From a live version at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas where Grandpa and Ramona maintained a home for several years and made frequent appearances at the Center both before and after that period of time. I failed to document which version of the song I transcribed, but it was probably from the early 80s.

BANJO SAM

Grandpa's spoken intro:
We want to do a little song that originally it was another tune and I put some words to it. Stoled it, in other words.

I'm a rovin' little banjo picker up from Alabam
Where I used to hoe the cotton and the cane
Well, the old folks they will miss me when they shout for little Sam
And I am not a-(gonna) live with them again

Well, I left them in the night when the moon was shinin' bright
Struck out with a banjer in my hand
Oh I left my only brother and my dear old aged mother
And I run away to join this little band

Well, I pick and sing both night and day, I'm workin' mighty hard
Makin' all the money that I can
When I go back home, I sho (shall?) go back in style
The old folks will be proud of Banjo Sam

Well, I'm a-savin' every cent, cept'n what I go and spend
I'm a-goin' back to see them all again
Oh to see my only brother and my dear old aged mother
They'll say, "Welcome home, little Banjo Sam!"

Now the cabin which I lived in was sittin' on a hill
And the mockingbird a-singin' on the tree
There I'll build myself a mansion in that spot that I love well
Let Mother and my brother live with me

Well, when the work is o'er, we will gather 'round the door
Of that mansion, all the kinfolks in a jam
Oh, we'll keep the banjo ringin' and we'll listen to the singin'
They'll say, "Welcome home, little Banjo Sam!"