Collected by:
Billie Lou Ratliff For:
Mary C. Parler
Address:
St. Paul, Arkansas
Name of singer: Bill Baker
Date: January 3, 1959
Reel 269 Item 15
SANFORD BARNES
My name is Sanford Barnes, I came from a Northern town
Ilve traveled this wide world over, I’ve traveled this wide world round I’ve had my ups and downs and better days I’ve saw But I never knew what misery was till I come to Arkansas.
I started out one morning, the merry month of June I landed in Little Rock one rainy afternoon Up walked a walking skeleton and handed me his paw Invited me to his hotel, the best in Arkansas.
I followed my conductor to his fine dwelling place His property and starvation, it showed right on his face
His bread it was corn dodger, his beef I could not chaw
And that was the kind of a hash I got in Little Rock, Arkansas.
I got up next morning to catch an early train He says, ”Bill you’d better work for me, I have some land to drain I’ll give you fifty cents a day, your board and washing all
And you will be a different man when you leave Arkansas.
I worked six weeks for the son-of-a-gun, Jack Tiffin was his name
He stood seven three in his stocking feet, tall as any crane
His hair hung down like rat tails upon the side of his jaw
For that was a picture of old Jack in Arkansas.Name of singer:
Bill Baker Address:
St. Paul, Arkansas Date:
January 3, 1959
Reel 269 Item 15 (Cont’d)
SANFORD BARNES (Continued)
He fed me on corn dodger as hard as any rock My teeth began to loosen, my kness began to knock I got so fat on sassafras tea I could hide behind a straw
Indeed, I was a different man when I left Arkansas.
Farewell you swamp angels, quinine and your chills Farewell to you, that shoe-sole state and your corn- dodger pills
If ever I see old Jack again, I’ll hand to him my paw But it’d be through a telescope from heaven to Arkansas.
Collected by:
Billie Lou Ratliff For:
Mary C. Parler
