Barefoot Boy with Boots On, The

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")
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1927 (Shay-BarroomBallads/PiousFriendsDrunkenCompanions)
KEYWORDS: paradox nonsense humorous family
FOUND IN: US(MA,So)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Randolph 447, "Popular Gag Song" (2 texts, but only the "B" text goes with this song)
Cazden/Haufrecht/Studer-FolkSongsOfTheCatskills 154, "The Barefoot Boy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Shay-BarroomBallads/PiousFriendsDrunkenCompanions, p. 37, "The Dying Fisherman's Song" (1 text)
ST FSC154 (Partial)
Roud #6675 and 9616
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)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Ain't No Bugs on Me" (floating lyrics)
cf. "I Know a Boarding-House" (floating lyrics)
NOTES [39 words]: Roud's numbering of this song frankly defeats me; for lack of anything better, I'm putting all "Barefoot boy with (shoes/boots) on" and "The organ peeled potatoes" songs here unless they are specifically "I Know a Boarding-House." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: FSC154

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