Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around
From: cnd
Date: 13 Apr 21 - 07:10 PM

The lyrics the Maddox brothers sing are slightly different from those provided by BWL above. Here's how I hear it from #'s link.

I'm always around when you want me
To paint your porch or chop a tree

CHORUS
I'm a handy man to have around
I'd like to tell you, I'm a handy man

I'll scrub your floor, I'll fix your fire
You just relax 'cause I don't get tired

I was born in the country, never went to school
But I live every day by the golden rule

Now I'm not strong, I'm little, too
But I can do as much as any man can do

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around
From: GUEST,#
Date: 08 Apr 21 - 11:45 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoLpyeyBgWE

Maddox Brothers and Rose singing the song there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around
From: GUEST,999
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 04:11 PM

On second thought, that don't make no sense a'tall. The person who posted that song to Youtube musta made a mistake. Now, back to copying the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around
From: GUEST,999
Date: 12 Sep 12 - 12:30 PM

Just tripped over "I'm a handy man to hang around", note 'hang' not 'have'. I think this is what BWL is looking for.

You can hear it at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwQfzPa_ocY

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: I'm a Handy Man to Have Around
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 08:39 AM

Got 'em! Sorta...

The person I heard singing the song was Chris Henry (son of Murphy Henry of The Murphy Method banjo instruction series). I emailed him and he was kind enough to send them.

Chris's source is the Lynn Morris Band album "The Bramble and the Rose" on Rounder. Judging by the two verses that can be heard on the Maddox Brothers soundclip, the lyrics I posted are not identical to that older version.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M A HANDY MAN TO HAVE AROUND
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 21 Jun 05 - 08:27 AM

This version comes from Chris Henry (Red & Murphy's son) who got it from a recording by the Lynn Morris Band (album title: The Bramble and the Rose - Rounder Records).

I'M A HANDY MAN TO HAVE AROUND

I's born in the country, never went to school,
But don't you call me nobody's fool.
I'm a handy man to have around.
I'd like to tell you, I'm a handy man.

I'm always around when you want me
To paint your porch or chop your tree.
I'm a handy man to have around.
I'd like to tell you, I'm a handy man.

Any day now, and it won't be long,
I'll be around to mow your lawn.
I'm a handy man to have around.
I'd like to tell you, I'm a handy man.

BWL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Handy Man to Have Around
From: Ron Davies
Date: 05 Jun 05 - 03:05 PM

I know I had "I'm a handy man to have around" on tape. But I have over 1,000 tapes (almost all recorded from the radio). Although they're virtually all catalogued, it'll take me a while to get a chance to check for the song and transcribe it. It's a great song and I used to sing it around the house. I'll try to get to it this week.

If I forget, feel free to PM me. I actually like to do this sort of work--just don't have much time now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Handy Man to Have Around
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 03 Jun 05 - 12:33 PM

I believe that there is a recording of Handy Man by Clarence"Tom" Ashley of Shouns, Tennessee, but cannot put my hand on it at present. It seems however that it might first have been recorded by The Shelton Brothers.

As I recall the song that I have heard the country version could hardly be desribed as subtle. Can I say that if you are interested in this type of material there is a very amusing Vinyl album probaby now available on CD by Hartmann's Heartbreakers well worth searching out.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Handy Man to Have Around
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jun 05 - 06:22 PM

I listened to that sound clip as well as another one, and this is what I was able to transcribe. (I don't know if I have the verses in the right order.)

I was born in the country; never went to school
Live(d) every day by the Golden Rule.

CHORUS: I'm a handy man to have around.
I'd like to tell you I'm a handy man.

I'll scrub your floor. I'll fix your fire.
You just relax, 'cause I don't get tired.

It reminds me of a couple of other songs:

MY HANDY MAN and
MY HANDY MAN AIN'T HANDY NO MORE

In both of these, the double entendre is a bit less subtle (which is what you'd expect in blues, as opposed to country music).

Subject: Lyr Req: Handy Man to Have Around
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 02 Jun 05 - 03:08 PM

Anybody have the words to "I'm a Handy Man to Have Around" as sung by the Maddox Brothers and Rose on the LP "On the Air." I heard it sung at the Florida Folk Festival this past weekend and fell in love with it. All I've been able to find on the Web is a brief soundclip here, which was enough to verify that it is indeed the song I'm looking for, but no lyrics.