Origins: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed

Subject: Lyr Add: NO HAYSEED IN MY HAIR (Stinson/Braham)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Oct 15 - 12:49 PM

Not the same song at all, but it throws some light on the origin of the term "hayseed."

Found at the Library of Congress:


NO HAYSEED IN MY HAIR
Words by Fred Stinson, music by John Braham, 1874.

1. Oh, I'm the smartest Yankee girl that ever you did see,
And though I'm from the country, I'm as cute as cute can be.
Though but sixteen, don't think me green; you'll be mistaken there.
Though fresh from meadows yet, I have no hayseed in my hair.

SPOKEN: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I desire to particularly impress upon your minds, especially the gentlemen, that—

CHORUS: Though but sixteen, don't think me green; you'll be mistaken there.
Though fresh from meadows yet, I have no hayseed in my hair.

2. I milk the cows, I cook, I churn, and this I pass my life,
And chaps that live right in the town all want me for a wife.
They've plead in vain but ev'ry swain has found it is no go,
Because I don't mind telling you I want a city beau.

SPOKEN: It may seem odd that I should refuse them all, but then you know I've a good reason: I'm flying for higher game, and once more I beg of you to remember that—

CHORUS

3. The man I want must be six foot and have a black mustache,
A cluster pin, a diamond ring, and cut a military dash.
He must have no faults of any kind; in fact, a perfect brick,
And if there's such a one in front he can't apply too quick.

SPOKEN: I don't wish to be thought forward, but business is business, and—

CHORUS

4. Upon my word I'm much surprised; I don't know what to say,
And only ask for one, and now a hundred bid me stay.
I hardly know which one to choose; my judgment's very bad,
But just send round your diamonds, and I'll tell you who's the lad.

SPOKEN: I think that is about the best way to settle it; at all events you must admit that—

CHORUS: Though but sixteen, I am not green; you'll be mistaken there.
Though fresh from meadows yet, I have no hayseed in my hair.

Subject: RE: Origins: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Oct 15 - 06:59 PM

Hi

Subject: Lyr Add: THE EDUCATED REBEL (Mike Ross)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 12 Oct 11 - 12:11 AM

Here's something along the same lines, to the same tune (Acres Of Clams). I was trying to put the lessons I learned from Utah Phillips into song and cam up with this.

The Educated Rebel
Mark Ross

The history books tell us our fathers like brothers together did band,
The fallen while dying were dreaming of freedom in this golden land,
They say that the immigrants came here to try & escape tyranny,
On American shores they did find it here in this land of the free.

They teach us of generals & statesmen, politicians who didn't get caught
Robber barons who stole all the money, this is the history we're taught.
There were women & children & workers we never hear about them
Instead we honor the grafters who didn't wind up in the pen.
Refrain; Who didn't wind up in the pen………

The politico gets on his soapbox, "Elect me & I'll vote your way",
Then take a look at his rival, neither has something to say.
They tell us they won't raise our taxes, they'll see that we never get robbed,
They'll say anything that they have to, to make sure that they get the job.
Refrain; To make sure that they get the job………..

I think that I'm getting damn tired of being belabored by fools
The 1 thing I know that I'm sure of is it's time that we changed all the rules.
Of bureaucrats, bankers, insurance, taxes, conscription & rent,
Of police & politicians, I swear that hereon I'll repent.
Refrain; I swear that hereon I'll repent………

I've lived 52 years in this country, 12 years in going to school,
I think that I've started to realize that we've been a bunch of damn fools.
If we could sit down with our neighbors, decide what it is to be free
& get rid of all politicians, now that would be something to see.

There are thing s that we need we ain't getting like housing & health care & jobs,
When we ask for our share from the bosses they tell us we're all lazy slobs.
It's time that we all stand together, no more crawling around on our knees,
It's time that we make revolution with good rebels like you & me!
Refrain; With good rebels like you & me………….
 
 Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Origins: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: Stewie
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 09:21 PM

It was also recorded by Si Kahn on 'Carry it on' album. Fine album.

Carry it on.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Oct 11 - 08:35 PM

In a Facebook discussion of this song Alan Bard Newcomer led me to this page, a History of Work Cooperation in America, by John Curl. There is similar information in Curl's book, For All the People.
Curl gives circa 1890 as the date for the song, and the songwriter name as Kellogg. Most probably, this is the same Arthur L. Kellogg who wrote the 1916 temperance song, Vote Nebraska Dry.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 May 11 - 09:47 PM

A tune is given in Songs of the Great American West by Irwin Silber (New York: Dover Publications, 1995; first published by: New York: The Macmillan Company, 1967), page 241.

It says:

Words: Arthur L. Kellogg
Music: Adapted from "Rosin the Beau" (see also "Acres of Clams")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 11 - 10:11 PM

So, now I'm wondering where to find the tune for "Save a Poor Sinner Like Me" - is it the same as "Rosin the Beau"?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Hayseed Like Me / The Hayseed
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:57 PM

The version in Songs of the American West (Lingenfelter & Dwyer, University of California Press, 1968), page 484, is almost the same, but without a chorus:

THE HAYSEED

I once was a tool of oppression,
And as green as a sucker could be,
And monopolies banded together
To beat a poor hayseed like me.

The railroads and old party bosses
Together did sweetly agree;
And they thought there would be little trouble
In working a hayseed like me.

But now I've roused up a little,
And their greed and corruption I see,
And the ticket we vote next November
Will be made up of hayseeds like me.

Tune: Save a Poor Sinner Like Me

Text from Federal Writer's Project (1938b), page 1 - Farmers Alliance Songs of the 1890's. Nebraska Folklore Pamphlet No 18. - which is available online here:
http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/hr/wpa/NM_pdf/Farmers1.pdf

Also take a look at:

http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/hr/wpa/NM_pdf/Farmers2.pdf

Subject: ADD Version: The Hayseed
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 11 - 09:43 PM

THE HAYSEED
(Arthur L. Kellogg)

I once was a tool of oppression,
And as green as a sucker could be,
And monopolies banded together
To beat a poor hayseed like me.
     REFRAIN:
     To beat a poor hayseed like me,
     To beat a poor hayseed like me,
     And monopolies banded together
     To beat a poor hayseed like me.

The railroads and old party bosses
Together did sweetly agree,
They thought there would be little trouble
In working a hayseed like me.
     In working a hayseed like me, etc.

But now I've roused up a little,
And their fraud and corruption I see,
And the ticket we vote next November
Will be made up of hayseeds like me.
     Will be made up of hayseeds like me, etc.

Tune: Rosin the Beau

Source: Silber & Silber, A Folksinger's Wordbook (Oak Publications, 1973), page 117

Subject: ADD Version: A Hayseed Like Me
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 11 - 07:34 PM

Hmmm. A 1999 request, never answered.

Here's what the Traditional Ballad Index says about this song:

Hayseed Like Me, A

DESCRIPTION: "I once was a tool of oppression And as green as a sucker could be, And monopolies bundled together To beat a poor bum like me." The newly energized singer promises to strike back: "The ticket we vote next November Will be made up of hayseeds like me."
AUTHOR: Words: Arthur L. Kellogg?
EARLIEST DATE: 1943 (Rochester, "The Populist Movement in the United States")
KEYWORDS: political poverty hardtimes derivative
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Greenway-AFP, p. 60, "A Hayseed Like Me" (1 text)
Darling-NAS, pp. 359-360, "Hayseed Like Me" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 117, "The Hayseed" (1 text)
Roud #12497
RECORDINGS:
Pete Seeger, "Hayseed Like Me" (on PeteSeeger13)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Rosin the Beau" (tune) and references there
cf. "Acres of Clams (The Old Settler's Song)" (tune, floating lyrics)
NOTES: I've seen versions of "Acres of Clams" which seem to have swallowed this song almost entire. But as it seems to have originated separately, I list it in its own right.
The Folksinger's Wordbook lists this as by Arthur L. Kellogg, but Greenway treats it as a traditional song from the populist movement of the nineteenth century. Certainly portions of it have "swapped" in and out of tradition; the amount of Kellogg influence on a particular version may be open to question. - RBW
File: Grnw060

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A HAYSEED LIKE ME

I once was a tool of oppression,
And as green as a sucker could be;
And monopolies banded together
To beat a poor bum like me.

The railroads and party bosses
Together did sweetly agree;
And they thought there would be little trouble
In working a hayseed like me.

But now I've roused up a little
And their greed and corruption I see;
And the ticket we vote next November
Will be made up of hayseeds like me.

Source: American Folksongs of Protest, by John Greenway 1953 (page 60 of the 1960 Perpetua paperback edition)


Greenway does not include any background notes or a chorus. The version in The New American Songster (Charles W. Darling, 1992) is almost the same, but does have a chorus repeating the last two lines, as in "Rosin the Beau" and "The Old Settler's Song."

Subject: Lyr Req: Hayseed
From: MandolinPaul
Date: 05 Sep 99 - 01:12 PM

I can't find the lyrics for this song:

A Hayseed Like Me - Performed by Pete Seeger

Thanks.