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Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom

Songs and Poems



Just Lookin' for a Home

The author of The Boll Weevil Song is unknown. Among others, the song has been performed and recorded by the poet Carl Sandburg and blues singers Blind Lemon Jefferson in the 1920s and Brook Benton in the 1960s. The Brook Benton recording held the number two slot on the charts for two weeks in 1961.

The Boll Weevil is a mean little bug
Came from Mexico, they say.
Came all the way to Texas,
Just looking for a place to stay.
Just looking for a home, yes, looking for a home.
The first time I saw little Weevil
He was on the Western Plain.
Next time I saw the Weevil
He was riding a Memphis train.
He was looking for a home, just looking for a home.
When the Farmer saw those Boll Weevils
they were in his rocking chair.
The next time they were in his corn field
and they had all their family there
Just fixing up a home, yes, fixing up a home.
The Boll Weevil say to the Farmer
"You can ride in that Ford machine,
But when I get through with your cotton
You can't buy gasoline.
You won't have no home, won't have no home."
Oh, the Boll Weevil said to the Doctor,
"Better pour out all your pills.
When I get through with the Farmer
He can't pay no doctor's bills.
He'll have no home, he'll have no home."
The Farmer say to the Woman,
"What do you think of that?
Those devilish Boll Weevils
have been eating my Stetson hat.
It's full of holes, it's full of holes."
The Merchant said to the Farmer,
"Well what do think of that?
If you get rid of the Weevil
I'll give you a brand new Stetson hat.
He's looking for a home, just looking for a home."
The Farmer took little Weevil
And put him in Paris Green.*
The Weevil said to the Farmer,
"It's the best I've ever seen.
I'm going to have a home, a happy home."
The Farmer took the Boll Weevil
And put him in a frying pan.
Weevil said to the Farmer,
"It's mighty warm, but I'll stand it like a man.
This will be my home, yes, this will be my home."
The Weevil grabbed the Farmer
And threw him in the sand,
Put on the Farmer's overcoat
and stood up like a natural man.
Said, "I'm going to have a home, a happy home."
The Farmer said to the Merchant,
"I need some meat and meal."
"Get away you son of a gun,
You got Boll Weevils in your field.
Going to get your home, going to get your home."
The Banker was bad as the Weevils,
Said, "There's nothing I can do.
I can't lend you any more money
for the Weevils might eat that too,
And leave it full of holes, all full of holes."
Now if anyone should ask you
Who it was that wrote this here song,
You can say it was just a homeless Farmer
with ragged britches on,
Just hunting for a home, yes, hunting for a home.
*An insect poison containing arsenic