“The Barefoot Boy with Boots On”

Description

Tales of the odd life of the barefoot boy with boots on. Most of the song's lyrics are either paradoxical ("The night was dark and stormy and the moon kept shining bright") or tautological ("his pants were full of pockets and his boots were full of feet")

Supplemental text

Barefoot Boy with Boots On, The
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

The Barefoot Boy

From Norman Cazden, Herbert Haufrecht, Norman Studer, Folk Songs
of the Catskills, #154, p. 578. From the singing of Ernie Sager.

Oh, the night was dark and stormy, and the moon kept shining bright,
And the stars cast burning rays down on the storm that raged that night;
The lightning struck the cow-shed, and the cows all chewed their cuds,
And the moonlight set the prairie afire in the middle of the woods.

Oh, the barefoot boy with boots on came a-crawling down the street;
His pants were filled with pockets, and his boots were filled with feet.
He was born when he was a baby, his grandma's pride and joy;
His only sister was a girl, and his brother was a boy.

(four and a half additional stanzas)

Cross references

• cf. "Ain't No Bugs on Me" (floating lyrics)
• cf. "At the Boarding House (Silver Threads; While the Organ Pealed Potatoes)" (floating lyrics)

Recordings

• Bill Cox, "Barefoot Boy With Boots On" (Conqueror 8231, 1933; Melotone M-13058/Perfect 13014/Oriole 8349, 1934)
• Otto Gray & his Cowboy Band, "Barefoot Boy with Boots On" (Vocalion 5256, 1928)
• Bradley Kincaid, "Ain't We Crazy" (Decca 5025, 1934)
• "Radio Mac" [pseud. for Harry "Mac" McClintock], "Ain't We Crazy?" (Victor V-40101, 1929; rec. 1928)

References

1. Randolph 447, "Popular Gag Song" (2 texts, but only the "B" text goes with this song)
2. FSCatskills 154, "The Barefoot Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. ST FSC154 (Partial)
4. Roud #6676
5. BI, FSC154