Mrs. Roosevelt (Woody Guthrie) Dear Missis Roosevelt, don't hang your head to cry: His mortal clay is laid away, but his good work fills the sky; The world was lucky to see him born. He's born in a money family on that Hudsons's rocky shore; Outrun every kid a-growin' up 'round Hyde Park just for fun; The world was lucky to see him born. He went to grade school and wrote back to his folks; He drew such funny pictures and always pulling a joke; The world was lucky to see him born He went on up towards Harvard, he read his books of law. He loved his trees and horses, loved everything he saw, The world was lucky to see him born He got struck down by fever and it settled in his leg; He loved the folks that wished him well as everybody did; The world was lucky to see him born He took his office on a crippled leg, he said to one and all; "You money changin' racket boys have sure 'nuff got to fall," The world was lucky to see him born In senate walls and congress halls he used his gift of tongue To get you thieves and liars told and put you on the run. The world was lucky to see him born I voted for him for lots o' jobs, I'd vote his name again; He tried to find an honest job for every idle hand The world was lucky to see him born He helped to build my union hall, he learned me how to talk I could see he was a cripple but he learned my soul to walk The world was lucky to see him born You Nazis and you fascists tried to boss this world by hate; He fought my war the union way and the hate gang all got beat, The world was lucky to see him born I sent him 'cross that ocean to Yalta and to Tehran He didn't like Churchill very much and told him man to man The world was lucky to see him born He said he didn't like DeGaulle, nor no Chiang Kai Check; Shook hands with Joseph Stalin, says "There's a man I like!" The world was lucky to see him born I was torpedoed on my merchant ship the day he took command; He was hated by my captain, but loved by all ships hands; The world was lucky to see him born I was a GI in my army camp that day he passed away, And over my shoulder talkin' I could hear some soldier say, "The world was lucky to see him born" I guess this world was lucky just to see him born I know this world was lucky just to see him born, This world was lucky to see him born, From WOODY GUTHRIE FOLKSONGS, Ludlow Music, Inc. 1963 NS Apr98
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!