[Verse 1]
G
My name is Tom Hight, an old bach'lor I am,
D7
You'll find me out west in the country of fame,
G
You'll find me out west on an elegant plain,
D7 G
A- starving to death on my government claim.
[Chorus]
G
Hurrah for Greer County! the land of the free,
D7
The land of the bedbug, grasshopper and flea;
G
I'll sing of its praises, I'll tell of its fame,
D7 G
While starving to death on my government claim.
[Verse 2]
G
My house, it is built of national soil,
D7
Its walls are erected according to Hoyle,
G
Its roof has no pitch, but is level and plain,
D7 G
I always get wet if it happens to rain.
[Chorus]
G
Hurrah for Greer County! the land of the free,
D7
The land of the bedbug, grasshopper and flea;
G
I'll sing of its praises, I'll tell of its fame,
D7 G
While starving to death on my government claim.
[Verse 3]
G
My clothes are all ragged, as my language is rough,
D7
My bread is corndodgers, both solid and tough;
G
But yet I am happy and live at my ease
D7 G
On sorghum, molasses, bacon and cheese.
[Chorus]
G
Hurrah for Greer County! the land of the free,
D7
The land of the bedbug, grasshopper and flea;
G
I'll sing of its praises, I'll tell of its fame,
D7 G
While starving to death on my government claim.
[Verse 4]
G
How happy am I when I crawl into bed,
D7
A rattlesnake hisses a tune at my head,
G
A gay little centipede, all without fear,
D7 G
Crawls over my pillow and into my ear.
[Chorus]
G
Hurrah for Greer County! the land of the free,
D7
The land of the bedbug, grasshopper and flea;
G
I'll sing of its praises, I'll tell of its fame,
D7 G
While starving to death on my government claim.
[Verse 5]
G
Now all you claim holders, I hope you will stay
D7
And chew your hardtack till you're toothless and grey,
G
But for myself I'll no longer remain
D7 G
To starve like a dog on my government claim.
[Chorus]
G
Hurrah for Greer County! the land of the free,
D7
The land of the bedbug, grasshopper and flea;
G
I'll sing of its praises, I'll tell of its fame,
D7 G
While starving to death on my government claim.
[Verse 6]
G
Farewell to Greer County, farewell to the west,
D7
I'll travel back east to the girl I love best,
G
I'll travel to Texas and marry me a wife
D7 G
And quit corn dodgers the rest of my life.
[Final Chorus]
G
Goodbye to Greer County where blizzards arise,
D7
Where the sun never sinks and the flea never dies,
G
And the wind never ceases but always remains
D7 G
Till it starves us all out on our government claims.