Does it go something like this?

We are four bums, four jolly good chums
We live like royal Turks
We're having good luck in bumming our chuck
To hell with the man that works

Pete

Yes!!! Are there more words? How in the world do you know/locate these lyrics and so many others that you respond to? Do you know anything about this tune's origin? Is it truly of Irish origin? Do you know of anyone professionally who has recorded it? Thanks Pete!

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

It seems to me that this is an american song. But I can't say for sure.

Apparently it has been recorded by two artists by the name of Cisco Houston and Harry McClintock.

Well, I have quite a few song lyrics in my private collection, but many songs I find on the web at the spur of the moment. ;-)

Here are two versions for your enjoyment.

Cheers!

Pete


THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM
(trad)

Come all you jolly jokers if you want to have some fun
And listen while I relate the tale of the great American bum
From the east and west and north and south like a swarm of bees they come
They sleep in the dirt and they wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs

Chorus:
I am a bum, a jolly old bum
And I live like a royal Turk
And I have good luck and I bum all my chuck
And the heck with the man that works

It's early in the morning when the dew is on the ground
A bum arises from his nest and gazes all around
While going east they're loaded, and going west sealed tight
"I reckon we'll have to ride aboard the fast express tonight"

Chorus

Well, I met a man the other day that I never met before
And he asked me if I wanted a job a-shovelin' iron ore
I asked him what the wages was and he said: "ten cents a ton"
I said: "Old fellow, scratch your .neck, I'd rather be on the bum

Chorus

Oh, lady would you be kind enough to give me somethin' to eat
A piece of bread and butter and a tender slice of meat
Some apple pie and custard just to tickle me appetite
For really I'm so hungry, don't know where I'll sleep tonight

Chorus


THE GREAT AMERICAN BUM

Come all ye jolly jokers now listen while I hum
A story I relate to you of the great American bum
East and west and north and south like a swarm of bees they come
They lay in the dirt and wear a shirt that's dirty and full of crumbs

Now lady would you be kind enough to give me something to eat?
A piece of bread and butter or a ten-foot slice of meat
A piece of pie or a custard to tickle me under the tight
For I'm so bloody hungry and I don't know where to sleep tonight

Now I beat my way from Frisco Bay to the rock-bound coast of Maine
I went right into that Beaton country but I walked right out again
Now sleeping in the station, now that's a recommendation
haree harah harum

Oh we jolly old bums, we jolly old bums
We live like royal Turks
We have good luck at bummin' our chuck
Goddamn the man that works

Now I met a man the other day I never had met before
He asked me if I wanted a job a-shoveling iron ore
I asked him what the wages was and he said, "ten cents a ton"
I said "Old fellow, go chase yourself, I'd rather be on the bum

As I was sleeping in the shade just to pass the time away
A man he came to me and he said, "You want to shovel some hay?"
He said his land is rollin', I said, "If that is true
Just roll it around to a shady spot and I'll see what I can do"

Oh ogee ogee ogee, all we have to do
Is sleeping in the station, that's the way we do
Oh sleeping in the station, that's a recommendation
Haree harah harum.

Oh we jolly old bums, we jolly old bums
We live like royal Turks
We have good luck at bummin' our chuck
Goddamn the man that works

I used to have a'78' with this song on it in 1953, some of the verses are similar, however there are some differences which may be geographical. As I remember some:
Sittin' in the pokey
okie, okie,okie
smokin' snipes and stogies
harrah, haree, harrum
Oh, we are three bums three jolly old bums
we live like royal turks
we have good luck a' bummin our chuck
God bless the man that works

(The bum knocks on the door) spoken:
Hello Mum
Hello Bum
would you have some food you could spare?
I do, and a six foot Irishman comin' home at 5:00 to eat it.
ok goodbye Mum
-Goodbye bum

(chorus)

I will see if the record is in my storage trunk...

Hey 83mcguyver, thanks!!!

It sounds as though this song may have some Irish roots afterall! Fantastic information! My late American father would sing it in the 1950s and 1960s and I hardly paid attention then as I was a largley disinterested kid but it seems as though he said he got it from his Irish ancestors before him and as I recall he tried to use an Irish accent when he sang it. His grandfather arrived in the U.S. from Ireland in 1860. May you be poor in misfortune and rich in blessings! Patrick

This is interesting. I have been looking for the words for this song for a while. But, it was because my father, more than 40 yrs ago sang it - the version with the knock on the door. But, he didn't have a drop of Irish in him - he was a mix of Slovenian and Russian. I thought it was a song from the days of the depression in the US.

Like one other poster, I was never interested enough to ask about the song's origins, but did think it was funny.

I'm going to check w/the one uncle that is still alive to see if he knows anything about this song.

Thanks for the words. Wish I could find musical version to put on iPod.