Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

[Old Cremona]

The tune is "Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel," the lyrics have been adapted to then-current economic conditions.

"There is nothing new under the sun," as the saying goes.

I found these lyrics in "Christy's New Songster" published in 1863. It can also be found in songsheet from in the Library of Congress American Memory. I suspect the lyrics refer to an economic downturn that happened prior to 1863.

The Christy's version says "Banjo solo, as sung by W. Herman, at Christy's Opera House, Brooklyn."

[rkg]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Carl,
Dat am soooo true! Very enjoyable.

[fahtz]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Carl,
How I miss you! Oh man... I like the tune man!

[dedogtent]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Very good Carl, I love it!

[tater_cuffie]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Simply Awesome, good job.

[BorderRuffian]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Carl,

Another gem,thanks for posting!

[Rmhisteach]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Carl,

That was really nice. I enjoyed it .

Any chance I could talk you into singing the song you sang at boonesfield in the chapel fur this Youtube fella???

Your pard
Rod

[Old Cremona]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Any chance I could talk you into singing the song you sang at boonesfield in the chapel fur this Youtube fella???

Yeah, I'd be glad to, Rod.

[DocReynolds]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

It seems "Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel" spanned a number of parodies..."Money..." is one, below is another, Dead Rabbits versus the Bowery Boys, commemorating the 1857 riot between the gangs..(It was really this gang war that was the finale for "Gangs of NY"...although the morphed into draft riots AND Gang war. I found the lyrics on the Library of Congress 19th century song sheets page:
Pete Bedrossian
150th NY

DEAD RABBITS' FIGHT WITH THE BOWERY BOYS.
New York July 4th 1857. Written at Hoboken, by Saugerties Bard. Air--Jordan.

They had a dreadful fight, upon last Saturday night,
The papers gave the news accordin;
Guns, pistols, clubs and sticks, hot water and old bricks,
Which drove them on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS.
Then pull off the coat and roll up the sleeve,
For Bayard is a hard street to travel;
So pull off the coat and roll up the sleeve,
The Bloody Sixth is a hard ward to travel I believe.

Like wild dogs they did fight, this Fourth of July night,
Of course they laid their plans accordin;
Some were wounded and some killed, and lots of blood spill'd,
In the fight on the other side of Jordan
CHORUS

The new Police did join the Bowery boys in line,
With orders strict and right accordin;
Bullets, clubs and bricks did fly, and many groan and die,
Hard road to travel over Jordan.
CHORUS

When the new police did interfere, this made the Rabbits sneer,
And very much enraged them accordin;
With bricks they did go in, determined for to win,
And drive them on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS

At last the battle closed, yet few that night reposed,
For frightful were their dreams accordin;
For the devil on two sticks was a marching on the bricks,
All night on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS

Upon the following day they had another fray,
The Black Birds and Dead Rabbits accordin;
The soldiers were call'd out, to quell the mighty riot
And drove them on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS

If you want all the good songs, 38 Chatham street,
There a printer lives, you may rely on;
Lay in a large stock and supply all your friends,
And they'll sing them on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS

[El Dorado]

Re: Money am a Hard Thing to Borrow.

Carl, as always, that was wonderful!!! The following is Mart Taylor's version from the 1856 "The Gold Digger's Song Book".

California Humbugs
Air- Over Jordan.

This California is a humbug State,
'Tis out of the world in the bushes,
Where to meet with a poor man's fate,
Many a poor devil pushes.

Haul off the jacket, and roll up the sleeve,
For mining is a hard kind of labor,
Haul off the jacket and roll up the sleeve.
For mining is a hard kind of labor I believe.

The merchants hope to accumulate a pile,
By selling goods to the miners,
They will trust them out, and in a little while,
"Bust up" for the want of "shiners."

Haul off the jacket, &c.

Each druggist clerk, who comes from the States,
"Sets up" in the bleeding profession,
If he kills a man, that he's called too late,
Is excuse for the quackish transgression.

Haul off the jacket &c.

If you have a case to refer to the law,
And a lawyer for you shall begin it,
Your dust will somehow slip in his paw,
And your broke if you happen to win it.

Haul off the jacket &c.

The priest will preach one day in the week,
And cause the sinners to tremble;
Read the bible all day, and when it is dark,
With the rogues he's bound to assemble.

Haul off the jacket &c.

The miner works hard with a shovel and a pick,
Till his body is feeble and tender,
He goes into town at the end of the week,
And spends all his dust on a bender.

Haul off the jacket &c.

The gambler deals from the bottom all day,
And loiters about the Diana,
He raises the devil, and when he gets broke,
He raises the stake from the miner.

Haul off the jacket &c.

The miner lays himself down to sleep,
The fleas are jumping around him,
Or overgrown bed bugs over him creep,
And all leave him less than they found him.

Haul off the jacket &c.


Take care,
Chris Ownby