Mike Cross does a good job of the song - in fact several good jobs of variations that have appeared in his performances. While his recordings are © and his arrangements are significantly different than those of several other performers, it is extremely doubtful that he "wrote the song" in any common-sense sense.

The "song" in fact appeared as a poem "sent in by a reader" in the "Reader's Digest" that my mother subscribed to in order to "gives us kids some eddycashun" ca. 1947 - 1951. It seemed to get recycled at least once a year, and in one year I believe it appeared 3 times, each time "credited" to a different subscriber. Naturally none of the submitters gave credit to anyone.

Each of a half dozen performers whose versions I've heard has done some variation on the words, and there are some really vast differences in tune and accompaniment.

Mike's most common version as I've heard it in several perfomances uses the line:

He staggered on until he could no longer keep his feet

rather than:

He fumbled 'round until he could no longer keep his feet

I couldn't argue that he's never used anything someone might quote - for any of "his" songs - as he does get tired of doing it all the same old way (and occasionally nearly totals a song everyone likes by trying to "change it" a bit too much). Give him credit though, he's getting on in years - approaching post adolescence or something.

(He will perform in Winfield KS at the WVA Festival in a week or so if you wanna drop in.)

John