Lyrics for Iowa Waltz

"The Iowa Waltz"
"Mississippi Serenade"
"Counting Feedcaps"
"Grand Junction"
"Out in the Country"
"Walking the Beans"
"My Home in the Sky"
"King Corn"
"Daughters"
"Four Wet Pigs"
"The Train Carrying Jimmie Rodgers Home"

"The Iowa Waltz"

Home in the midst of the corn, The middle of the U.S.A. Here's where I was born, And here's where I'm goin' to stay. [chorus:] Iowa, Iowa, Winter, spring, summer and fall. Come and see, come dance with me, To the beautiful Iowa Waltz. We take care of our own, take care of our young, Make hay while the sun shines. Growing our crops, singing our songs, And planting until harvest time. [repeat chorus twice]

"Mississippi Serenade"

Hazed out, raised up, sailin' on the water, with the two moons, two moons. I got a tree up above, tree down below, and in the middle I'm singing this tune. And it is too good to be true, It's all the shades of blue. I'm singin' for you a Mississippi serenade. I'm gonna ease down in the cool water from the cool kiss, the kiss of the air. Gonna cry like a fish, talk like a bush, When the breeze blows, I'll follow it somewhere. And I will be back soon with my old pal the moon, We'll be dancin' to the Mississippi serenade. Sometimes it goes ladadadadadadadada...., Sometimes it goes heyheyheyhey - hey. Sometimes I sing it all night, Sometimes it just fa-a-a-a-ades away. Why don't you grab your husband or grab your wife, It's time for dancin' and dancin' and dancin'. In the only way you get to hold each other so tight for some sweet romancin'. And the kids won't make a peep, If they do you sing them all to sleep with the Mississippi serenade. I been hazed out, raised up, sailin' on the water, with the two moons, two moons. I've got a tree up above and a tree down below, and in the middle I'm singing this tune. and it is too good to be true, It's all the shades of blue. I'm singin' for you a Mississippi serenade. Yes, it's too good to be true, It's all the shades of blue. It's just the Mississippi serenade. Well, it's too good to be true. Badabada, babadada.....

"Counting Feedcaps"

Don't wanna live in the city, City is way too full. I just wanna be where I can sleep with both of my eyes closed. Don't wanna live in the country, I can't afford no farm. So I'm in this little town, and I look around, And there ain't that much to do. [chorus:] Let's go down to the cafe and count feedcaps, and count feedcaps, in a row. Red and blue and green over the coffee cups, Stirrin' easy, fadin' slow. JoAnn, you know how much I love you, That's why I brought you here. Where the rent is cheap and the fishin's good, When it don't rain too much. What is this look in your eyes, dear? Are you tired of me? You don't wanna read; nothin's on TV, Don't look at your suitcase like that. [repeat chorus]

"Grand Junction"

If ya go back a-ways to the railroad days, When the 8-wheel drivers were steamin' down the line. Had a little old song; you could sing along, Hear them brakemen singin' it all the time. Go like this [chorus:] It's a grand junction, grand junction, Grandest junction in the west. I been out on the line for a long old time, I'm goin' back to that junction I love the best. You gonna hear that whistle blow 'bout a mile, you know, And if the wind was right, you could hear it up to ten. Folks all gathered 'round when they heard that sound, And watched that little steamer parkin' there. And [repeat chorus] Let's go on down there. Now tell me who laid the rails; who brought the mail, Who took the crops to market way back when. Who drove that engine; who loaded that coal mine, Bunch of brave and rowdy railroad men. They sing it [repeat chorus] Well the years're rollin' down the line just like old Number 9, And a lot of things get lost or kicked around. But if you walk out at night when the moon is just right, You can still hear that old engine whinin' down. [repeat chorus]

"Out in the Country"

Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. And the dust blow up 'til the cool rain tumble down. I'm a redwing blackbird sit singin' on the fence. I'm a redwing blackbird sing sittin' on the fence. Say it's OK all day, but nobody seems convinced. I'm a little old pasture creek; they got no name for me. I'm a little pasture creek, got no name for me. When I grow up, I'm gonna be the Mississippi. I'm a farmer's long shiny car runnin' out of gas. I'm a farmer's long shiny car runnin' out of gas. And the bikes and the tracks and the mopeds whizzin' past. I'm a chick-chickie-chicken peckin' in the corn. I'm a chickie-chickie-chicken peckin' in the corn. My mama says I was round when I was born. (But I don't believe that.) I'm a little old raccoon; I got candles in my eyes. I'm a little raccoon, I got candles in my eyes. Stay away from the road or else I might draw flies. (Just lyin' there.) Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. And the farm get bigger and the old home place fall down. I'm a grain elevator white as a china dish. I'm a grain elevator white as a china dish. Tall as a satellite, fat as an old catfish. I'm a July cornfield far as you can see. I'm a July cornfield far as you can see. And if you real careful, you can walk on top of me. (Ah, you got to believe though. Now first you get your one foot up there, and then you gotta get your other foot up there. Easy now...oops, you didn't believe.) I'm a cool farm pond on a day about a hundred and ten. I'm a cool farm pond on a day about a hundred and ten. I'm cool, I'm round, I'm ready, so come on in. I'm a river valley; I used to be a mountain top. I'm a river valley, I used to be a mountain top. Once you go down, brother, it's hard to stop. Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. Out in the country, gravel road a-ramble all around. And the dust blow up 'til the cool rain tumble down. Cool rain tumblin', cool rain tumblin', cool rain tumblin'.... and a cool rain, and a cool rain, tumblin'...

"Walking the Beans"

Last fall it was dry, oh my, oh my, You could ask the smartweed; maybe the smartweed knows why. And then Mr. Corn Borer, he brought his whole family, And they laid the corn low when it got windy. Well now there's corn in the bean fields, persnickety once it clings, I got these blisters on my fingers; I got these cockleburs in my dreams. [chorus:] I been walkin' the beans, been walkin' the beans. I been bendin' low, no, no, I been rippin' my jeans. Been walkin' the beans in the burnin' sun, And it looks like I ain't ever ever gonna get done. Well, it's a mile-long row; that's a lotta room to grow, For the nightshade and the thistles and that miserable so and so. Two miles around; more like 10, I think, You know I would just put all four up, but I gotta have a drink. 'Cause [repeat chorus, changing "rippin' my jeans" to "splittin' my seams"] Bandana on my head, I got a long-handled hoe in my hand, You know people are afraid of hell and now I understand. 'Cause I can picture some devil from that land below, And he's a-pushin' pigweed up from under every row I just hoed. And [repeat chorus, changing back to "rippin' my jeans"] Let's walk now. Pretty little girl in not too much just about two rows over, When it's hotter than fire, I guess you don't need much cover. Sure I would like to get closer, but ain't it just my luck, You know I got such a crick in my back, I can't even stand up. 'Cause [repeat chorus, with "rippin' my jeans"] I'll never get done; I know I'll never get done; I'll never get done, never gonna get done....I'll always be out here; I'm always gonna be walkin' the beans; I might live to be 85 - I'll still be out here, walkin', walkin' [fade]

"My Home in the Sky"

Some say that heaven is beyond the blue, But I've done some looking, and I don't think that's true. Lookin' up from the flatlands, birds and clouds floating by, I'd say that heaven is about a thousand feet high. It's my [chorus:] Home in the sky, my home in the sky, The hawk makes the circles through which the swallows fly. When the world is too much down on my back I lie, And look up with longin' at my home in the sky. Well I don't need no angels with big shakin' wings, Or halos or harps or none of those things. I just want to do what the thunderheads do, And see the sunset and the moonrise from a new point of view. And that's my [repeat chorus] And sometimes I wanna leave the sad little details, And put my crow's nest up and stretch out my sails. But when my life is over and it's time to go, I'd like to see how they're all doing below. >From my [repeat chorus]

"King Corn"

I look down the road far as I can see, Hey, far as I can see, King Corn, King Corn, stare right back at me Queen Bee, Queen Bee, take the king by the hand, Hey, take the king by the hand, Led her master all across the land. Mr. Blackbird, Mr. Blackbird, talkin' tough and smart, Hey, talkin' tough and smart, Said if you don't want trouble, just stay out of my yard. (I'll peck out your eyes.) And the bugs, all the bugs, evenin', night and morn, Hey, evenin', night, and morn, One hundred bugs for every kernel of corn. Mr. Mouse, he was livin' underneath the bin, Hey, fat mouse, underneath the bin. He wouldn't share with his brother, the king's hawk did him in. (Ouch.) King Corn said to Queen Bee, girl, we got it made, Hey, girl we got it made, Everybody else is hiding in the shade. When the wind blows and the storm rises, hail it hammers down, Hey, hail it hammers down, Tear the King Corn's green robe and his golden crown. King Corn, King Corn, he's a moody guy, Hey, he's a moody guy, He makes fat times lean times in the wink of an eye. I look down the road, far as I can see, Hey, far as I can see, King Corn, King Corn, stare right back at me. King Corn, King Corn, stare right back at me.

"Daughters"

One is long and one is short, One is thin and one is stout. In the morning when they wake, Only one's breakfast can I make. One dances and knows how many squares hopscotch ought to have. One goes wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, ha ha, wah wah. One won't eat anything much, I guess she lives on air and sun and noodles. One's beginnin' to learn that the milk is over there inside of that shirt beneath the blue eyes of the woman I love. [chorus:] I'm a man who's rich in daughters, And if by some wild chance I get rich in money, Like say another two thou a year or even one thou a year, I'm gonna look in to havin' some more daughters. When my daughter who is tall now was not so tall, One night we were drivin' home in the truck and I was sad because I was busted and disgusted, And she looked out the window and said, "Dad, the moon is comin' home with us." She said, "Dad, the moon is comin' home with us." [repeat chorus] And in the morning they magic the house, The one that can walk, walks in warm and still dreamin' to give me a hug or ask why it's so cold or why is there school, "Why's it so cold?" or "Why is there school?" And the one who can't walk or talk yet just lies in bed and laughs, She just lies in bed and laughs. [repeat chorus]

"Four Wet Pigs"

Here's a little song about four wet pigs, Just a little song about four wet pigs. Two are little, two are big, They're all dancin' at the Mudtown Jig. The two that're little, little as an ear of corn, Two that're big are bigger than a barn, bigger than a barn, taller than a tree, When they go to the factory. Cut 'em into bacon, slice 'em into ham, Chop 'em into hot dogs, squeeze 'em into Spam. Throw their little eyes out in the rain, Throw their little eyes out in the rain, Throw their beady little piggy eyes out into the rain, Pickle their feet and pickle their brains. (Oooogh.) Here's a little story about two wet pigs, Standin' at the slop trough smokin' their cigs. Wishin' to god they'd never get big, Dancin' out their hearts, Dancin' out their hearts, Dancin' out their hearts at the Mudtown Jig. (Dance little piggies.)

"The Train Carrying Jimmie Rodgers Home"

Come along, my dear, the time is growin' near, We'll have to walk down where the field is overgrown. Consumption has claimed his life and we dare not miss the sight, Of the train carrying Jimmie Rodgers home. Well, we had some hard times these last few years, Lost the farm, almost lost our spirits, too. Yeah, but it's the strangest thing; when we heard that man sing, Oh, we knew somehow we'd make it through. I can hear that whistle blow; that old train is rollin' slow, Sounds like it's cryin' for the singin' brakeman, too. Back to the sunny south he'll go, and he'll never roam no more, Here's the train, oh hold me close, oh sweetheart do. Come here my little fella and let me hold you up. I want you to remember this day when you're grown. How your mama and your dad were so proud and so sad, Watchin' the train carrying Jimmie Rodgers home. There goes the train carrying Jimmie Rodgers home. Oh-de-loh (yodel) Transcribed by Shirley M. Cottle.