Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Arkansas Hard Luck Blues

Arkansas Hard Luck Blues

Arkansas Hard Luck Blues
(Lonnie Glossom)

Now, folks, I'm gonna tell you a little something about myself
You know, I come from down in Arkansas.
I live down there on a little farm where the land is so poor
You have to put fertilizer around the telephone poles
Before you can talk over the wires.
But,  nevertheless,  it's a fine place to be from,  folks.

You know, I was born down there in Arkansas.
Yeah, and I can remember the first day I was born, too.
There was three of us kids -
We was all laying side by side on the bed -
I heard the door slam and the old man he come in.
He walked up to the bed and he just taken one look at us
He hollered to my maw - she was in the kitchen gettin'dinner -
He says, "All right,  Lize",
Says,  "Come on in here",  Says,  "Pick out the one you want",
And says,  "We'll drown the rest of em."

You know, folks, there was just seventeen of us kids.
There was eight boys, seven girls, and two other children.
You know, I had but a little age on me
When the old man said:
"Son,  you gonna have to get out and make your own livin' from now on"
He says,  "I'm tired of feedin' you around this place. "

Well, I struck out,  folks,
And here's what happened ever since;
You know, I been bawled out and bawled up,
Held down and held up,
Bulldogged, blackjacked, walked on and chewed,
Squeezed and mooched for war tax,
Excess profits,  state,  dog and sin tax,
Liberty bonds and baby bonds
And the bonds of matrimony.

I've been red crossed,  green crossed and double crossed,  folks,
I've been asked to help the society of John the Baptist,
The G. A. R.  Women's corpse, Men's Kiwanis and relief corpse,
I've worked like heck and been worked like heck,  foIks,
I've been drunk and got others drunk,
Lost all I had and part of my furniture.

Because I won't go around now and spend what I earned,
And go  beg, borrow and steal,
I've been cussed and discussed,
Boycotted,  talked to and talked about,
Held up and hung up,
And I'm doggoned nigh ruined.
The only reason I'm sticking around now, folks
Is to see what the heck is a-gonna happen next.

Now folks, if that isn't hard luck, just tell me what is

RG