It is quiet interesting how in his early period Bob interpeted/borrowed/stole folk songs. This song was taken from Gid Tanner and Riley Pucket's "On Tanner's Farm". This song can be found on the great old timey compilation: "Ragged but Right: Great Country String Band's of the 1930's".
Here are the lyrics, taken from Flashlyrics.com
On Tanner's Farm
Come you ladies and gentlemen listen to my song
I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong
May make you mad, but I mean no harm
It's just about the renters on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
You move out on Tanner's farm
Plant a little crop of 'bacco and little crop of corn
Come around and see you gonna flit and flot
'Til you get yourself a mortgage on-a everything you got
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Hasn't Tanner got a flattering mouth
Move you to the country in a little log house
Got no windows, put the cracks in the wall
He'll work you all summer and he'll rob you in the fall
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
You go in the fields you'll work all day
Way after night but you get no pay
Promise to meat or a little bucket lard
It's so hard to be a renter on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
5)
Here's Tanner he'll come in town
With his wagon load of peaches, not-a one of them sound
Got to have his money or somebody's check
Pay him for a bushel and you don't get a peck
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Down in his pocket with a trembling hand
"Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can"
Then to the telephone the merchant'll make a call
He'll put you on the chain gang [if you] don't pay it all
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
It is quiet interesting how in his early period Bob interpeted/borrowed/stole folk songs. This song was taken from Gid Tanner and Riley Pucket's "On Tanner's Farm". This song can be found on the great old timey compilation: "Ragged but Right: Great Country String Band's of the 1930's".
Here are the lyrics, taken from Flashlyrics.com
On Tanner's Farm
Come you ladies and gentlemen listen to my song I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong May make you mad, but I mean no harm It's just about the renters on Tanner's farm It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
You move out on Tanner's farm Plant a little crop of 'bacco and little crop of corn Come around and see you gonna flit and flot 'Til you get yourself a mortgage on-a everything you got It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
Hasn't Tanner got a flattering mouth Move you to the country in a little log house Got no windows, put the cracks in the wall He'll work you all summer and he'll rob you in the fall It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
You go in the fields you'll work all day Way after night but you get no pay Promise to meat or a little bucket lard It's so hard to be a renter on Tanner's farm It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm 5)
Here's Tanner he'll come in town With his wagon load of peaches, not-a one of them sound Got to have his money or somebody's check Pay him for a bushel and you don't get a peck It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down Go in the store and the merchant will say "Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay" It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
Down in his pocket with a trembling hand "Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can" Then to the telephone the merchant'll make a call He'll put you on the chain gang [if you] don't pay it all It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down Go in the store and the merchant will say "Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay" It's a-hard times in the country Out on Tanner's farm