Big Rock Candy Mountain

Words and Music by :
Arranged and adapted by:
Publisher:  

Recorded by
Burl Ives DL5093, DL8080, DL8248, DL4390, CDL8008,
DOVE1742, 00881-11439-2, JAS3524, BI-AFFSCD418, 2382094,
Milt Okun BL1203

Lyrics:

On a summer day in the month of May
A burly bum came hiking
Down a shady lane through the sugar cane
He was looking for his liking
As he roamed along he sang a song
Of the land of milk and honey
Where a bum can stay for many a day
And he won't need any money

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees
Near the soda water fountain
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
On the big rock candy mountain


There's a lake of gin we can both jump in
And the handouts grow on bushes
In the new-mown hay we can sleep all day
And the bars all have free lunches
Where the mail train stops and there ain't no cops
And the folks are tender-hearted
Where you never change your socks and you never throw rocks
And your hair is never parted

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees
Near the soda water fountain
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
On the big rock candy mountain

Oh, a farmer and his son, they were on the run
To the hay field they were bounding
Said the bum to the son, "Why don't you come
To that big rock candy mountain?"
So the very next day they hiked away,
The mileposts they were counting
But they never arrived at the lemonade tide
On the big rock candy mountain

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees
Near the soda water fountain
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
On the big rock candy mountain