Beans, Bacon and Gravy: Lyrics

Traditional

• LP Songs of the Open Road

I was born long ago,
   in 1894.
I've seen many a panic,
   I will hold.
I've been hungry, I've been cold,
   And now I'm growing old,
But the worst I've seen
   was 1931.

   Chorus:
Oh, those beans, bacon and gravy,
They almost drive me crazy,
I eat them till I see them in my dreams.
When I wake up each morning,
And another day is dawning,
I know I'll have another mess of beans.

We congregate each morning
   in the county barn at dawning,
And everyone is happy,
   so it seems.
But when our work is done,
   we file in one by one,
And thank the Lord
   for one more mess of beans.

   Chorus:

We have Hooverized on butter,
   for milk we've only water,
And I haven't seen a steak
   in many a day.
For pies and cakes and jellies
   we substitute sow bellies,
For which we work the
   county road each day.

   Chorus:

If there ever comes a time,
   when I have more than a dime,
They will have to
   put me under lock and key.
For I've been broke so long,
   I can only sing the song,
Of the workers
   and their misery.

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