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about

Grandfather was a dairy farmer and lost his farm in the depression

lyrics

My grandfather’s John Deere was a team of horses

The Old Homestead
Lay me down on the old homestead
My feet below my pillowed head
If I should die before I wake
The bank my John Deer tractor take

1.Staked a claim
And cleared a farm
Built a cottage, then a barn
A mighty dream, one humble sow
Twelve laying hens
They’re laying now

Married me a clever wife
And she brought crayons to my life
She colored all the Holstein cows
Black and white they’re
Purple now

Refrain:
And everyday
I’m farming
With my eyes on the sky
And every night I am singing
The farmer’s lullabye

Chorus:
Lay me down on the old homestead
Seems I never went to bed
Sunburned neck and bones that ache
My mind is playing patty-cake

2. To the barn to lock it tight
Count the pigs and shut the light
The old mare whinnied in her stall
And the cow kissed me goodnight

The moon was just a tiny spark
And the frog said “it’s too dark”
It’s cold and creepy in the pond
We’ll sleep and sing out on the lawn
Refrain

Chorus_2:
Lay me down before I die
Cook me like an apple pie
Roll me out and prop me up
Put some coffee in my cup

3. Now I lay me down for keeps
Kept awake by counting sheep
And then I count the rows of corn
And then the payments on the farm

The pig gets beer and pizza pie
The horse gets caviar and rye
If cows could wish upon a star they’d have endless salad bar

Refrain
Chorus 3:
Lay me down on the old homestead
My feet below my pillowed head
If I should die before I wake
The bank my John Deer tractor take

credits

from Family History, released March 9, 2023
songwriter: J.W. McClure vocals and guitar;harmony by Kristi and Steve Nebel and Thaddeus Spae; Thaddeus Spae on guitarron

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J.W. McClure Seattle, Washington

J.W. McClure lives in Stanwood, Washington. This is a career restarted for me. In the 1970’s I was often an opening act at the Washington D.C. clubs, The Cellar Door and The Childe Harold for Tom Paxton, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Rush and many well known bands. In the 1980’s I returned to Washington to do folk music, satire and stand-up comedy before getting swamped by family and other work. ... more

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