Barefoot Days
Al Wilson/ James A Brennan Old Songs Library (to A Swimmin'hole) 1923 Edwards B Marks Music Co

BAREFOOT DAYS

Verse: Surely you remember those days that used to be
When your Dad and mother, they sang sweet songs to thee
We got all dressed up spick and span and off to church we ran
But the very best days of all
Were when we had no shoes at all:-

CHORUS: Barefoot days, when we were just a couple of kids (Get your bowler out)
Barefoot days, oh boy the things we did.
Down by a shady nook, with a bent pin for a hook.
We fished all day, we fished all night
But the blooming old fish refused to bite.
And off we'd slide, down some old cellar door
We'd slip and slide till our clothes were tore, a little more
Then we'd have to go home, get into bed
While mother got busy with a needle and thread
Oh boy, what joy, we had in barefoot days.

It sounds pretty British in that version, though Wilson & Brennan were Americans as far as I know, they also wrote 'I'm Gonna Plant Myself in My Old Plantation Home' and 'Down by the Old Apple Tree', among others, Here is an Americanized version my grandmother, who was in vaudeville, taught me:

Barefoot Days, when we were just a kid
Barefoot Days, Oh boy the things we did
We'd go down to a shady brook with a bent pin for a hook,
We'd fish all day, we'd fish all night
But the doggone fish refused to bite
And then we'd slide, down some old cellar door
We'd slide and slide till our pants got tore,
And then we'd have to go home and get in our bed
While momma got busy with the needle and thread
Oh boy, what joy, we had in barefoot days.