WILD AND RECKLESS HOBO
George Reneau, 1925

A wild and reckless hobo (he) left his happy home,
Started out on a western trip, all by himself alone;
He said, "While on this western trip I guess I'll have some fun,"
Standing at the station house this was the song he sung.

Standing on a platform, smoking a cheap cigar,
Waiting for a freight train to catch an empty car;
Thinking of those good old times and wishing they'd come again,
A thousand miles away from home, bumming a railroad train.

"Kind miss, oh, kind miss, won't you gimme a bite to eat,
A little piece of cold corn bread, a little piece of meat?"
She threw her arms around me, says, "I love you as a friend,
But if I give to you this time you'll go bumming around again."

"Kind miss, oh, kind miss, don't talk to me so rough,
You think I am a hobo because I look so tough."
She took me in her kitchen, she treated me nice and kind,
She got me in the notion of bumming all the time.

When I left the kitchen, went strolling down in town,
I heard a doubleheader blow, I thought it was western bound;
I walked up to the railroad, up to the railroad shop,
I heard the agent tell a man that freight train would not stop.

My heart began to roam around and I began to sing,
If that freight train goes through this town, I'll catch it on a wing;
I pulled my cap down over my eyes and stepped up to the track,
I caught the stirrup of an empty car but never did look back.

I got off in Danville, got stuck on a Danville girl,
You bet your life she was out of sight, for she wore those Danville curls,
She wore her hat on the back of her head like high-tone people do,
And as that train pulled out from there I bid that girl adieu.

While I'm your city, boys, trying to do what's right,
Don't think because I'm a railroad boy that I am not all right;
My pocketbook is empty, my heart is filled of pain,
A thousand miles away from home, bumming a railroad train.

With music, pp. 355-356, Norm Cohen, 1981, "Long Steel Rail," Univ. Illinois Press.
George Reneau, vocal and guitar, recorded Feb. 24, 1925, Brunswick Vocalion master419-W, NYC, released on (Brunswick) Vocalion 14999, in 1925.
"First recording of any form of the song transcribed in this book."
Cohen, p. 362.
Statements that the song was composed by Jimmie Rodgers are incorrect.

American cowboy and travelling songs, whether hobo or Beacon Hill, often have 'adieu' in one or more lines. The word is common in 19th c. American writing and newspapers, having been incorporated into the American language. Comments that it doesn't 'belong' because it is 'French' are wrong.