Lyr Req: I Don't Work for a Living

Subject: RE OLD LYRICS
From:
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 05:53 AM

COULD ANYONE PLEASE GIVE THE SONG TITAL OR LYRICS TO THE VERY OLD SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS.

OH GIVE ME A NAIL AND A HAMMER AND A PICTURE TO HANG ON THE WALL, SOMEONE TO HOLD THE STEP LADDER IN CASE I MIGHT FALL.

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: kendall
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 06:14 AM

My father used to sing this when he was snockered! I never learned it though.

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 06:16 AM

I've done a couple of searches for the lyrics you give, but I can't find anything, do you know any more of it?

Brian

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: Hollowfox
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 12:04 PM

Michael Cooney does it, or at least used to in the 1970's. It was printed in Sing Out! magazine at that time. The first line is "I don't work for a living, I get along fine without." It might be titled "I don't work for a living", but I'm not sure.

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: SDShad
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 12:30 PM

I'm not familiar with the song, but am familiar with AltaVista, and using it found words, chords, and tune at this blicky. The people who put up the page wrote: "Every time we sing this song, we meet someone whose father also sang it!"

Chris

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: Noreen
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 12:36 PM

That old, Kendall?? *grinning and running*

Subject: Lyr Add: I DON'T WORK FOR A LIVING^^
From: Amos
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 01:16 PM

I DON'T WORK FOR A LIVING
(James Mullen and Edward Leroy Freeman)

CHORUS: I don't work for a living.
I get along alright without.
I don't toil all day
I suppose it's because
I'm not built that way.
Some people work for love and say
It's all sunshine and gain,
But if I can't get sunshine without any work,
I think I'll stay out in the rain!
 
1. They say we're all born with a purpose.
They say we're all born with a gift.
Some people like to be famous.
I suppose it's by hard work and thrift.
There's lots of us fighting and striving,
For a seat down in old A.C.T.,
But I've got a seat in my trousers,
And a missus to work for me!
 
2. Now give me a nail and a hammer,
And a picture to hang on the wall,
And give me a strong step ladder,
For you know that I might fall,
And give me a couple of waiters,
And a barrel of good old Bass Ale,
And I bet you I'll hang up that picture
If somebody drives the nail!
 
LAST CHORUS: I don't work for a living.
I get along alright without.
I live peacefully.
Labour disputes never worry me.
I love my family, and the missus, oh how I adore!
I decided to make them all happy -- that's why
I never go home anymore!^^

(Formatting compliments of the VGP (Volunteer Grammar Police),a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ARA (Anal-Retentives of America)).

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 03:00 PM

Hi, Chris - thanks for posting the link to the song. The usual procedure is to both provide a link AND post the lyrics or information (if it has something to do with folk music). Links have a nasty habit of expiring, so it's better if we have the information preserved at Mudcat. Besides, posting the lyrics makes them show up if somebody does a SuperSearch. Amos posted the lyrics from the link you provided, so it's all taken care of.
-Joe Offer-

(MMario, both tune and lyrics have been harvested for the Digital Tradition)

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS - I Don't Work for a Living
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 05:49 PM

Then there's always this thread, of course!

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS - I Don't Work for a Living
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jun 01 - 07:06 PM

Gee, that's embarrassing, Susanne - there's even a MIDI at Mudcat MIDIs. I guess that's a good reason to search Mudcat first, huh?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: RE OLD LYRICS - I Don't Work for a Living
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Jun 01 - 05:08 PM

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Don't Work for a Living
From: Kathryn
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 12:46 PM

Does anyone know if this is in the public domain at this time?
thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Don't Work for a Living
From: BB
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 02:47 PM

It must have been written in 1928 at the latest, as apparently that was when Mullen (Mullan?) recorded it. If USA copyright law is the same as ours, i.e. 75 years, it became public domain no later than 2003, unless there's some way for the family to renew the copyright. I'm no expert, but someone else may know more.

Barbara

Subject: Lyr Add: I DON'T WORK FOR A LIVING
From: Tiger
Date: 01 Apr 09 - 03:07 PM

I learned this from my father-in-law about 45 years ago. He sang it all the time.

This is from the 'Blue Grass Roy' recording. BGR is the Edward Leroy Freeman mentioned earlier in the thread by Amos.

I Don't Work For A Living — Blue Grass Roy

They say we're all born for a purpose,
They say we're all born with a gift.
Now some people rise to be famous,
I suppose it's by hard work and thrift.
There's lots of us fighting and striving
For a seat in the White House, you see,
But I've got a seat in me trousers,
And the Missus to work for me:

CHORUS 1
I don't work for a living,
I get along all right without.
I don't toil all day,
I suppose it because I'm not built that way
Some people work for love
And say it's all sunshine and gain,
But if I can't get sunshine without any work,
I think I'll stay out in the rain.

Now give me a nail and a hammer,
And a picture to hang on the wall,
And give me a strong stepladder,
You know that I might fall.
And give me a couple of waiters,
And a barrel of good old Bass Ale,
And I bet you I'll hang up that picture
If somebody drives a nail:

CHORUS 1

I've got a pal I think the world of
We never agree, this is why
He says he's the laziest person
That he is more lazy than I
So we made a bet to decide it
I won without trying, you see
When he reached for the dough, I just whispered
"Put the bet in my pocket for me."

CHORUS 2
I don't work for a living,
I get along all right without.
I live peacefully,
For labor disputes never worry me
I love my family,
And even my mother-in-law
I decided to make them all happy, that's why
I never go home any more.

Now I haven't got a red penny
The reason is I'm always broke
Of pawn tickets I haven't any
My wife's wash is all that's in soak
But I get my three square meals daily
And a place to sleep when it gets dark
If I can't find a bed in the alley
Then I'll find me a bench in the park.

CHORUS 3
I don't work for a living,
I get along all right without.
Work's not meant for me,
Why, even the thought hurts my dignity
My wife does all the work,
She even puts out the ash-can
But last night I got sore when the neighbors all yelled
"Why don't you put out your old man?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Don't Work for a Living
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 06:21 AM

I found an old fellow in a Hampshire pub who sang this one - recorded and slapped on youtubes here:

http://youtu.be/iuf7-o6hTGE?list=UU2VjLw2NQfN80bFRG8c4nwQ

It's a beautiful song and goes down a treat. Some harking back to ancient tribal leisure society norms...am sure the 60s sci-fi i reasd promised a swift and sure return to such a world with the rise of machines and computers, ho-hum...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I Don't Work for a Living
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 12:46 PM

It is in Bob Davenport's vast repertoire of anti-work songs. Not sure where he got it, but there was a very popular version of it by Frank Crumit in the 30s. If you find a compilation of Frank Crumit, you should find it (they're not expensive) you should find it and other gems like -      1 What kind of a noise annoys an oyster
                2 The prune song (no matter how young a prune may be                it's always full of wrinkles) and
                3 Nettie is the nitwit of the networks)   

not 'folk' maybe but great fun....