The Great American Bum Song (from my father’s memory bank)

THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM SONG

Come all you jolly jokers,
and listen while I hum,
The story I’ll relate to you
of the Great American Bum.

From the East to West,
From North to South,
Like a swarm of bees they come
They sleep in the dirt, and wear a shirt
That’s dirty and full of crumbs!

From the boxcar and the hay-stack,
He gazes everywhere,
And never turns back upon his track
Until he gets a square! [meal]

Standing in the railroad yard
waitin’ for a train–
Waitin’ for an East bound freight,
but I think it’s all in vain.
Going’ East they’re loaded,
Goin’ West, sealed tight!
I think I’ll have to get aboard
A fast express tonight!

I met a man the other day
I never had met before,
He asked me if I wanted a job
shovelin’ iron ore.
I asked him what the wages were,
He said: “Ten cents a ton.”
I said: “Oh, fella, go chase yourself,
I’d rather be a bum.”