No, Dotty, I don't think that's it.

I was at a session once where an old man sang a song from the 30's. It was about a man who'd lost his job and family and was looking for shelter for the night. The chorus included this:

Can I sleep in your barn tonight, mister?
tum tum tum tumty tum tumty tum
I don't have no tobacco or matches...

In other words, he was saying he couldn't set the hay on fire.

The tune was "Red River Valley."