BAREFOOT BOY WITH BOOTS ON, THE
(Asa Martin - 1930's)
New Christy Minstrels - 1963
John McCutcheon - 1980
Also recorded by:
Tracy & Eloise Schwarz; Lois "Granny" Thomas;
The Barefoot Boys; Mark Hamilton.
Oh, the night was dark and stormy
And the moon kept shining bright
The stars cast burning rays down
On the storm that raged that night
The lightning struck the cowshed
And the cows all chewed their cuds
The moonlight set the prairie afire
In the middle of the woods
Oh, the barefoot boy with boots on
Came a-crawling down the street
His pants were filled with pockets
And his boots were filled with feet
He was born when he was a baby
His grandma's pride and joy
His only sister was a girl
And his brother was a boy
He never was one of triplets
That came of being twins
His legs were fastened to his knees
Just below the shins
His arms were fastened to his neck
Several inches from his shoulder
When he was grown, he was a man
And every year got older
At last he married a woman
Who quickly became his wife
He could not stay single
And lead a married life
His wife was full of notions
And her mouth was full of tongue
She raised a dozen children
All born when they were young
Six girls and five boys
And then another child
They never tried to tame them
Just let them all go wild
The youngest was the baby
And the oldest was born first
The good one was the very best
And the mean one was the worst
They never knew their ages
And they did not seem to care
They knew they had a birthday
Coming to them every year
They never knew their father's age
But they always had a hunch
That he was born before their day
And was the oldest of the bunch
And when they died, they could not speak
And their names they could not tell
And the girls all went to Heaven
And the boys all went to @@@@
@@@@ Add in a place name to suit where the song is being sung
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ALTERNATE VERSE:
Six boys, five girls
And then another child
They never tried to raise them right
Just let them grow up wild
And late in the evening
They'd send them off to bed
Not sure if they was living
And they wished they all was dead
******
SIMILAR SONGS:
See also "Ain't We Crazy" and "Crazy Mixed-Up Song"
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(Contributed by Mel - May 2009)
