Red Vanguard - The Tramp Lyrics

If you all will shut your trap
I will tell you 'bout a chap
That was broke and up against it, too, for fair
He was not the kind to shirk
He was looking hard for work
But he heard the same old story everywhere
Tramp, tramp, tramp, keep on a-tramping
Nothing doing here for you
If I catch you 'round again
You will wear the ball and chain
Keep on tramping, that's the best thing you can do
He walked up and down the street
'Till the shoes fell off his feet
In a house he spied a lady cooking stew
And he said, "How do you do
May I chop some wood for you?"
What the lady told him made him feel so blue
Tramp, tramp, tramp, keep on a-tramping
Nothing doing here for you
If I catch you 'round again
You will wear the ball and chain
Keep on tramping, that's the best thing you can do
'Cross the street a sign he read
"Work for Jesus" so it said
And he said, "Here is my chance, I'll surely try,"
And he kneeled upon the floor
'Till his knees got rather sore
But at eating-time he heard the preacher cry-
Tramp, tramp, tramp, keep on a-tramping
Nothing doing here for you
If I catch you 'round again
You will wear the ball and chain
Keep on tramping, that's the best thing you can do
Down the street he met a cop
And the copper made him stop
And he asked him, "When did you blow into town?
Come with me up to the judge,"
But the judge he said, "Oh fudge
Bums that have no money needn't come around."
Tramp, tramp, tramp, keep on a-tramping
Nothing doing here for you
If I catch you 'round again
You will wear the ball and chain
Keep on tramping, that's the best thing you can do
Finally came that happy day
When his life did pass away
He was sure he'd go to heaven when he died
When he reached the pearly gate
Santa Peter, mean old skate
Slammed the gate right in his face and loudly cried
Tramp, tramp, tramp, keep on a-tramping
Nothing doing here for you
If I catch you 'round again
You will wear the ball and chain
Keep on tramping, that's the best thing you can do