HALLELUJAH! I'M A BUM
(Lyrics: Harry McClintock / Melody: Traditional Hymn "Revive Us Again")
Harry "Mac" McClintock - 1928
Vernon Dalhart - 1928
Arthur Fields - 1928
Jack Kaufman - 1928
"Lazy" Larry (aka Frank Marvin) - 1928
"Hobo" Jack Turner (aka Ernest Hare) - 1928
As recorded by HARRY McCLINTOCK:
Rejoice and be glad for the Springtime has come
We can throw down our shovels and go on the bum
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
The Springtime has come and I'm just out of jail
Without any money, without any bail
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a house and I rapped on the door
And the lady says, "Bum, bum, you've been here before"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I like Jim Hill, he's a good friend of mine
That is why I am hiking down Jim Hill's main line
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a house and I asked for some bread
And the lady says, "Bum, bum, the baker is dead"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Why don't you work like other men do
Now, how can I work when there's no work to do
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Why don't you save all the money you earn
If I didn't eat, I'd have money to burn
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I don't like work and work don't like me
And that is the reason I am so hungry
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
*************************
As recorded by ARTHUR FIELDS:
Be happy and gay for the Summer has come
We can all quit our jobs and go out on the bum
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
They just let me out of the old calaboose
Without any money they just turned me loose
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a house with a limp and a hop
And the lady says, "Run, bum, or I'll call a cop"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I only work when they send me to jail
The next time they get me, I hope I get bail
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
My clothes are all ragged and my shoes are not shined
When I walk on the main street, I always get fined
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a door and asked for some pie
And the lady's young husband poked me in the eye
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I love little dogs, they are ????? ??? ????
But most ev'ry doggie grab me by the pants
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I take a bath if it's cold or it's hot
On Saturday night, if I need it or not
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Work don't like me and I don't like work
And that's why I'm happy and gay as a Turk
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
*************************
As recorded by "LAZY" LARRY (aka FRANK MARVIN):
When Springtime does come, oh, won't we have fun
We'll throw off our jobs and we'll go on the bum
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Oh, the Springtime has came and I'm just out of jail
Without any money, without any bail
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a house and I knocked on the door
A lady come out, said, "You've been here before"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a house and I asked for some bread
A lady come out, said, "The baker is dead"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Oh, why don't you work like other men do
How can I work when there's no work to do
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Oh, I love my boss and my boss loves me
And that is the reason I am so hungry
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
*************************
ALTERNATE VERSES:
I can't buy a job 'cause I ain't got the dough
So I ride in a boxcar 'cause I'm a hobo
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Why don't you work like other folks do
How can I get a job when you're holding down two
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went to a bar and I asked for a drink
They gave me a glass and they showed me the sink
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Oh, I like my boss, he's a good friend of mine
That's why I am starving out on the breadline
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
I went by a bar, I heard someone snore
I found the bartender asleep on the floor
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
Well, I took a drink, I didn't pay
Policeman he came and he took me away
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
The next day in court, whilst still in a haze
The Judge looked at me and he said, "Thirty days"
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
We'll hop the fast freights, ride the fast mails
When it's cold in the Winter, we'll sleep in the jails
Hallelujah, I'm a bum, Hallelujah, bum again
Hallelujah, give us a handout to revive us again
************************
Transcriptions by Mel Priddle - July 2012)
*************************
