Contact NIEHS, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services
Children's Privacy and Other Disclaimers

If you know of a midi for this song, please let us know. But first, familiarize yourself with our Privacy Policies and other Disclaimers, which restrict our use of any information we receive from you. And be sure to ask permission from your parent or guardian! You should always get permission from your parents or guardian before providing any information through the internet or by e-mail.

Author and copyright unknown; performed by Johnnie Autrey for the album, Early Roanoke Country, by Virginia Traditions.

I live up in the mountains,
Up where the snakes have legs;
The hoot owls speak in English,
And the roosters lay square eggs.

I shaved my beard and mustache
The mornin' I was born
That night I fought with my old man
And I drank his riot corn.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I've never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

One time when I was shipwrecked
On islands in the sea,
I was captured by the Cannibals
And they tied me to a tree.

And they danced and beat their tom toms
Till they got rather rough,
But they said I wouldn't make good steak,
Because I looked too tough.

Oh the father of our country
Would never tell a lie,
And he was my great uncle,
So I ask you, why should I?

I used to be a flyer
And in my aero-plane
I flew across to Paris
And started home again.

When I got halfway over
The doggone motor balked.
I let the blame thing sit up there
And I got out and walked.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

I've swam the wide Pacific
and walked upon the Moon,
I've waded forty feet of snow
the 31st of June.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

I went three rounds with Dempsey,
I'm as proud as I can be.
I went on a Ferris wheel
and he went 'round with me.

I died and went to heaven,
way above the clouds.
But came back down to earth again,
They played the harps too loud.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

(Alternate Version, submitted by Colonel Tuel, USAF (Retired)

I was born up in the mountains,
Where the rattlesnakes have legs,
The hoot owls speak plain English,
And the roosters lay square eggs.

I shaved my beard and mustache,
The morning I was born,
That night I shook my old man up,
And drank his rye and corn.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I've never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

I used to be a sailor,
I've sailed the seven seas,
By cannibals I was captured,
And tied up to the trees,

They danced and beat their tom-toms,
And they got rather rough,
But said I would not make good steak,
Because I was too tough.

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I've never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

I used to be a flyer,
And in my aeroplane,
I flew across to Paris,
And started back again.

When I was half way over,
The doggone motor balked,
I left that thing a-settin' up there,
And I got out and walked.

The father of our country,
Would never tell a lie,
And he was my great uncle,
So I ask you, why should I?


And one more verse...

When I woke up this morning
I looked up on the wall
The cooties and the bedbugs
were playing a game of ball

The score was six to nothing
The cooties were ahead
The bedbugs hit a home run
And knocked me out of bed

I am a truthful fellow
My name is True Blue Bill
I never told a falsehood
And I bet I never will.

Contact NIEHS (NIH, DHHS)
Children's Privacy and Other Disclaimers
NIEHS Sing-Along Index
NIEHS Kids Page Main Index

Links Disclaimer and Caution

When you encounter this image 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.