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BREADLINE BLUES
Words and music by Bernard (Slim) Smith
As recorded by Bernard (Slim) Smith, 1931(1)

The latest news has struck me funny
Says you have no friends if you haven't got money
And all of us good folks in distress
But I'm gonna get something off my chest
Nineteen thirty-two won't be long
And when you place your vote please don't vote wrong
Vote away those blues, the breadline blues

It's a rich man's job to make some rules
In order to rid our breadline blues
Now listen here folks and it ain't no joke
We've got to do something or we're all going to croak
We can't get a job, we've all been robbed
We've got no money and the corn's all cob
We've nothing but blues, the breadline blues

If we had state rights, I'll leave it to you
We could all have fun and better home brew
Says the long-eared mule standing over his box
To the big-mouthed elephant: 'You drink like an ox
'You had twelve years, proved nothing but a curse
'Instead of making it better, it's getting worse and worse'
Says the long-eared mule, 'I ain't no fool'

The elephant said, 'You long-eared mule
Will you shut your mouth? you never been to school'
The mule said, 'Elephant, it ain't no joke
We've got to do something or we're all gonna croak
We ain't got nothing but a carload of tax
And the doggone load is just a-breaking our backs
We've got the blues, the breadline blues'

The latest news has struck me funny
Says you have no friends if you haven't got money
And all of us good folks in distress
But I'm gonna get something off my chest
Nineteen thirty-two won't be long
And when you place your vote please don't vote wrong
Vote away those blues, those breadline blues

Notes:

1 - Recorded by Slim Smith, on Crown records 3118, April 1931