Leroy van Dyke - The auctioneer

There^G was a boy in Arkansas Who^Cwouldn't listen to his ma When^Dshe told him he should go to^Gschool He'd^Gsneak away in the afternoon Take a^Clittle walk and pretty soon You'd^Dfind him at the local auction^Gbarn.

He'd^Cstand and listen carefully Then^Gpretty soon he began to see How the^Aauctioneer could talk so rapidly ^D He^Gsaid, "Oh, my, it's do or die I've^Cgot to learn that auction cry Gotta^Dmake my mark and be an auctioneer." ^G

Twenty-five^Gdollar bid it now, thirty dollar, thirty Will you^Cgimmie thirty, make it thirty Bid it on a thirty dollar, will^D you gimmie thirty Who'll bid it at a thirty dollar^Gbid? ^GThirty dollar bid it now, thirty-five Will you gimmie ^Cthirty-five, To make it thirty-five, to bid a thirty-five ^DWho woulda bid it at a thirty-five dollar^Gbid? G#

As^G#time went on, he did his best And^C#all could see he didn't jest He^D#practiced calling bids both night and ^G#day His^G#pop would find him behind the barn Just^C#working up an awful storm As^D#he tried to imitate the auctioneer.^G#

Then his^C# pop said, "Son, we just can't stand To^G# have a mediocre man Sellin'^A# things at auction using our good ^D#name I'll ^G#send you off to auction school ^C#Then you'll be nobody's fool ^D#You can take your place among the ^G#best."

^G#Thirty-five dollar bid it now, forty dollar, forty Will you ^C#gimmie forty, make it forty Bid it on a forty dollar, ^D# will you gimmie forty Who'll bid it at a forty dollar bid? ^{G# G#}Forty dollar bid it now, forty-five Will you gimmie ^C# forty-five, To make it forty-five, to bid at forty-five Who^D#woulda bid it at a forty-five dollar ^G#bid? ^A

So^Afrom that boy who went to school There^Dgrew a man who played it cool And^Ecame back home a full-fledged auctioneer^A And the^Apeople came from miles around Just to^Dhear him make that rhythmic sound That^Efilled their hearts with such a happy^Acheer.

His^Dfame spread out from shore to shore He had^Aall he could do and more ^BHad to buy a plane to get^E around Now ^Ahe's the tops in all the land Let's^D pause and give that man a hand He's^E the best of all the auctioneers^A.

^AForty-five dollar bid it now, fifty dollar, fifty Will you^Dgimmie fifty, make it fifty Bid-it on a fifty dollar, ^Ewill you gimmie fifty Who'll bid it at a fifty dollar^Abid? ^AFifty dollar bid it now, fifty-five Will you^Dgimmie fifty-five, To make it fifty-five, to bid at fifty-five Sold that^Ehog for a fifty-five dollar^Abill?