Here's the relevant text from that PDF:


B8—THE T. & P. LINE. Sung by Mrs. Mary Sullivan at Shafter, Calif., 1941. Recorded by Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin.

Mrs. Mary Sullivan from Warm Springs, Tex., was one of the best folksingers encountered in California's Farm Security Administration camps on the eve of World War II. Her "T. & P. Line" was unfa­miliar to me until, to my pleasure, I "discovered" it while editing this recording. In addition to her number an Arkansas tape made during 1954 by Virgil Lane was available to me (AFS 11894A40). The first transcription of the piece in a folksong collection reports it as a Texas cowboy item carried to Utah. As frequently happens in searching for song history one must turn to commercial records. Eugene Earle, president of the John Edwards Memorial Foundation, supplied me with tape copies of two discs related to the song collected in Cali­fornia, Arkansas, and Utah. Earle's tape whetted my curiosity, for one record indicated that composer's credits were shared by Almoth Hodges and Bob Miller. The former is unknown; the latter is well known, and Robert Shelton marks his role. Re­cently, Dean Turner, a Texas singer "re-wrote" "The T. & P. Bum" from his memory of hearing it in the late 1920's, and recorded it for a current folk-country label.

A comparison of the seven "T. & P." songs known to me reveals considerable variation in text, and perhaps some confusion with respect to the railroad's name. Collectors Todd and Sonkin heard ''T. & P.," but astute listeners to Mrs. Sullivan's rendi­tion might concur with the person who transcribed the Hodges-Miller piece for copyright registration (December 28, 1929) by hearing "T. M. P. Line" in some of the stanzas. However, no western line with these initials can be found in standard railroad refer­ences. It is possible that Mrs. Sullivan and Hodges either learned or conceptualized "T. M. P." (or even "T. N. P.") instead of the famous Texas & Pacific abbreviation, but we lack any statements from the performers which would indicate their intent.

Almoth Hodges with Bob Miller's Hinky Dinkers, "The Hobo from the T. & P. Line," Brunswick 399.

Clayton McMichen, "Bummin' on the I. C. Line," Varsity 5097.

Dean Turner, "The T. & P. Bum" on Dean Turner and His Guitar, Bluebonnet BL 102.

Rocky Mountain Collection (Salt Lake City, 1962), p. 23.

Robert Shelton and Burt Goldblatt, The Country Music Story (Indianapolis, 1966), p. 188.

1. I left Beard one beautiful night.
The stars in the heavens were shining bright.
I was riding the bumpers, which suited me fine,
Much better than the handouts on the T. & P. Line.

2. I landed in Wellford about three p.m.
The cop watched me and I watched him.
I made him no effort, I give him no sign
That I had been bumming on the T. & P. Line.

3. I decided to dress up in style,
Not look like a bummer, no, not by a mile,
Rare back on my budget, give each man a dime,
And that would beat bumming on the T. & P. Line.

4. A ten-dollar suit and a five-dollar hat,
A high standing collar and a flying cravat,
A new pair of boots—how the leather did shine,
Much better than the handouts on the T. & P. Line.

5. I met up with a man by the name of Will Wright.
He says, "I will hire you if you will work right."
"Well, I will work right and put in good time."
Much better than the handouts on the T. & P. Line.

6. I got in the wagon and home with him went.
The work he gave me, God to me had sent.
The work it was easy and it suited me fine,
Much better than the handouts on the T. & P. Line.

7. Will Wright had a daughter at the age of sixteen,
The fairest and prettiest that ever I've seen;
And when I was with her, I was always on time,
Much better than the handouts on the T. & P. Line.

8. Me and Ethel begin to chat.
I helped gather eggs, do this and do that.
Her kisses were sweet and her features was fine,
Much better than the handout s on the T. & P. Line.

9. I was called to the office, to the office one day.
Will Wright says, "What's this I hear the folks say?
They say you're a bummer all dressed up for blind,
That you have been bumming on the T. & P. Line."

10. "Well, I don' t know as that concerns you.
I do all the work you require me to do.
If my work it don't suit you, just give me my time,
And I'll remain bumming on the T. & P. Line."

11. I went by the house to bid Ethel farewell.
The grief and the sorrow no tongue can ne'er tell.
There were tears in her eyes and so were in mine.
She says, "You're no bummer on the T. & P. Line."

12. I struck out right down the highway.
I could think of nothing but Ethel that day.
I love her till yet, and I'll see her some time
If I have to bum my way on the T. & P. Line.