Lyr Req/Add: Stay on the Farm

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Lyr Req/Add: Stay on the Farm

14 Feb 00 - 12:11 PM (#178087)
Subject: stay on the farm
From: GUEST,laurat@crocker.com

I'm looking for the words to a song I think is called Stay on the Farm. Parts of it include: "the city has many attractions.....and yet there is gold on the farm, boys, if only you shovel it out.....don't be in a hurry to go...."

14 Feb 00 - 02:56 PM (#178185)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: JamesJim

Don't know the song you are talking about, but am reminded of Woody's Classic, "Do Re Mi" (from dust bowl days as depicted in the book/movie, Grapes of Wrath). The burned out farmers were all going to California.

Second verse: "If you want to buy a house or farm, that can't do nobody harm,(or)take your vacation by the mountains or the sea; Better not trade your cow for a car, you better stay right where you are, you better take this little tip from me; Cause I look through the want ads every day, And the headlines on the paper always say; If you ain't got the Do Re Mi boys, if you ain't got the Do Re Mi. You better go back to beautiful Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee. Californias a garden of eden. A paradise for you and for me. But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot, if you ain't got the Do Re Mi.

14 Feb 00 - 09:51 PM (#178423)
Subject: ADD: Stay on the Farm ^^
From: Sandy Paton

STAY ON THE FARM

Come, boys, I will tell you a story;
Come here, I will whisper it low.
Are you thinking of leaving the homestead?
Don't be in a hurry to go.
For the city has many attractions,
But think of the vices and sins.
Though once in the vortex of fashion,
How soon the course downward begins!

Chorus:

Don't be in a hurry to go,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
If you're thinking of leaving the homestead,
Don't be in a hurry to go.

You may talk of the mines of Australia,
They're loaded with gold, without doubt.
But there's plenty of gold on the farm, boys,
If only you'll shovel it out.
The mercantile life is a hazard;
The goods are first high and then low.
Better trust the old farm a while longer.
Don't be in a hurry to go.

The wild, busy west has inducements,
And so has the busiest mart,
But wealth wasn't made in a day, boys;
Don't be in a hurry to start.
The bankers and brokers are wealthy;
They bring in their thousands or so.
But think of the frauds and deceptions;
Don't be in a hurry to go.

So, the farm is the safest and surest;
The orchards are loaded today.
You're King of the Air on the mountain,
And monarch of all you survey.
Better risk the old farm a while longer,
Though the profits come in rather slow.
Remember, you've nothing to lose, boys,
Don't be in a hurry to go.

Late 19th Century song found in a turn-of-the-century Grange song book.

Sandy ^^

14 Feb 00 - 10:03 PM (#178434)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: GUEST,laurat

Sandy,

That's the song I'm thinking of although I'm trying to remember a slightly different version. (I may have heard Cathy Fink sing it. or maybe the Red Clay Ramblers) There's a verse "You talk of the mines of Australia, ...." and the vortex of fashion was in there. The chorus I remember is:Stay on the farm, boys, stay on the farm, though profits come in rather slow. Stay on the farm, boys, stay on the farm, don't be in a hurry to go.

What's a Grange song book?

Thanks, Laura

14 Feb 00 - 10:09 PM (#178436)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: GUEST,laurat

Sandy I guess we were writing each other at the same time. WOW Thanks for those words. I like them even more that the bits I remembered. Thanks so much! Laura

14 Feb 00 - 10:38 PM (#178456)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: Sandy Paton

The Grange was (and in parts of the country, still is) an organization of farming people, sort of a Guild, or mutual aid society. You can probably read of its history in any decent encyclopedia. Caroline and I joined the Grange in Huntington, Vermont, when we first moved to that village in 1961. Mostly, it had become just a social gathering of folks from other farms in the neighborhood. Fun, though!

When we came down here to Connecticut, we felt that our membership was no longer justified (if it had ever been -- all we raised in Huntington, Vermont, was one cow, some chickens, a dozen Malamutes, and a whole lot of hell with the locaal school system!). Also fun.

Sandy

15 Feb 00 - 09:35 AM (#178709)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: GUEST,Arnie

You'll find a recording of it by The Arm and Hammer Stringband. By they way if you can get the recording, the rest of it is excellent stuff - lots of old time tunes and songs with Pete Sutherland -fiddle.

02 May 14 - 09:59 PM (#3623705)
Subject: RE: stay on the farm
From: GUEST,Jeremy BC

I am a decendent of Clara Berry who wrote the song. Email Questions jeremecio@yahoo.com

03 May 14 - 03:14 AM (#3623734)
Subject: ADD: Stay on the Farm, Boys (James L. Orr)
From: Joe Offer

If you have Spotify, this link (click) should lead you to three recordings.

Good song.

Maybe you're right, Jeremy, but we get a lot of posts from descendants who think their ancestors wrote songs. Maybe you're right...but maybe you're not.

Here are the lyrics and notes from Sweet Nebraska Land, a Folkways recording by Roger Welsch. This album attributes the song to James L. Orr.

STAY ON THE FARM, BOYS:
Written by James L. Orr for Grange Melodies
(Philadelphia, 1891)

The Grange, like the Alliance, was directed toward combating the railroads and big businesses that were crushing the farmers. It was founded in 1869 as a social and educational society and was organized in Nebraska in 1872. Because of its political and economic failures, it declined and then was reborn as a less militant' nonpolitical organization-as this song clearly illustrates. "stay on the farm ... though profits come in rather slow" is an anticlimactic and pathetic aftermath of the Alliance's "with truth for our weapon, we'll fight
till we die."

STAY ON THE FARM, BOYS
(James L. Orr)

Come, boys, I have something to tell you,
Come near, I would whisper it low;
You're thinking of leaving the homestead,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
The city has many attractions,
But think of its vices and sins;
When once in the vortex of fashion,
How soon our destruction begins.

CHORUS:
Well, stay on the farm, boys, stay on the farm,
Though profits come in rather slow,
stay on the farm, boys, stay on the farm,
Don't be in a hurry to go.

You talk of the mines of Australia,
Well, they're wealthy in treasure, no doubt;
But, ah, there is gold on the farm, boys,
If only you'll shovel it out.
The mercantile life is a hazard,
Surrounded by glitter and show;
And wealth is not made in a day, boys,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
CHORUS:

The farm is the best and the safest.
And certainly surest to pay; .
You're free as the air of the mountain,
And monarch of all you survey.
Then stay on the farm awhile longer,
Though profits come in rather slow,
Remember, you've nothing to risk, boys,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
CHORUS:

1891 Musical notation: http://gildedage.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/niu-gildedage:19257

Also see Grange Melodies.

03 May 14 - 03:27 AM (#3623736)
Subject: ADD: Don't Leave the Farm Boys (Berry, Rochow)
From: Joe Offer

But wait! Take a look at this: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/riseind/rural/leave.html

Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885 contains many songs about farms and the joys of farm life. In the 1870s, nearly three times as many Americans lived on farms or in small towns as in larger cities. Cities were beginning to grow, however. The lyrics below, written by Miss Clara F. Berry in 1871, urge "Boys" to stay on the farm. What reasons does Miss Berry give for staying on the farm? What are some of the temptations to leave the farm? Do you think a song such as this one might actually persuade young men of the era to stay on the farm? Why or why not?

View the sheet music of "Don't Leave the Farm Boys." The sheet music shows the words were by Clara F. Berry, and the music by Alfred von Rochow. This was published in 1871, long before the 1891 Grange songbook that attributed the song (with chorus) to Orr.

DON'T LEAVE THE FARM BOYS
(Clara F. Berry, 1871)

Come boys, I have something to tell you,
Come near, I would whisper it low,
You're thinking of leaving the homestead,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
The city has many attractions,
But think of the vices and sins,
When once in the vortex of fashion,
How soon the course downward begins.

. . .

You talk of the mines of Australia,
They're wealthy in gold without doubt,
But sh! There is gold on the farm, boys,
If only you'd shovel it out.
The mercantile trade is a hazard,
The goods are first high and then low,
Best risk the old farm a while longer,
Don't be in a hurry to go.

. . .

The great busy west has inducements,
And so has the business mart,
But wealth is not made in a day, boys,
Don't be in a hurry to start.
The bankers and brokers are wealthy,
They take in their thousand or so,
And think of the frauds and deceptions,
Don't be in a hurry to go.

. . .

The farm is the safest and surest,
The orchards are loaded today,
You're free as the air of the mountains,
And monarch of all you survey.
Best stay on the farm a while longer,
Though profits come in rather slow,
Remember you've nothing to risk boy,
Don't be in a hurry to go.
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View the sheet music of "Don't Leave the Farm Boys" from Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885. Use your browser's Back Button to return to this point.

From the Traditional Ballad Index:

Stay on the Farm

DESCRIPTION:

AUTHOR:

EARLIEST DATE:

KEYWORDS:

FOUND IN:

REFERENCES (1 citation):

Randolph 865, "Stay on the Farm" (1 text)

Roud #7535

File: R865

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