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"Acres of Limeliters" Lyrics - The Limeliters
This song musically tells the story of The Limeliters!
The melody Rosin the Beau, also known as "The Old Settler's Song" began as an Irish patriotic song, "The Men of the West." It evolved into the humorous "Old Rosin the Bow," and the melody was used for campaign songs by William Henry Harrison (Tippecanoe) in 1840 and many political campaigns following, including the second election of Abraham Lincoln.
According to Wikipedia, Old Settler's Song (Acres of Clams)" is a Northwest United States folk song written by Francis D. Henry around 1874. The lyrics are sung to the tune "Old Rosin the Beau." The song also goes by the names "Acres of Clams", “Lay of the Old Settler,” “Old Settler’s Song,” while the melody is known as “Rosin the Beau,” "Old Rosin the Beau," "Rosin the Bow," "Mrs. Kenny," "A Hayseed Like Me," "My Lodging's on the Cold, Cold Ground." The song achieved prominence around the 1940's when Seattle radio-show singer ,restaurateur, and "King of the Waterfront" Ivar Haglund used it as the theme song for his radio show. Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie said that they taught the song to Haglund, but Haglund says he is the one that taught them the song! Haglund went on to name the Seattle restaurant "Ivar's Acres of Clams" after the last line from the ballad.
As with any great folk song, the melody has been adapted for use in a wide variety of traditional and contemporary folk songs.
"Acres of Limeliters" is just one adaptation of the song. The following are just a few of the other versions, including:
Introduction by Lou Gottlieb
(The introduction below combine Lou's intros from the Limeliters' 1974 Stax album, Reunion (re-released in 1989 by West Knoll Records), and The Limeliters Reunion, Vol. 2 album):
"It's been ten years since we last worked together... and for Alex and me, of course, its exhilarating, to be working again... and particularly with Glenn, on this, his 37th consecutive annual farewell tour.
Well, we feel a kind of obligation to our friends to explain the activities of this interim, and so we decided to do it in song. 'Oh good,' I heard someone say. Perhaps not.
We took a song, a melody really, from the oral tradition, called 'Acres of Clams,' and set to it a lyric, biographical in character... of course we had to suppress the detail ruthlessly in doing so... and eliminate, for example, a list of the distinguished albums that Alex has produced in this period, the lengthier list of beautiful songs that Glenn has recorded, and the impressive list of musical eccentricities that I have perpetrated myself.
Some brief mention should be made of my own research in this period. 'Oh good,' I heard someone say. Perhaps not. I undertook an in-depth broad-spectrum study of leisure... And in the course of this investigation, we developed a program that is analogous to the "R and R" of the Armed Forces of our country. We call it 'G and B.' "Goof & Ball." In fact Lou and his good friend Ramon Sender wrote a song about "Goof N Ball Park."
Anyway, here we are with a song, and it still lacks a title. 'Acres of Clams' is unacceptable, because a clam, in musical jargon, as perhaps you know, means a mistake, an error. And while there may be some square footage, you know... 'acres of clams!" Some wag suggested "Acres of Limeliters." Dead.
Yes, there was one contemporary wit who said, 'why don't you call it deep throats?' But you see, there is a possibility of a confusion there, in differing facets of the oral tradition, which would be sticky wicket! For want of a better, then, "Acres of Limeliters,' in D-major, God willing."
The melody Rosin the Beau, also known as "The Old Settler's Song" began as an Irish patriotic song, "The Men of the West." It evolved into the humorous "Old Rosin the Bow," and the melody was used for campaign songs by William Henry Harrison (Tippecanoe) in 1840 and many political campaigns following, including the second election of Abraham Lincoln.
According to Wikipedia, Old Settler's Song (Acres of Clams)" is a Northwest United States folk song written by Francis D. Henry around 1874. The lyrics are sung to the tune "Old Rosin the Beau." The song also goes by the names "Acres of Clams", “Lay of the Old Settler,” “Old Settler’s Song,” while the melody is known as “Rosin the Beau,” "Old Rosin the Beau," "Rosin the Bow," "Mrs. Kenny," "A Hayseed Like Me," "My Lodging's on the Cold, Cold Ground." The song achieved prominence around the 1940's when Seattle radio-show singer ,restaurateur, and "King of the Waterfront" Ivar Haglund used it as the theme song for his radio show. Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie said that they taught the song to Haglund, but Haglund says he is the one that taught them the song! Haglund went on to name the Seattle restaurant "Ivar's Acres of Clams" after the last line from the ballad.
As with any great folk song, the melody has been adapted for use in a wide variety of traditional and contemporary folk songs.
"Acres of Limeliters" is just one adaptation of the song. The following are just a few of the other versions, including:
- "Acres of Clams (Old Settler's Song)," - Traditional
- "Old Rosin the Bow" ("Rosin' the Beau")
- "Ye Jolly Young Lads of Ohio" and "Little Vinny"
- "Acres of Clams" by Charlie King (Anti-Nuke protest song)
- "Denver" performed by the New Christy Minstels
- The Limeliters' own "Charlie the Midnight Marauder"
- "My Old Martin Guitar" by Ed Miller on his 2006 album Never Frae My Mind
- "Acres of Clams" - traditional - by Makem and Spain- featuring Bill Staines, on their 2016 album Sessions. Vol. 2.
- "Acres of Clams - Anti-Nuke" - 4 different versions performed by Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Charlie King, and Bill Staines.
Introduction by Lou Gottlieb
(The introduction below combine Lou's intros from the Limeliters' 1974 Stax album, Reunion (re-released in 1989 by West Knoll Records), and The Limeliters Reunion, Vol. 2 album):
"It's been ten years since we last worked together... and for Alex and me, of course, its exhilarating, to be working again... and particularly with Glenn, on this, his 37th consecutive annual farewell tour.
Well, we feel a kind of obligation to our friends to explain the activities of this interim, and so we decided to do it in song. 'Oh good,' I heard someone say. Perhaps not.
We took a song, a melody really, from the oral tradition, called 'Acres of Clams,' and set to it a lyric, biographical in character... of course we had to suppress the detail ruthlessly in doing so... and eliminate, for example, a list of the distinguished albums that Alex has produced in this period, the lengthier list of beautiful songs that Glenn has recorded, and the impressive list of musical eccentricities that I have perpetrated myself.
Some brief mention should be made of my own research in this period. 'Oh good,' I heard someone say. Perhaps not. I undertook an in-depth broad-spectrum study of leisure... And in the course of this investigation, we developed a program that is analogous to the "R and R" of the Armed Forces of our country. We call it 'G and B.' "Goof & Ball." In fact Lou and his good friend Ramon Sender wrote a song about "Goof N Ball Park."
Anyway, here we are with a song, and it still lacks a title. 'Acres of Clams' is unacceptable, because a clam, in musical jargon, as perhaps you know, means a mistake, an error. And while there may be some square footage, you know... 'acres of clams!" Some wag suggested "Acres of Limeliters." Dead.
Yes, there was one contemporary wit who said, 'why don't you call it deep throats?' But you see, there is a possibility of a confusion there, in differing facets of the oral tradition, which would be sticky wicket! For want of a better, then, "Acres of Limeliters,' in D-major, God willing."
ACRES OF LIMELITERS We've traveled all over this country A pickin' and singing for gold, In concerts, in nightclubs, on TV, Yes we have been frequently sold Yes we have been frequently sold In concerts, in nightclubs, on TV, Yes we have been frequently sold We've never turned down a good offer, Commercials for coffee and Coke, We published, promoted, and hustled Because we were afraid to be broke Yes, we were afraid to be broke Yes, we were afraid to be broke We published, promoted, and hustled Because we were afraid to be broke. We met lots of groovy young ladies, You might say, those were the days But now that we're older and wiser, We think that monogamy pays, We think that monogamy pays, We think that monogomy pay, (And Glenn is sure of it!) Now that we're older and wiser, We think that monogamy pays, Yes, we were as fond of each other, As any of those who were wed Except that when we had a quarrel, We never could make up in bed, No, We never could make up in bed No, We never could make up in bed (Never!) No, We never could make up in bed (Except there was that one time!) Except that when we had a quarrel, We never could make up in bed! So, Alex became a producer, (That's Right!) And Glenn became very well known While Lou played executive hippie At his Morningstar groupie rest home But now that we're all back together, It's clear once again what we've lacked, We're naturally drawn to each other, A naturally unnatural act. A naturally unnatural act, A naturally unnatural act, We're naturally drawn to each other, A naturally unnatural act!