directly after singing "The Big Rock Candy Mountain." Since these songs are Siamese twins, I'd venture that Haywire Mac recorded them both on the one disc, and when Houston recorded it he dropped the "rollin'" verse. Mac may have written both or neither, but I think he was in the hospital (to continue the metaphor) when they were born. IMHO Jon the offsider |
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Subject: ADD Version: Great American Bum (Cisco Houston) From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 19 Oct 01 - 11:13 AM THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM
Come all you jolly jokers if you want to have some fun,
CHORUS: I am a bum, a jolly old bum, and I live like a royal Turk,
It's early in the mornin', when the dew is on the ground,
(Chorus)
I beat my way from Frisco to the rockbound coast of Maine,
(Chorus)
Oh, lady, would you be kind enough to give me somethin' to eat?
(Chorus)
* "crumb" or "crumbs" here are not little scraps of bread or cake; they're body lice. The adjective "crumby" is "lousy" in the literal sense.
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: nutty Date: 19 Oct 01 - 01:20 PM I thought this was going to be a thread about dieting ....lol |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: 53 Date: 19 Oct 01 - 04:15 PM roger miller and king of the road is a good bum song. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 22 Oct 01 - 11:11 AM refresh |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Metchosin Date: 22 Oct 01 - 01:08 PM re crumbs, also the origin of the word "crummy", a truck with a roofed box for transporting logging crews to and from work. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Mrrzy Date: 22 Oct 01 - 01:12 PM What a great song. Wish I could rememeber who I had it by, it was one of those intermediate-sized records - another Cisco Houston, perhaps? Anybody know? Also, if crumby is lousy, what is grumly, which I think is a compliment? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 22 Oct 01 - 03:59 PM Grumlie in the Scots, as I understand it, is "grim". Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Steve in Idaho Date: 22 Oct 01 - 06:10 PM I had this once - Thanks for bringing it back up for me Dave - I appreciate it! Steve |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: paddymac Date: 22 Oct 01 - 11:32 PM DaveO - What's the melody? Doesn't seem to quite fit "The Great Historical Bum." |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 23 Oct 01 - 10:40 AM No, no relationship, as far as I can see, to "The Great Historical Bum". Would that I had a way of posting the tune. It doesn't remind me of any other song, so I can't say "It's to the tune of" or "sort of like" so-and-so. All I can think of to say is, try to catch me on Paltalk sometime and I'll sing it on request. I currently frequent Live Music for Serious Musicians, and when I'm aware the Mudcat Snug is open I will try to show up there. If neither of those is open, I patronize rooms with "Live" in the title. DAve Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 23 Oct 01 - 10:49 AM Norton, I saw you at Paltalk Monday night, and would have sung this, but I think you were gone by the time I got to sing. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Steve in Idaho Date: 23 Oct 01 - 10:55 AM Hi Dave - I got bumped by my server - I came back just as you were leaving. Not a large as I'll see you there one of these nights. BTW - your volume is awfully low - could hardly hear you. Maybe the battery is getting weak in your mixer? Later Friend, Steve |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Mrrzy Date: 23 Oct 01 - 01:29 PM (Thread creep) if Grumlie means grim, why was the Great Silkie of Shul Skerrie "a grumly guest" when he came to her bed in? I thought it would mean welcome, or something. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Cap't Bob Date: 23 Oct 01 - 02:11 PM Last chorus (alternative)
Sleeping in the station, Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 23 Oct 01 - 04:15 PM He's supernatural, a grim and frightening guest. I got that definition from the liner notes of a set of LPs (SEVEN HOURS of unaccompanied English and Scottish ballads) sung by Ewan McColl and A.L. Lloyd. My, I wish I could lay hands on that set, or CD version! I have the Smithsonian's CD reissue of McColl's Folkways CD with the same title, "The English and Scottish Popular Ballads", but it's not the same assortment and not the same recording session as McColl's portion of the LP set, and A.L. Lloyd is not part of this set. There were a number of ballads I'd love to have that are not involved in the Smithsonian/Folkways set. I've been informed that the masters were bought by a British company, but they have not re-released them, at least as this complete set, but that they may from time to time use individual tracks in compilation recordings. I forget the name of the original label and the successor owner. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Mrrzy Date: 24 Oct 01 - 09:27 AM Ah, so it was rape, I had never gotten that. But back to the thread - who DID sing this song? The great american bum, I mean? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 24 Oct 01 - 01:11 PM Frankly, I don't remember where I learned this song. Maybe Cisco Houston? Can't place it. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 24 Oct 01 - 01:50 PM Aha! I was right! Cisco Houston sang it on "900 Miles and Other R.R. Songs", Folkways FP-13. Copyright 1953. What on some records would be called "liner notes", in a three-sheet (6 page) saddlestitched insert, gives no further information on the origin of this song or its tune. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM From: Cap't Bob Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:27 PM This song was the first song that I learned to sing from beginning to end. I learned it from my Dad around the end of the l930's. I have no idea where he got the song. The song I learned is basically the same as the one listed above by DaveO. It's funny how some things stick in the old memory. The first time I sang it all the way through was at Manitou Beach MI and I was standing on the floor board of a 1936 Chevy coupe. There are just a few differences in the words I learned. They are as follows:
Oh gather around you jolly old bums and listen while I hum
It's early in the morning, the dew is off the ground.
Oh lady would you be kind enough to give me a bite to eat
Sleeping in the Station, Tra la la la lation.
I met a man the other day I never had met before
We three bums, we jolly three bums we live like royal Turks Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: GUEST,MAG at work Date: 24 Oct 01 - 09:00 PM Fred Holstein sings this, and I wouldn't be surprised if Utah Phillips did too, tho' I can't bring him to mind on it. |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: John in Brisbane Date: 25 Oct 01 - 07:35 PM Refresh. This thread pre-dates one which started in November 2001. Joe Offer asked above whether anyone has a copy of the Lingenfelter-Dwyer book called "Songs of the American West." I now own a copy of this book, as does Joe as I recall. It'll be 24 hours before I get the chance to look, but my memory is that the version of GAB therein is not the one that I learned as a kid. Regards, John johninbrisbane@lycos.com |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: John in Brisbane Date: 25 Oct 01 - 07:37 PM I have refreshed an earlier thread from a few years back. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Art Thieme Date: 25 Oct 01 - 10:05 PM Mary Ann I just found a recording of Fred H. 40 years back when he was in a trio in Old Town called THE FRETS. He replaced Guy Guilbert in that group. (Guy had replaced Jim (Roger) McGuinn.) The other 2 guys in the group were John Carbo (banjo) and Louis McDonald (conga drum). Art |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: MAG Date: 26 Oct 01 - 10:35 AM Art, you are incredible. I don't suppose The Frets recordings are available for love or money? Good to hear from you. -- MAG |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 26 Oct 01 - 11:14 AM Joe posted these words AND THE TUNE in November of '98. How is it that it never got into the DT? Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 26 Oct 01 - 01:41 PM The tune was provided in the other thread, in ABC. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: John in Brisbane Date: 02 Nov 01 - 08:15 AM Be still oh beating heart - I finally found a recrding of this song after 40 years, all due to Mudcat. It's at The Record Lady's site in Volume 23 of her hits, sung by Vernon Dalhart. http://recordlady.webgcs.com/23r/51ae.ram I haven't had a chance to transcribe the lyrics but they're just as I remember them (as would Kansas Annie's mum). I don't know anything about Dalhart, but it is possible that this is a sequel to the original "...I've got some more to tell you about the great American Bum ..." Regards, John |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 06 Nov 01 - 02:23 PM Sounds more like it's the predecessor to that one. What you list is "some more", so I expect that one followed the one given here. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Leeder Date: 07 Nov 01 - 04:12 PM My dad used to sing this song, but I'd forgotten about it. I loved it as a kid. This is a nostalgia trip for me. I assume he would have learned it from the Vernon Dalhart recording. Hi Jon. I'm legal now. |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Leeder Date: 07 Nov 01 - 09:56 PM Here's a verse my father sang which is not included in, or is significantly different from, the sets above:
Sleeping beside the station, tra-la-la-la-la-la-lation, The latter two lines were his version of the chorus as well. This is reconstructed from memory, by the way; I have my dad's song lyrics, but not handy, and this one may or may not be in it. He also sang "I Was Born One Hundred Thousand Years Ago"; other versions I've come across use "About Ten Thousand". |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: GUEST,John Canada Date: 17 Aug 04 - 01:14 AM What I'm seeing here is lyrics from Harry Mcclintock's Victor records "The Bum Song" and "Bum Song No. 2", records made in 1928. I have "The Bum Song", But I'll be darned if I'll Transcribe the Lyrics! John |
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Subject: RE: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 17 Aug 04 - 03:43 AM Are the McClintock recordings available on CD, John? -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: GUEST,John Canada Date: 17 Aug 04 - 07:28 PM A Harry McClintock compilation was issued on CD in 1990, but I don't think it's available now. I see "Bum Song" listed on e-bay, but it turns out to ne the original 78 of "Bum Song No.2. I'll bet a diligent search of the web would turn up a CD for sale or a download, though. John |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: GUEST,John Canada Date: 18 Aug 04 - 07:42 AM Harry Mcclintock "The Great American Bum" CD D082 is available from Britain from "the British Archive of Country Music", http://bacm.users.btopenworld.com/CD-details5.html. 22 of his records, restored, including both "Bum" songs, "the Big Rock Candy Mountain" and a few I've never heard of. John |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Jim Dixon Date: 21 Aug 04 - 10:14 PM Cisco Houston sings THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM on "The Folkways Years 1944-1961," Smithsonian Folkways CD 40059, 1994. On that album, it is attributed to "M. McClintock." There is a sound sample at allmusic. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Cap't Bob Date: 22 Aug 04 - 12:39 AM I learned this song from my dad back in the late 30's. The first song I can remember singing. His version was a combination of the above verses with a few slight changes. "Oh gather around you jolly old bums and listen while I hum, A story I'll relate to you of a great American bum, From north to south to east to west, like a swarm of bees they come, They sleep in the dirt and wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs." "It's early in the morning when the dew is on the ground, The bum arises from his nest and gazes all around. From the boxcar to the hay stack, he wanders everywhere, He never gets back upon the track until he gets a square." "We three bums, we jolly three bums; we live like royal Turks, We have good luck, and bum on our chuck, God bless the man that works." Cap't Bob |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 22 Aug 04 - 12:28 PM For those few who don't already know it, "crumb" or "crumbs" in this song are not those little pieces of torn-off bread or cake that we sweep off the table. "Crumbs" here are body lice. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 23 Aug 04 - 12:36 PM I thought the Great American Bum belonged to Jennifer Lopez? OK, I'll leave now............... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:26 AM I knew you Americans had no sense of humour............:0) |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM From: GUEST,Bill Hamilton Date: 25 Jun 08 - 12:39 PM The number of verses and versions give a real insight to this county. I grew up in a railroad town and most of the men in the family for several generations were railroad men. They sang this song and similar ones on a regular basis. I learned the words below in the late thirties and early forties as well as many of the other verses floating around. Some versions leave the word "bay" off after "Frisco" and this doesn't make sense to me. As a side note, when I visited Maine for the first time last years, I confirmed the rock bound coast and remembered this song my dad sang. Hope someone likes the "town clowns and harness bulls" bit. Come all you jolly jokers And listen while I hum The story I'll relate to you The great American bum From north to south From east to west Like a storm of bees they come They lay in the dirt And where a shirt All dirty and full of crumb Tra-la-la-la-la-lation That's my recommendation Hurrah, horree, horrum For we're three bums Three jolly old bums We live like royal Turks We have good luck in bumming our junk God bless the man that works I beat my way from Frisco bay To the rockbound coast of Maine From Canada to Mexico And wandered back again I met town clowns and harness bulls As tough as the cops could be I've been in every calaboose In this land of liberty Oh we're three bums.... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Abby Sale Date: 25 Jun 08 - 10:29 PM I added the Cisco Houston in 1996 and Joe Offer did again in 1998. Still not in the data base. But search on the song for the several discussions and versions. I like the Vernon Dalhart recording. I've got a .ra but I don't know where I got it. There's a fair copy at Clicky |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Jon Bartlett Date: 26 Jun 08 - 12:29 AM I wouldn't be surprised if Haywire Mac McClintock recorded this, too. Jon Bartlett |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: GUEST,NYMusicLover Date: 26 Jun 08 - 01:08 AM Hey Uncle Dave, The Chad Mitchell Trio did the Great Historical Bum combined with The Braggart's Song (I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago) I have it, and if it's possible to upload music to this site, I can try to bring it here... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Mark Ross Date: 26 Jun 08 - 03:18 PM Haywire Mac wrote it! And also recorded BUM SONG #2. Mark Ross |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Great American Bum From: Newport Boy Date: 27 Jun 08 - 08:41 AM The combination of the Great Historical Bum (Biggest Thing Man Has Ever Done) and I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago was in Sing Out in 1961. The first (which begins "I'm just a lonesome traveller, the great historical bum") is credited words and music by Woody Guthrie. The version printed says "One of Woody Guthrie's finest songs brought up-to-date." Ten Thousand Years is credited as collected, adapted and arranged by John & Alan Lomax. The combination is entitled "Just The Facts, Ma'am", and uses 5 verses of Ten Thousand Years and 4 verses of Biggest Thing Man Has Ever Done. The notes say: Larry Mohr has put a new tune to Woody's song, and he and Odetta Feilous perform this friendly competition on a new disc called "Odetta and Larry" (Fantasy). Woody's original version of Biggest Thing had about a dozen verses and dates from around 1936. He added verses later and the last one about Hitler is about 1944/5. I don't think there's any real relationship to Great American Bum, except that Woody might have known and modified the phrase. Phil |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: GUEST Date: 20 Mar 12 - 10:23 PM Owen Clark, Murray UT 84107 Ph 801-266-8308 I heard and sang this song when I was age eight, in Star Valley, Wyoming, on the Dairy farm of my Uncle & Aunt. I am now age 92. We played those 78 records on a Wind-Up Victrola. They had two records, one was McClintock`s "Big Rock Candy Mountain," with the flip side of "Hallelujah, I`m a Bum." "Oh I went to a house and I knocked at the door, And the lady said Bum, Bum, you`ve been here before! (Chorus after each verse) "Hallelujah, I`m a Bum; Hallelujah, Bum again! Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again." The 2nd two-sided recording was already mentioned here by someone else: "The Bum Song #1" and "The Bum song #2. The lyrics and the performer are now a dim blur, but I sang with the recording, "Come all you jolly jokers, and listen while I hum; A story I`ll relate to you of the Great American Bum; On the highways and the railroad tracks, You`ll find theme everywhere! They`re shootin` Snipes or smokin` pipes, Or Bummin` for a square. "Oh once I met John Farmer, he stopped me on me way, He says, "I`ve got some potatoes, and I want them dug today." Now I can`t dig no potatoes, because I`m gettin` fat! Go hire the guy what planted `em, cause he knows where they`re at! Oh, leave the work to the other guys, To honest working men, but I dowanna dig no spuds, I`m on the bum again. "As I was sleepin` in the shade to pass the time away, A man came up and asked me To help him pitch some hay; He said his land was rolling, I said, "Now if that`s true, Just roll it here to this shady spot, and I`ll see what I can do." "Oh the weather`s gettin` chilly, and soon we`ll all be froze, I`ve got to a sunny state, where the weather fits me clothes." And the closing phrase: "I`ll see you in Califoria, I`m on the Bum again." I also remember "Mum, I have a button here. Could you sew a shirt on it for me?" The lady sharply says, "Where`s that broom? Outta here! On yer way! And the bum hastily answers,"I`m goin` Mum, Goodbye Mum! The lady responds gruffly, "Goodbye Bum!" I have a cousin who is still living, whose Dad & Mother were the owners of the 78`a and the Victrola, so am gonna phone her to see how many of those lyrics SHE remembers, and will get back to you all. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great American Bum From: Mark Ross Date: 21 Mar 12 - 09:59 AM Written and recorded by Harry Kirby "Haywire Mac" McClintock. Anyone out there know if Mac and Woody Guthrie ever crossed paths? Ther were both in California at the same time. Mark Ross |
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Subject: ADD Version: Great American Bum From: GUEST,Bob Coyle Date: 16 Apr 12 - 09:33 PM These are the lyrics I heard on an old 75 rpm in 1955. The record was much older and I know nothing about it. but it had more verses than the others here... so here it is.. as far as I can member THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM Come all you jolly jokers if you and listen while I hum I'll relate to you the story of of the great American bum. From the east and west and north and south like a swarm of bees they come. They sleep in the dirt and they wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs. (chorus) I am a bum, a jolly old bum And I live like a royal Turk. And I have good luck and I bum all my chuck God bless the man that works. It's early in the morning when the dew is on the ground, The bum arises from his nest and gazes all around. From the boxcars and the haystacks they get up everywhere and they never look back upon their track until they had a square. (chorus) Now I beat my way from Frisco Bay to the rock-bound coast of Maine Througth Canada and Mexico and I been back again I've met town clown and railroad bulls as tough as tough can be and I've been in every calaboos in this land of liberty. (chorus) well I've topped the spruce and worked the sluice and taken my turn at the plow I've panned for gold in the rain and cold and worked on a river scow. I built the dam and dug the clam and packed the elusive prune. But my troubles fail when I hit the trail packin my ol maloon. (chorus) I'm waiting in the station, waiting for a train waiting for a west bound freight, I think it's all in vane. While going east they're loaded, and going west sealed tight, "I reckon we'll have to ride aboard the fast express tonight." (chorus) Well, I met a man the other day that I never met before, And he asked me if I wanted a job a-shovelin' iron ore. I asked him what the wages was and he said: "ten cents a ton." I said: "Old man go chase yourself", I'd rather be on the bum. (chorus) Oh, lady would you be kind enough to give me somethin' to eat, A piece of bread and butter and a tender slice of meat. Some apple pie and custard just to tickle me appetite, For really I'm so hungry, don't know where I'll sleep tonight. (chorus) (end chorus) sleeping in the station, tra la la lation perpetual vacation, that's my recommendation, haree, haree, harum We are three bums, three jolly ol bums we live like royal turks we have good luck in bumming our chuck And we never bother to work |
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Subject: ADD Versions: Great American Bum From: Joe Offer Date: 17 Apr 12 - 02:54 AM johnbob.net has four versions: A song Dad used to sing... (a BIG thank you to Cat Yronwode for sending me the words. I only ever heard Dad sing about 1 or 2 verses. Cat says she's still missing a verse about "that's our recommendation". Hopefully someone else can come up with it.) The Great American Bum Harry McClintock Come, all you jolly jokers, and listen while i hum, A story I'll relate to you of the Great American Bum From the east and west and north and south Like a swarm of bees they come They sleep in the dirt and wear a shirt That's dirty and full of scum Oh, it's early in the morning 'ere the dew is off the ground The bum arises from his shack and gazes all around From the boxcars and the haystacks, He gazes everywhere He never turns back upon his track Until he gets a square (a square meal, that means) (this next part is spoken dialogue, with a woman who has a strong "Oirish" accent) [knock! knock! knock!] —Good mornin, Mum! —Good morning, Bum! —Mum, could you spare a loaf of bread? —Go away, Bum, the baker is dead. —But, Mum, i've been walking all morning! —Well, you can keep right on walking! —Honestly, Mum, wouldn't you have a bite to eat in the house? —Aye, that i would, Bum -- and a six-foot Irishman comin' home at five o'clock to eat it! On your way, now! —Goodbye, then, Mum. —Goodbye, Bum Oh, sleeping in the pokey, fogey-ogey-ogey Smoking pipes and stogies, ha-ree, ha-rah, ha-rum For we are three bums, three jolly old bums. We live like royal Turks We have good luck in bumming our chuck To heck with the man who works! Here's some more verses from Tolbert Eldon Ashbrook (not sure where they fit in the song but at least we got'em) Oh it's early in the morning, Ere the dew had left the ground, The bum arises to his feet, Begins to search around, From the hammock to the mansion, He searches everywhere, Never lights upon a strike, (meaning a lucky strike cigarette) Until he stikes a square, Bum the streets in Gad, boys... Leathery leathery dad, boys... What a drunk we had, boys... Leathery leathery day....
Here's a similar version emailed to me from Harold Recknagle
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