Long about nineteen twentynine
I owned a little farm, was a doin' just fine
Raised a little row crop raised some wheat
Sold it over at the county seat
Drawed the money. Raised a family
But the dust came along, and the price went down
Didn't have the money when the bank come around;
Tumble weeds and the black dust blowed
So we hit the trail to the land where the waters floed
Way out across yonder somewhere
Well, the hot old rocks and the desert sand
Made my mind run back to the dust bowl land
But my hopes was high and we rolled along
To the Columbia River up in Washington
Lots of good rain, Little piece of land. Feller might grow something
We settled down on some cut over land
Pulled up brush and the stumps by hand
Hot sun burnt up my first crop of wheat
And the river down the canyon just 500 feet
Might as we of been 50 miles. Couldn't get no water
We loaded our belongings and we lit out for town
Seen the old vacant houses and farms all around
And folks a leaving out, if you're asking me
That's as lonesome as sight as a feller can see
Good land. Grow anything you plant, long as you can get the moisture
I struck a lumber town and heard the big saw sing
And when business is good, why lumber's king;
I went to lookin' for a job but the man said no
So we hit the skids on the old skid row
Traipsing up and down. Chasing a bite to eat. Kids hungry
Heard about a job, so we hit the wheat
Made about enough for the kids to eat
Picked in the berries, gathered in the fruit
Hops, peaches, and the apples, too
Slept in just about everything except a good warm bed
Been to Arizona, been to California, too
Found the people was plenty but the jobs was few;
Well maybe it's like the feller said
When they ain't enough arok, well, business is dead
Sorta ailin'. Ain't no money a changin' hands, just people changing places. Folks wastin gasoline a'chasin' around
Now what we need is a great big dam
To throw a lot of water out acrost that land
People could work and the stuff would grow
And you could wave goodbye to the old Skid Row
Work hard, raise all kinds of stuff, kids, too. Take it easy