Not a Hog Thief or a Liar

“I don’t believe you can put it on this.” – Bill Goodwin

“Go slow.” – Larry Long

“All right. Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher Holmes Peter U Catwat Waterson Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese McCrow Clements Parker McGugien Godwin. That’s it. No. Esquire. Neither a hog thief or a liar.” – Bill Goodwin

“What do you normally go by?” – Larry Long

“Bill.” – Bill Goodwin

From the Album Here I Stand: Elder’s Wisdom; Children’s Song (Smithsonian Folkways)

My daddy he did wear
A number 13 shoe size
Yet the shoes they were too small
To keep him standing

Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher
Holmes Peter U. Catwat Waterson
Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese
McCrow Clements Parker
McGugien Godwin Esquire
Not A Hog Thief Or A Liar

After my daddy died
Moved in with my grandmother
Lord, she was so strict
She made us hug and kiss one another

Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher
Holmes Peter U. Catwat Waterson
Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese
McCrow Clements Parker
McGugien Godwin Esquire
Not A Hog Thief Or A Liar

Soon my mom did wed
A gentleman farmer
Who taught us how to bleed
A hog in the slaughter

Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher
Holmes Peter U. Catwat Waterson
Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese
McCrow Clements Parker
McGugien Godwin Esquire
Not A Hog Thief Or A Liar

Once a month we went to church
To hear some preaching
Where the people would shout, “Amen.”
When the heard good teaching

Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher
Holmes Peter U. Catwat Waterson
Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese
McCrow Clements Parker
McGugien Godwin Esquire
Not A Hog Thief Or A Liar

When we had food to eat
That Preacher Circuit Rider
Would sometimes stay for a week
To have a gospel revival

Willie Mae Lawrence Christopher
Holmes Peter U. Catwat Waterson
Jones Abraham Lincoln McDeese
McCrow Clements Parker
McGugien Godwin Esquire
Not A Hog Thief Or A Liar

Lord, I love to hear that Circuit Rider

Words & music by Larry Long
Copyright Larry Long 1996 | BMI

Lyrics collectively written by Larry Long with youth from the Rome Community of rural Alabama through the Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song program in partnership with PACERS Small Schools Cooperative and Community Celebration of Place. Inspired by Bill Godwin.

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