Now people, I'm gonna tell you what a hard luck man I really am.
Ya know I was born in hard luck.
I was born in the last month in the year, the last week in the month, the last day in the week, the last hour in the day, the last minute in the hour, the last second in the minute;
To tell the truth now, like not to have got here at all.
Oh I'm hard luck all right.
Ya know, I was born down there in the country on a little farm where the land's so poor that you have to put fertilizer around the telephone poles before you can talk over the wires.
But it's a good place to be from anyway.
Ya know, I was born down there in the country, and I can remember the very first day when I was born, too.
There's just three of us kids, we's lying there side by side on the bed, and I heard the door slam and my old man he walked in the door, he walked up to the bed an' taken one look at us, he called to my mom, she's in the kitchen makin' dinner.
He says “All right Liza, come on in here an' pick out the one ya want”, he says, “We'll drown the rest of them.”
Ya know, there's just seventeen of us kids, there's eight boys, seven girls and two other children.
Now I didn't have but little age on me when the old man he says, “Son, you're gonna hafta get out a here an make your own livin' from now on”, he says, “I'm tired of feeding you around here.”
'So I strock out, folks, and here's what's happened to me ever since...
Ya knoll, I've been bawled out an balled up, held down and held up, bulldozed, black-jacked, walked on an chested, squeezed and mooched.
Stood for war tax, excess profit, state, dog, and sin tax, Liberty bonds, baby bonds, and the bonds of matrimony.
I been Red Crossed, Green crossed and double-derossed.
I been asked to join the society for John the Baptist, the D.A.R. Woman's corps , the Men’s Stomach and Relief Corps.
I 've worked like heck, and been worked like heck.
I've been drunk and got others drunk.
Lost all I had and part of my furniture.
Because I want to go around now ans spend some little part of that which I did earn and not go beg, borrow and steal, well, I've been cussed and discussed, boycotted - talked to and talked about, lied to and lied about, held up and hung up and doggone nigh murdered.
An the only reason I'm sticking around now, folks, is to see just what in the heck is gonna happen next.
And if that ain't hard luck, then you tell me what is.
Ya know I was born in hard luck.
I was born in the last month in the year, the last week in the month, the last day in the week, the last hour in the day, the last minute in the hour, the last second in the minute;
To tell the truth now, like not to have got here at all.
Oh I'm hard luck all right.
Ya know, I was born down there in the country on a little farm where the land's so poor that you have to put fertilizer around the telephone poles before you can talk over the wires.
But it's a good place to be from anyway.
Ya know, I was born down there in the country, and I can remember the very first day when I was born, too.
There's just three of us kids, we's lying there side by side on the bed, and I heard the door slam and my old man he walked in the door, he walked up to the bed an' taken one look at us, he called to my mom, she's in the kitchen makin' dinner.
He says “All right Liza, come on in here an' pick out the one ya want”, he says, “We'll drown the rest of them.”
Ya know, there's just seventeen of us kids, there's eight boys, seven girls and two other children.
Now I didn't have but little age on me when the old man he says, “Son, you're gonna hafta get out a here an make your own livin' from now on”, he says, “I'm tired of feeding you around here.”
'So I strock out, folks, and here's what's happened to me ever since...
Ya knoll, I've been bawled out an balled up, held down and held up, bulldozed, black-jacked, walked on an chested, squeezed and mooched.
Stood for war tax, excess profit, state, dog, and sin tax, Liberty bonds, baby bonds, and the bonds of matrimony.
I been Red Crossed, Green crossed and double-derossed.
I been asked to join the society for John the Baptist, the D.A.R. Woman's corps , the Men’s Stomach and Relief Corps.
I 've worked like heck, and been worked like heck.
I've been drunk and got others drunk.
Lost all I had and part of my furniture.
Because I want to go around now ans spend some little part of that which I did earn and not go beg, borrow and steal, well, I've been cussed and discussed, boycotted - talked to and talked about, lied to and lied about, held up and hung up and doggone nigh murdered.
An the only reason I'm sticking around now, folks, is to see just what in the heck is gonna happen next.
And if that ain't hard luck, then you tell me what is.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/7/31 - 12:54
Language: English
La versione originale di Lonnie Glosson, da Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics
ARKANSAS HARD LUCK BLUES
Now, folks, I'm gonna tell you a little something about myself
You know, I come from down in Arkansas.
I live down there on a little farm where the land is so poor
You have to put fertilizer around the telephone poles
Before you can talk over the wires.
But, nevertheless, it's a fine place to be from, folks.
You know, I was born down there in Arkansas.
Yeah, and I can remember the first day I was born, too.
There was three of us kids -
We was all laying side by side on the bed -
I heard the door slam and the old man he come in.
He walked up to the bed and he just taken one look at us
He hollered to my maw - she was in the kitchen gettin'dinner -
He says, "All right, Lize",
Says, "Come on in here", Says, "Pick out the one you want",
And says, "We'll drown the rest of em."
You know, folks, there was just seventeen of us kids.
There was eight boys, seven girls, and two other children.
You know, I had but a little age on me
When the old man said:
"Son, you gonna have to get out and make your own livin' from now on"
He says, "I'm tired of feedin' you around this place. "
Well, I struck out, folks,
And here's what happened ever since;
You know, I been bawled out and bawled up,
Held down and held up,
Bulldogged, blackjacked, walked on and chewed,
Squeezed and mooched for war tax,
Excess profits, state, dog and sin tax,
Liberty bonds and baby bonds
And the bonds of matrimony.
I've been red crossed, green crossed and double crossed, folks,
I've been asked to help the society of John the Baptist,
The G. A. R. Women's corpse, Men's Kiwanis and relief corpse,
I've worked like heck and been worked like heck, foIks,
I've been drunk and got others drunk,
Lost all I had and part of my furniture.
Because I won't go around now and spend what I earned,
And go beg, borrow and steal,
I've been cussed and discussed,
Boycotted, talked to and talked about,
Held up and hung up,
And I'm doggoned nigh ruined.
The only reason I'm sticking around now, folks
Is to see what the heck is a-gonna happen next.
Now folks, if that isn't hard luck, just tell me what is
Now, folks, I'm gonna tell you a little something about myself
You know, I come from down in Arkansas.
I live down there on a little farm where the land is so poor
You have to put fertilizer around the telephone poles
Before you can talk over the wires.
But, nevertheless, it's a fine place to be from, folks.
You know, I was born down there in Arkansas.
Yeah, and I can remember the first day I was born, too.
There was three of us kids -
We was all laying side by side on the bed -
I heard the door slam and the old man he come in.
He walked up to the bed and he just taken one look at us
He hollered to my maw - she was in the kitchen gettin'dinner -
He says, "All right, Lize",
Says, "Come on in here", Says, "Pick out the one you want",
And says, "We'll drown the rest of em."
You know, folks, there was just seventeen of us kids.
There was eight boys, seven girls, and two other children.
You know, I had but a little age on me
When the old man said:
"Son, you gonna have to get out and make your own livin' from now on"
He says, "I'm tired of feedin' you around this place. "
Well, I struck out, folks,
And here's what happened ever since;
You know, I been bawled out and bawled up,
Held down and held up,
Bulldogged, blackjacked, walked on and chewed,
Squeezed and mooched for war tax,
Excess profits, state, dog and sin tax,
Liberty bonds and baby bonds
And the bonds of matrimony.
I've been red crossed, green crossed and double crossed, folks,
I've been asked to help the society of John the Baptist,
The G. A. R. Women's corpse, Men's Kiwanis and relief corpse,
I've worked like heck and been worked like heck, foIks,
I've been drunk and got others drunk,
Lost all I had and part of my furniture.
Because I won't go around now and spend what I earned,
And go beg, borrow and steal,
I've been cussed and discussed,
Boycotted, talked to and talked about,
Held up and hung up,
And I'm doggoned nigh ruined.
The only reason I'm sticking around now, folks
Is to see what the heck is a-gonna happen next.
Now folks, if that isn't hard luck, just tell me what is
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/7/31 - 12:54
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Scritta da Lonnie Glosson (1908-2001) armonicista e cantante nato a Judsonia, Arkansas, famoso negli anni 30 e 40.
Il titolo originario è “Arkansas Hard Luck Blues”
Ripresa dai New Lost City Ramblers in un loro disco pubblicato nel 1961 dalla Folkways Records.