Digital Tradition Mirror

A Life in a Prairie Shack

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

A Life in a Prairie Shack

1.  Oh, a life in the prairie shack when the rain begins to pour
    Drip, drip, it comes through the roof and some comes through the door
    The tenderfoot curses his fate, and faintly mutters, "Ah!
    This bloomin' country's a fraud and I want to go home to my ma!"

cho: Ma, ma, I want to go home to my ma
     This bloomin' country's a fraud and I want to go home to my ma!

2.  He tried to light a fire at twenty degrees below
    He made a lick at a stick and he amputated his toe
    And as he crawled to his shack, he was heard to mutter, "Ah!
    This bloomin' country's a fraud and I want to go home to my ma!"

3.  He saddled his fiery cayuse, determined to flourish round
    The critter began to buck and threw him off on the the ground
    And as he picked himself up, he was heard to mutter, "Ah!
    This bloomin' country's a fraud and I want to go home to my ma!"

4.  Now all you tenderfeet, list, before you go too far
    If you haven't a government sit, then you'd better stay where you are
    And if you take my advice, then you will not mutter, "Ah!
    This bloomin' country's a fraud and I want to go home to my ma!"

from Capt. Charles Cates (1899-1960), from his father.
PJT Coll 169; Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs.
4.2 sit = situation [job].
Tune is "A Life on the Ocean Wave"

JB
                                                 apr96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!