American Old Time Song Lyrics: 18 The Old Village Bum

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 18

THE OLD VILLAGE BUM.
Composed and sung by P. J. Downey.
Tune- "The Old Kitchen Floor."

Sometimes, when I'm musing, my memory flies bark,
To pleasures and sorrows in life's stormy track,
There's one thing comes to me I cannot repress,
Those days are long gone, yet to me they are fresh.
A poor, lonely stranger to our village came,
His clothes they were seedy, his walk it was lame;
We gathered around him, and just out of fun,
We christened him Billy, the old village bum;
We gathered around him, and just out of fun,
We christened him Billy, the old village bum.

His labor was useful to neighbors around,
Give him but a meal, and his sorrows were drowned,
His shape it was known to most all in the place,
The children would smile at his good-natured face.
When we were a-playing, if things were unfair,
They soon would be righted if he were but there;
when strangers chastised us, bow quick they would run,
If we'd call our Billy, the old village bum;
When strangers chastised us, how quick they would run,
If we'd call our Billy, the old village bum.

At last, cruel war it came unto our land,
He was not the last with a gun in his band:
The day I remember, it made us all cry,
When he came around to bid us good-by.
The war it was ended-he came in the cars-
One poor arm was gone, and he covered with scars;
Although he was crippled, we never could shun
Our poor, honest Billy, the old village bum;
Although he was crippled, we never could shun
Our poor, honest Billy, the old village bum.

His wounds came against him-his age helped them on,
His limbs they were feeble, his strength it was gone;
We brought him a doctor and gave him a bed,
But death came at last, and poor Billy was dead.
The people to pacify children did try,
But thinking of Billy, they could not help cry;
By a tree in our grave-yard, just out of the sun,
We laid our poor Billy, the old village bum;
By a tree in our grave-yard, just out of the sun,
We laid our poor Billy, the old village bum.