Lyr Req: Six Feet of Earth

Subject: SIX FEET OF EARTH MAKES US THE ONE SIZE
From: Ray In California
Date: 16 Nov 99 - 11:49 PM

Years ago in Scotland.30 at least I heard this song.Probably confined to the Glasgow area.Had a tape somewhere but it disappeared along with my Elvis collection when I got married.I JUST THREW OUT THE OLD STUFF.About all I can remember now is the ending.Six feet of earth makes us all the one size.Ray Hood

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: SIX FEET OF EARTH MAKES US THE ONE S
From: Wolfgang
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 06:32 AM

Is it this song, Ray? I didn't know it, but I'm glad you asked, for I enjoyed reading it.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: SIX FEET OF EARTH MAKES US THE ONE S
From: Roger the skiffler
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 06:46 AM

Ray, you made a serious mistake there! I'm sure my wife married me for my record collection (about the only worldly goods I had at the time). Now though she complains about its growth, she is as guilty of adding to it!
RtS

Subject: Lyr Add: SIX FEET OF EARTH
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 09:04 PM

From Tony Pastor's 201 Bowery Songster by Tony Pastor (New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1867), page 91:


SIX FEET OF EARTH.
Sung by Gus Shaw.

I'll sing you a song of the world and its ways,
And the many strange people we meet,
From the rich man who rolls in his millions of wealth,
To the struggling wretch out on the street.
But a man tho' he's poor and in tatters and rags,
We should never affect to despise,
But think of the adage, remember, my friends,
That six feet of earth makes us all of one size.

There's the rich man with thousands to spare if he likes,
But he haughtily holds up his head,
And who thinks he's above the mechanic who toils,
And is honestly earning his bread;
But his gold and his jewels he can't take away
To the world up above when he dies,
For death levels all, and conclusively shows
That six feet of earth makes us all of one size.

There's many a coat that is tattered and torn
That beneath lies a true honest heart,
But because he's not dressed, like his neighbors, in style,
Why "society" keeps them apart;
For on one fortune smiles while the other one fails,
Yes, no matter what venture he tries,
But time calls them both to the grave in the end,
And six feet of earth makes us all of one size.

Then when you once see a poor fellow that tries
To baffle the world and its frown,
Let us help him along, and perchance he'll succeed,
Don't crush him because he is down;
For a cup of cold water in charity given
Is remembered with joy in the skies;
We're all but human; we've all got to die,
And six feet of earth makes us all of one size.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Six Feet of Earth
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 19 - 01:41 AM

You can see the sheet music at the Library of Congress website.

SIX FEET OF EARTH.
Words by Joe A. Gulick, music by James E. Stewart, ©1878.

Lyrics are identical to those posted above.

Furthermore, it now seems evident that the date reported above—1867—is incorrect. What appears to be one volume of songs is actually several unrelated songbooks bound together. The one that includes SIX FEET OF EARTH is undated.