Sung by Bessie Atchley Green Forest, Arkansas July 7, 1960
Reel 388, Item 6
Starving to Death On a Government Claim
My name is Frank Bole, and old bachelor I am,
I'm keeping old batch, on an elegant plan,
You'll find me out west in the county of Lane Starving to death on a government claim My house it is built of the national soil The walls are erected according to Hoyle.
The roof has no ridge but is level and plain And I always gat wet if it happens to rain.
First Chorus:
But, hurrah for Lane County,
The land of the free,
The hone of the grasshopper,
Bedbug and flea
I'll sind loud her praises
And boast of her fame.
While starving to death On a government claim.
How happy am I when I crawl into bed
And a rattlesnake rattles his tail at my head,
And a gay little centipede, void of all fear.
Crawls over my pillow and into ay oar.
And the nice little bedbug, so cheerful and bright Keeps me up scratching fall half of the night And the gay little flea, with toes as sharp as a tack Plays, "Why don't you catch me?" all over my back.
Second Chorus:
But, hurrah for Lane County,
The land of the West,
Where the farmers and ranchers
Are always at rest, Where you've nothing to do But sweetly remain And starve like a man Oo your government claim.
Collected by M.C. Parler Transcribed by Bessie Atchley
