The absolute beauty and genius of my Main Street porch is the interface between the people on the porch and the passersby. It's a lost art, you know, the art of porch sitting and greeting neighbors. Many folks don't even know what to do when they walk by; to look, or not to look; to say hello or remain silent. Once upon a time, everyone sat on a porch or a stoop and interacted with the whole neighborhood. One evening in August when I was sitting on the porch playing my fiddle, as I am wont to do, especially in the evening, George and Dott Martin happened to stroll by and ended up joining me on the porch. We had a great conversation and - inspired, no doubt, by my fiddle and the Irish flag flying - they even sang me this little Irish ditty:
The Little Shirt My Mother Made for Me.
D A7
I can't forget the day that I was born
D
Was on a cold and frosty winter's morn'
A7
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
E A7
But when the nurse, she took me on her lap
G D
She washed me all over I re-member
G D
And after powder-puffin' me, you see
D7 G
She laid me in the cradle by the window
A7
In The Little Shirt My
G
Mother Made For Me.
When I began to crawl it was a sight
I used to frighten mom from morn' til night
There's no mistake I was a lttle curse
'Cause when my daddy, he came home from work
Every night he would say; "Where's Little
Sam got?" As down the kitchen, happy as could be
They used to find me scrapin' out the jam pot
In The Little Shirt
My Mother Made For Me.
The first day that I wore my Knickerbocks
I felt so funny after wearin' smocks
I looked a little picture, they did say
But when they let me out to run and play
Well, I didn't like the britches I was wearin'
Andin the street I took 'em off, you see
I started walkin' home so bold and darin'
In The Little Shirt
My Mother Made For Me.
Last year when I was on my holiday
Upon the briny ocean I did gaze
The water looked so nice I thought I'd go
To have a swim, but, in a minute, oh
All the girls along the beach at me were starin'
And some were takin' pictures,
I could see Was a good thing for me that I was wearin'
The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me.
The Little Shirt Me Mother Made For Me
With another verse added by Dott:
Oh off to school they said that I must go.
I didn't like my teacher you must know.
I played the naughty truant quite so dear.
The teacher said now Georgie you come here.
Oh she took a big stick and beat it on me.
There's no mistake about my pedigree.
I've got the map of Ireland printed on me.
Neath the little shirt that mother made for me.
And here's what the song sounds like, thanks to Marty Robbins:
