A popular song from 1928
Words and music by Billy Mack
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
A jungle by the railroad track
Where a bunch of bums were “Gabbing”
The “slum” was gently steaming
Soon a freight they would be grabbing
They told of all the towns they hoped to make
One old “Bo” said, I’m counting
The days and weeks until I see
That big rock candy mountain
Chorus
On that big rock candy mountain
Where the weather’s always clear
Where the whiskey spouts in fountains
And the rain is ice cold beer
Where the free lunch grows on bushes
With a sign “Bums welcome here”
Oh! the buzzin’ of the bees
In the cigarette trees
And the lemonade springs
Where the bluebirds sing
On that big rock candy mountain
Chorus
On that big rock candy mountain
Where there ain’t no work to do
You can loaf and keep on loafin’
Until you are black and blue
All the cops and “bulls” are hoboes
Just the same as you and me
They won’t ring the wagon bell
If you’re kickin’ up hell
They won’t spring the jail doors
For there ain’t no laws
On that big rock candy mountain
(extra choruses on the sheet music)
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: