Owen Clark, Murray UT 84107 Ph 801-266-8308
I heard and sang this song when I was age eight, in Star Valley, Wyoming, on the Dairy farm of my Uncle & Aunt. I am now age 92. We played those 78 records on a Wind-Up Victrola. They had two records, one was McClintock`s "Big Rock Candy Mountain," with the flip side of "Hallelujah, I`m a Bum." "Oh I went to a house and I knocked at the door, And the lady said Bum, Bum, you`ve been here before! (Chorus after each verse) "Hallelujah, I`m a Bum; Hallelujah, Bum again! Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again."
   The 2nd two-sided recording was already mentioned here by someone else: "The Bum Song #1" and "The Bum song #2. The lyrics and the performer are now a dim blur, but I sang with the recording, "Come all you jolly jokers, and listen while I hum; A story I`ll relate to you of the Great American Bum; On the highways and the railroad tracks, You`ll find theme everywhere! They`re shootin` Snipes or smokin` pipes, Or Bummin` for a square. "Oh once I met John Farmer, he stopped me on me way, He says, "I`ve got some potatoes, and I want them dug today." Now I can`t dig no potatoes, because I`m gettin` fat! Go hire the guy what planted `em, cause he knows where they`re at! Oh, leave the work to the other guys, To honest working men, but I dowanna dig no spuds, I`m on the bum again.
   "As I was sleepin` in the shade to pass the time away, A man came up and asked me To help him pitch some hay; He said his land was rolling, I said, "Now if that`s true, Just roll it here to this shady spot, and I`ll see what I can do." "Oh the weather`s gettin` chilly, and soon we`ll all be froze, I`ve got to a sunny state, where the weather fits me clothes." And the closing phrase: "I`ll see you in Califoria, I`m on the Bum again." I also remember "Mum, I have a button here. Could you sew a shirt on it for me?" The lady sharply says, "Where`s that broom? Outta here! On yer way! And the bum hastily answers,"I`m goin` Mum, Goodbye Mum! The lady responds gruffly, "Goodbye Bum!"
    I have a cousin who is still living, whose Dad & Mother were the owners of the 78`a and the Victrola, so am gonna phone her to see how many of those lyrics SHE remembers, and will get back to you all.