Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Sooter)

Subject: Say Arkie
From:
Date: 02 May 97 - 06:17 PM

Our father is celebrating his 80th birthday and we are looking for the lyrics to a depression era song that has "Say Arkie if you see Oakie tell em Texan got a job for him out in Californie" in the first line. Any help?

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR OKIE
From:
Date: 02 May 97 - 10:38 PM

From New Lost City Ramblers Vol.2 CD (Smithsonian Folkways) Credited to Doye O'Dell

Dear Okie, If you see Arkie, tell 'im Tex got a job for him out in Californie. Pickin' up prunes, squeezin' oil out of olives.
Dear Okie, If you see Arkie, tell 'im Tex got a job for him out in Californie, Rakin' up gold, playin' fiddle in the follies.
(Chorus) Now, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live, but there's orange juice fountains flowin' for those kids of his.
Dear Okie, If you see Arkie, tell 'im Tex got a job for him out in Californie, Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR OKIE
From: N Sarvis (additional verses)
Date: 02 May 97 - 10:43 PM

Dear Okie, If you see Arkie, tell 'im Tex got a job for him out in Californie,
Selling used cars, just a-waitin' for the suckers
Dear Okie, If you see Arkie, tell 'im Tex got a job for him out in Californie,
Just a'workin' in a bank, all he needs is some money.
(Chorus) Repeat 1st verse

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR OKIE (Doye O'Dell)
From: Gene Graham
Date: 02 May 97 - 10:56 PM

You got it! Another one of my favorite 1001 GOLDEN OLDIES.


DEAR OKIE
Doye O'Dell - Words and music by Sooter and O'Dell

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Rakin' up gold, squeezin' oil out of olives

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Pickin' up prunes, playin' fiddle in the follies.

He'll never have to worry 'bout a place to live.
There's orange juice fountains flowin' for those kids of his.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

Oh, dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Sellin' used cars, just a-waitin' for the suckers.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Pickin' and a-grinnin', all them country clubs ev'ry Saturday night.

Now, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live.
There's orange juice fountains flowin' for those kids of his.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californy,
Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

TAG: Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR OKIE (Rudy Sooter and Doye O'Dell)
From: Gene Graham
Date: 12 May 97 - 03:20 AM

This version has a slightly different twist on the end!


DEAR OKIE
Words and music by Rudy Sooter and Doye O'Dell
As sung by Hank Thompson

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Pickin' up prunes, squeezin' oil out of olives.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Rakin' up gold, playing fiddle in the Follies.

Now, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live,
But there's orange juice fountains flowing for those kids of his.

So, Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Selin' used cars, just a-waitin' for the suckers.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Handin' out checks, as a welfare worker.

If he takes the freeway to the grocery store,
He'll make it fine if he starts out the day before.

Dear Okie, if you see Arkie,
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for him out in Californy,
Pickin' up prunes, squeezin' oil out of olives.

TAG: Dear Okie.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 8-Aug-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: DEAR OKIE (Rudy Sooter and Doye O'Dell)
From: Gene Graham
Date: 12 May 97 - 03:31 AM

This version was probably the Original one, at least it's the
only one listed in BMI. By the New Sweethearts of Country Music.

DEAR OKIE - Recorded by Johnny and Jonie Mosby
Words and music by Rudy Sooter and Doye O'Dell

Oh! Dear Okie, if you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Cali-forn-y
Pickin' up prunes, squeezin' oil out of olives
Dear Okie, if you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Cali-forn-y
Rakin' up gold, playin' fiddle in the follies.

Well, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live
But there's orange juice fountains flowin' for those kids of his
Oh! Dear Okie, if you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Cali-forn-y
Diggin' oil wells, all he needs is a shovel.

Oh! Dear Okie, If you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californ-y
Selling used cars, just a-waitin' for the suckers
Dear Okie, If you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californ-y
Just a-workin' in a bank, all he needs is some money.

Well, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live
But there's orange juice fountains flowin' for those kids of his
Oh! Dear Okie, If you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californ-y
Pickin' in a band, all he needs is a guitar.

TAG: Oh! Dear Okie, If you see Arkie
Tell 'im Tex's got a job for 'im out in Californ-y.

Repeat and fade.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 8-Aug-02.

Subject: Dear Okie/Oakie
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 10:40 AM

FWIW Dept:
Different sources list the title as-
Dear Oakie & also Dear Okie...

Have made MP3s of both of the above versions-
Doye O'Dell & Hank Thompson, if interested---

Subject: RE: Say Arkie
From: van lingle
Date: 04 Aug 02 - 10:52 AM

Thanks for this thread my Dad also sings parts of this from time to time and now I can give him the rest of the words. vl

Subject: RE: Lyr req: Say Arkie
From: GUEST,Greg
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 07:07 PM

Good key/chords for this song, 'Dear Okie' anyone? I don't know why but this tune has been on my mind for a while and I can't think of an accompaniment that works for me.
Best to all

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Soote
From: GUEST,arTric54 / netherlands
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 11:13 AM

it's a 4/4 song.
part 1: D-B7-Em-A-D
             G-A-D
part 2: D9-G-E7-A

hope this will do the trick fore you,
good luck

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Sooter)
From: GUEST
Date: 26 May 08 - 04:12 PM

http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/d/dearokie.shtml
I found the song, by O'Dell, at this URL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Soote
From: GUEST,OldDog/New Tricks
Date: 28 May 08 - 10:00 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Sooter)
From: GUEST,missfroggy50
Date: 03 Mar 10 - 01:05 PM

Thank You for having this space for old songs

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Sooter)
From: GUEST,Old_Cowboy
Date: 01 Mar 11 - 02:40 PM

There are a lot of versions of this song floating around including modifications by O'Dell himself in the 1960s. He added a second bridge:
"Now, he'll be lucky if he finds a place to live
But there's orange juice fountains flowing for those kids of his"
The original included only:
He'll never have to worry 'bout a place to live..." This based on the idea that the weather in CA was so mild that you could live in a labor camp while "picking up prunes". (I have seen versions using "picking up BROOMS", huh.)
The original, 1947 version (which was already retrospective to the dust bowl refugees of the 1930s) included references only to squeezing out olive oil and picking prunes, digging oil wells, raking up gold and picking in a band.
References to used cars, banks, freeway commuting, etc. were all added later to kind of bring the song “up-to-date.â€쳌

Be great if someone had a 1947, 78rpm version and could put it up on youtube. The 78 my dad had when i was 10 years old is long disappeared.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dear Okie / Dear Oakie (O'Dell, Sooter)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 May 14 - 10:09 PM

Contact Dick Spottswood.   WAMU.    He played the 78 mom his show 5/4/2014. It will be in the archives as it is streamed ...

Sandrolin

Great song !