Little Old Sod Shanty

Info

Settlers often made homes of sod in the Great Plains of the United States. Cellars were dug out first, then long slices of turf were piled around the edges. Wooden poles held up roofs also made of sod. (source: Sandburg)

Lyrics

(Melody by Oliver Edwin Murray, c. 1880, Lyrics by Will Hayes, 1871)

1. I’m lookin’ kinda seedy now while headin’ down my claim;
My vittles are not always of the best,
And the mice play shyly round me as I nestle down to rest
In my little old sod shanty on the plain.

Refrain
Oh, the hinges are of leather
And the windows have no glass;
The boards let the howling blizzard in.
You can see the hungry coyote
As he sneaks up through the grass
To my little old sod shanty on my claim.

2. I rather like the novelty of living in this way,
Though my bill of fare is never of the best,
But I’m happy as a clam on the land of Uncle Sam
In my little old sod shanty in the West. Refrain

  • Song with chords (PDF)
  • MIDI file
  • Listen to the song

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