Chicken Up a Gum Tree Two Finger Banjo Version

In the late 1930s Rusty and Dusty, the Williams Brothers along with Will Stacy had an opportunity to record with Paramount Records in Milwaukee, WI. This was due to a mistake as they were hired sight unseen. Because they always performed in black face and Will Stacy had a medical condition that caused his skin to appear blue, the producers thought that they would be able to use the "Race" label with this production. When the time came for recording only two tunes were produced before the workers went on strike and threw all the masters into the Milwaukee river.
This is one of the tunes (the other is entitled "Last of the Williams") which Hiram claimed was a family tune. He later complained in a drunken rage to his niece that the tune was stolen from him and made into a big rock and roll hit but since Hiram was not very good with the truth, no one believes him.
The words are:
"There's a big gum tree in my back yard.
It will never die.
There's a chicken lying in a branch
But I don't know why.
I don't care what people say,
That old tree is here to stay.
I don't care what people say,
That old tree is here to stay."
(Note: this Wiliams brothers saga is a product of my imagination. Some claim that the tune is actually the harmony part of "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay" and not an old Kentucky folk song but I maintain that it is what it is.)