Who Said I Was a Bum?

DESCRIPTION: Singer, called a bum, takes exception to the name. He tells of life as a hobo, says "I never work, I never have, and I never will by gum/I know I'm a hobo, but who said I was a bum?" My shoes are worn, my pants are torn, there's holes in both my knees."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: c. 1927 (recording, Carson Robison)
LONG DESCRIPTION: Singer is called a bum, but takes exception to the name. He tells of life as a hobo, says "I never work, I never have, and I never will by gum/I know I'm a hobo, but who said I was a bum?" "Whenever I see a stack of wood, I go the other way" He also notes that "My shoes are worn, my pants are torn, there's holes in both my knees" and that the wind blows through his BVDs
KEYWORDS: poverty pride work nonballad hobo
FOUND IN: US
RECORDINGS:
Frank Luther, "Who Said I Was A Bum?" (Victor 21686 [as Bud Billings], 1928) (Broadway 1226, 1929)
Carson Robison, "Who Said I Was a Bum?" (Herschel Gold Seal 2021, c. 1927)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "You Wonder Why I'm a Hobo" (subject, attitude)
File: RcWSIWAB

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