"The first and foremost thing to understand about hoboes is that hoboes are not bums. Got that? Hoboes are not bums. Hoboes fully embrace the Protestant work ethic, bouncing from place to place, looking for short-term jobs to earn their keep, while bums and tramps want to just bum everything—money, food, or cigarettes. But free-loading tramps and hard-working hoboes have one thing in common: Both have traveled the rails, starting in the 19th century, much to the chagrin of the railroad owners."
"The Big Rock Candy Mountain" was first recorded by Harry McClintock in 1928. For me the "real" version is the one sung by Burl Ives that I linked above. It's long been a popular song for summer camps or other places that kids sing, at least it was when I was a kid. McClintock himself was a hobo -- his hobo name was Haywire Mac, according to Wikipedia. He said that he wrote the song in 1895, borrowing bits and pieces from earlier folk songs about life on the road. The Wikipedia article documents how the song was cleaned up for the 1928 recorded version, and then cleaned up some more by Burl Ives’ 1949 version, making it more appropriate as a camp song for kids.
Thinking about the song, I read a lot more about hobo life, including the quote at the head of this blog post. The source, "Don't Call Them Bums: The Unsung History of America's Hard-Working Hoboes" by Lisa Hix provides a wealth of corrections to negative stereotypes of the hobo. Hix sketches a number of colorful hobo personalities, gives amusing examples of the special language of hobo life, and offers a fantastic list of books about hobo history that I'm tempted to read some time. I was aware that the hobo lifestyle was a frontier lifestyle, at a time when labor for building railroads and for agriculture was scarce and the railroads weren’t as policed as they are now. I was aware that hobo ethics embodied a pretty clear code of conduct towards themselves and others that they followed pretty faithfully. But I didn't know this: as a young man Ernest Hemingway once rode the rails!
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| A scene in a hobo “jungle,” which offered a place to eat and sleep while traveling. You can see the cooking pot where these men might make a mulligan stew. (source) |
Mulligan stew is one hobo invention that really fascinated me. In a hobo encampment, there were a lot of communal practices, including combining a number of food items that had been collectively begged or bought in town near the hobo jungle. “Each day, a hobo would be expected to search for fuel for the fire and bring something for the communal soup known as ‘mulligan stew’ or pay a quarter or half dollar into the food fund. ... Those who didn’t pitch into the stew and ate others’ scraps were called ‘jungle buzzards’ and thrown out.”
Hobo reality didn’t much resemble the hobo dreams in “The Big Rock Candy Mountain.” Who wouldn’t want to drink from the lemonade springs — or find the little springs of alcohol that come tumbling down the rocks! Even the hobo fantasies of freedom from the police and being locked in jail seem to me to come from a more innocent era. I’m dedicating these thoughts to the bloggers who participate in Elizabeth’s weekly blog event at Altered Book Lover.
blog post © 2020 mae sander, images as credited.
15 comments:
I haven't thought of that song in years. Thanks for the memory. I used to teach with a man who was a hobo during his 20's. Then he decided it was time to become more conventional. He was an interesting person. Thanks for sharing.
It's an interesting distinction. Now it seems there's no place, none, that's considered common ground where people can stay without fear of police harassment. We need a robust commons, imo.
Burl Ives is a treasured memory from my childhood. I think I have one of his folksong covers in my Spotify playlist. Thanks for the memories.
What an interesting post to read. Thanks for sharing.
This is a facet of American history I didn't know about. I've heard of Mulligan stew though. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting. It must´ve been a hard life.
I recently re-read "The Grapes of Wrath." This was very interesting and made me think of hard times before today. A never ending story.
Happy T-day. Eileen
Yes hobos usually worked very hard. Happy T
What a fascinating story. I had heard that hobos lived by a certain code, but I didn't know they were expected to pay and contribute food on a given day. I feel for these gentlemen who believed life would get better or that life helped them feel free. Reminds me of what I've read of the Hoovervilles that sprouted up due to the depression. Thanks for this unique look at hobos and their drink with us for T this Tuesday, Mae. It's always fun to read whatever you're dishing up at T time.
So very interesting! I do recall hearing that Big Rock Candy Mountain song.... happy T day!
That's a fascinating story. I know that song, but didn't know about the hobos. Thanks. Happy T Day, Valerie
Stew is a great meal when the weather gets cooler. Happy T-Day!
The memories associated with this song made me smile and such an interesting post too 😁. Happy T Day wishes! Hugs, Jo x
I never heard this song but I am familiar with Burl Ives. Loved hearing it!
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
I just played that song and was aware that my husband was singing along to it. He remembered it. I have never heard it, but then I didn't grow up in an English speaking country. It's a fun song though.
Yes, hobo life is interesting, especially their unwritten 'laws'.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
Definitely a song to sing along to, surprised myself by remembering all of the words. In the UK we used have a programme called Childrens Choice and this song was played regularly (I also remember, Davy Crocket, Ugly Bug Ball, How Much Is That Doggy In The Window, Hopalong Cassidy and The Runaway Train being regulars too) We never had Hoboes, but I do remember an old guy that would turn up occasionally and offer to clean all our shoes in return for a sandwich and drink.
Thanks for this interesting look at the life of Hoboes! Happy T day, Chrisx
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