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Big Rock Candy Mountains

(by Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock; copyrighted)

IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT THE LYRICS: Mr. McClintock's song was written from the outdated perspectives and manner of speech common many years ago (in the 1920's), with the intention of humorously portraying an imaginary place for people living "on the road". But please remember that being unemployed and homeless are very difficult situations for anyone to face! Visit HUD's Help the Homeless Children's website Link to a Non-NIEHS site to learn more about how YOU can help!

In addition, smoking and alcohol addictions are extremely harmful to your health; and no situation will be improved by having easy access to cigarettes or alcohol, as promised in the fictional (and extremely unhealthy!) Big Rock Candy Mountains.

And speaking of candy, please also visit
Obesity and Your Environment and My Food My World!

On a summer day in the month of May a burly bum came hiking
Down a shady lane through the sugar cane, he was looking for his liking.
As he roamed along he sang a song of the land of milk and honey
Where a bum can stay for many a day, and he won't need any money

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees near the soda water fountain,
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings on the Big Rock Candy Mountains

There's a lake of gin we can both jump in, and the handouts grow on bushes
In the new-mown hay we can sleep all day, and the bars all have free lunches
Where the mail train stops and there ain't no cops, and the folks are tender-hearted
Where you never change your socks and you never throw rocks,
And your hair is never parted

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees near the soda water fountain,
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings on the Big Rock Candy Mountains

Oh, a farmer and his son, they were on the run, to the hay field they were bounding
Said the bum to the son, "Why don't you come to the big rock candy mountains?"
So the very next day they hiked away, the mileposts they were counting
But they never arrived at the lemonade tide, on the Big Rock Candy Mountains

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees near the soda water fountain,
At the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings on the Big Rock Candy Mountains

One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fires were burning,
Down the track came a hobo hiking, and he said "Boys, I'm not turning."
"I'm heading for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains;"
"So come with me, we'll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains."

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, there's a land that's fair and bright,
The handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night
Where the boxcars all are empty and the sun shines every day
On the birds and the bees and the cigarete trees,
The lemonade springs where the bluebird sings
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, all the cops have wooden legs
And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft-boiled eggs
The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay
Oh I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow
Where the rain don't fall, the wind don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, you never change your socks
And little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks
The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind
There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too
And you can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin,
And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in
There ain't no short-handled shovels, no axes, saws or picks,
I'm a-goin' to stay where you sleep all day
Where they hung the jerk that invented work
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

I'll see you all this comin' fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!

Smoking is Hazardous to Health!

Learn more about the dangers of tobacco products from:

Mama Didn't Know, the National Cancer Institute's Smokefree Kids
Spitting Into the Wind

Alcohol Abuse is Hazardous to Health!

Drinking excessively is also hazardous to your health and could lead to serious problems and addictions. In fact, addictions of all types can be very serious health concerns. Please visit:

The Cool Spot! the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's young teen's place for information on alcohol and resisting peer pressure;
NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse and NIDA's Mind Over Matter;
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Drug Pages;
Marijuana: Facts for Teens and Parents;
Tips 4 Kids, Prevent the Addiction;
FDA Kids;
Building Blocks for a Healthy Future! an early childhood substance abuse prevention program developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

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When you encounter this image link to a non-NIEHS site

or the words "Non-NIEHS Link", it means that by following that link you will be leaving the NIEHS website. NIEHS is NOT responsible for non-NIEHS websites. Sites maintained by outside organizations may be changed without notice to NIEHS. Therefore, unless the link is to another U.S. government sponsored webpage, endorsement by NIEHS is not implied, and NIEHS does not guarantee their continuing safe content or privacy policies. So please ask your parent or guardian before continuing to any non-NIEHS website, and especially before providing any information via the internet or by e-mail. When last reviewed, the websites linked from the NIEHS Kids' Pages seemed suitable for you to visit, but that may have changed; if you have any difficulties or concerns with any linked materials, please let us know.