This song was the first song that I learned to sing from beginning to end. I learned it from my Dad around the end of the l930's. I have no idea where he got the song. The song I learned is basically the same as the one listed above by DaveO. It's funny how some things stick in the old memory. The first time I sang it all the way through was at Manitou Beach MI and I was standing on the floor board of a 1936 Chevy coupe.

There are just a few differences in the words I learned. They are as follows:

Oh gather around you jolly old bums and listen while I hum
A story I relate to you of a great American bum.
From north to south to east to west like a swarm of bees they come
They sleep in the dirt and wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs.

It's early in the morning, the dew is off the ground.
The bum arises from his nest and gazes all around.
From the boxcar to the hay stack he wanders everywhere.
He never gets back upon his track until he gets a square.

Oh lady would you be kind enough to give me a bite to eat
A piece of pie or curtard or a ten foot slice of meat
A piece of pie or custard would tickle my appetete
For lady I'm so hungry I don't know where to sleep tonight

Sleeping in the Station, Tra la la la lation.
That is my recommendation hurrah, hurree, hurrum

I met a man the other day I never had met before
He asked me if I wanted a job shoveling iron ore
I asked him what the wages were, he said ten cents a ton
I told the fellow go sit on a brick, I'd rather be on the bum

We three bums, we jolly three bums we live like royal Turks
We have good luck and bum on our chuck God bless the man that works.

Cap't Bob