You Wonder Why I'm a Hobo (Naw, I Don't Want to Be Rich)

DESCRIPTION: A list of reasons why the hobo doesn't want to be a conductor, a banker, a broker, a doctor, adding up to this: "I just don't want to be rich" (or to have to work).
AUTHOR: Carson J. Robison
EARLIEST DATE: 1930 (recordings, Carson Robison)
KEYWORDS: hobo money work questions
FOUND IN: US(MA)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Botkin/Harlow-TreasuryOfRailroadFolklore, p. 461, "You Wonder Why I'm a Hobo" (1 text, 1 tune)
RECORDINGS:
Carson J. Robison, "You Wonder Why I'm a Hobo" (Columbia 15547-D [issued under the pseudonym, "Travelin' Jim Smith" as well as perhaps under Robison's own name], 1930) (Champion 15986 [as, "Naw! I Don't Wanta Be Rich"]/Supertone 9672, 1930) (Broadway 8274/Crown 3084 [both as Carson Robison Trio], 1931). (Victor V-40226, 1930) (Brunswick 442, 1930) (OKeh 45537 [as, "Naw! I Don't Wanna Be Rich"], 1931; rec. 1930)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Who Said I Was a Bum?" (subject, attitude)
NOTES [66 words]: I've also seen this credited to Mac McClintock. The attribution to Robison seems more likely, though; I suspect "Haywire Mac" merely recorded the piece and someone assumed he wrote it. - RBW
A reasonable assumption -- except that McClintock doesn't seem to have recorded the song. He did cut "Hobo's Spring Song" twice for Victor, and I haven't heard that, so it could possibly be this song. - PJS
Last updated in version 4.2
File: BRaF461

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