971. Starving to Death on My Government Claim (Traditional American)

This nineteenth century song of the pioneers is also known as "Lane County Bachelor", "Greer County Bachelor" and "The Alberta Homesteader". It tells of the harsh conditions that greeted early settlers in Kansas, though it has, of course, been adapted to various other parts of the American West.

The Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres of land previously owned by the railroads to homesteaders who agreed to live on the land for five years. Drawn west by the promise of free, fertile land, pioneer settlers started arriving in Kansas in 1869, but they found life more difficult than expected as the land was dry and not as fertile as they had been promised. This song, possibly written by a pioneer called Frank Baker to the tune of "The Irish Washerwoman", became popular throughout the west.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• lane
• county
• bachelor
• west
• pioneer
• ives

[FlatMattress]

I have happened to stumble upon this from my poetry book that I have to read for school :P by the way, to reply to someone, you have to hit the reply button to the right of the comment

[raymondcrooke]

@FlatMattress Thanks for watching.

[skaterkid9124]

i sing that in my program and its home free of the grasshopper bedbug and flea

[raymondcrooke]

@skaterkid9124 Being a folk song there are many versions. I really think "the land of the free / The home of the bedbug, mosquito and flea" is more likely though in this context.

[TheTexn]

Thank you Raymond. John Avery Lomax rests comfortably in his grave. You are a friend of history. History appreciates you.

[raymondcrooke]

@TheTexn Thanks for your comments.

[lxptrc]

True Grit!

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for your comment.

[sacredshakti]

hehe :) cool stuff man! it's old school! like the simplicity of it, just a man, a guitar, and a message!

[raymondcrooke]

I'm glad I could bring this song back to you. Thanks for watching.