The Crazy Mind of the Farmer
Paul Austin Kelly Lyrics


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“Hey farmer, hey farmer!
Is Little Rock nearby?
I got some business down in Little Rock
Got to be there by and by.”
“Ain't no little rocks 'round here
I got boulders comin' out my ears.”
Well, that's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.
“Hey farmer, hey farmer!
How'd your ‘tater crop turn out?
Did they turn out big and dirty
In plentiful amounts?”
“Why, they didn't turn out at all
Sal and I had to dig'em out one and all.”
That's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.

“Hey farmer, hey farmer!
You know, your roof leaks like a sieve.
If you got some time to give to mending
Well, now's the time to give.”
“What the deuce are you about?
Why, can't you see it's raining out?
You must think that I'm a fool of a farmer.”

“Hey farmer, hey farmer!
I need to know the reason why
If you won't fix it when it's raining
Why don't you fix it when it's dry?”
“Why, you're a bigger fool, my friend,
My roof would not be leaking then.”
And that's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.
“Hey farmer, hey farmer!
I'll be on my way again,
But when I'm passing by next Friday
I'll probably drop in.”
“Just keep passin' by, my friend,




And when you reach the lake, why, then drop in!”
That's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.

Overall Meaning

The Crazy Mind of the Farmer by Paul Austin Kelly is a witty and satirical take on the stereotypical character of a farmer. The song is filled with humorous lines that highlight the unconventional thinking of the farmer when it comes to his crops, house, and visitors. The song revolves around a conversation between the farmer and an individual who needs to do some business down in Little Rock and stops by the farm on the way. The individual asks the farmer about the way to Little Rock, the state of his potato crops, and the condition of his roof. However, the farmer's responses are filled with bizarre and peculiar answers that ultimately lead to an amusing end.


In the first verse, the individual asks the farmer for directions to Little Rock, to which the farmer responds with a sarcastic answer that there are no little rocks around here and that he has boulders coming out of his ears. This line indicates the farmer's disregard for conventional thinking and his tendency to think outside the box. Similarly, in the second verse, the individual asks the farmer about the condition of his potato crops, to which the farmer responds with a witty answer that they didn't turn out at all and he had to dig them out one by one with his wife, Sal. This line highlights the farmer's perseverance and hard work, even in the face of adversity. The final verse is the funniest one, with the individual asking the farmer to fix his leaking roof. The farmer dismisses his request by saying he must think he's a fool of a farmer and responds in a comical way that if the individual had asked him when it was dry, he would have fixed it.


Overall, The Crazy Mind of the Farmer by Paul Austin Kelly is a fun and light-hearted song that satirizes the typical farmer persona. The song is witty and full of humor, and the individual lines are catchy and memorable.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey farmer, hey farmer!
The singer is addressing the farmer.


Is Little Rock nearby?
The singer is asking if the city of Little Rock is nearby.


I got some business down in Little Rock
The singer needs to go to Little Rock for business.


Got to be there by and by.
The artist needs to be in Little Rock soon.


Ain't no little rocks 'round here
There are no small rocks in the area.


I got boulders comin' out my ears.
There are a lot of big rocks in the area.


Well, that's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.
The farmer's response is unexpected and strange.


How'd your ‘tater crop turn out?
The artist is asking how the farmer's potato crop turned out.


Did they turn out big and dirty
The artist is asking if the potatoes grew to be big and dirty.


In plentiful amounts?
The artist is asking if there were a lot of potatoes grown.


Why, they didn't turn out at all
The potato crop did not grow at all.


Sal and I had to dig'em out one and all.
The farmer and someone named Sal had to manually dig up all of the potatoes.


You know, your roof leaks like a sieve.
The singer is letting the farmer know that their roof leaks a lot.


If you got some time to give to mending
The singer is asking if the farmer has time to fix the roof.


Well, now's the time to give.
The singer thinks now is a good time for the farmer to fix the roof.


What the deuce are you about?
The farmer is confused as to why the artist is bringing up the roof while it is raining.


Why, can't you see it's raining out?
The farmer is pointing out that it is raining and therefore not a good time to fix the roof.


You must think that I'm a fool of a farmer.
The farmer thinks the singer is not being logical and thinks poorly of him.


I need to know the reason why
The singer needs to know why the farmer won't fix the roof while it's dry.


If you won't fix it when it's raining
The artist is confused why the farmer won't fix the roof while it's raining.


Why don't you fix it when it's dry?
The artist is suggesting that the farmer should fix the roof when it's not raining.


Why, you're a bigger fool, my friend,
The farmer thinks the artist is even more foolish for suggesting to fix the roof when it's not raining.


My roof would not be leaking then.
The farmer thinks that if the roof was fixed earlier, it would not be leaking now.


I'll be on my way again,
The artist needs to leave.


But when I'm passing by next Friday
The singer plans to pass by the farm again next Friday.


I'll probably drop in.
The singer plans to visit the farmer.


Just keep passin' by, my friend,
The farmer is recommending that the singer does not stop by.


And when you reach the lake, why, then drop in!
The farmer thinks it would be better for the artist to visit the lake instead of visiting him again.


That's the crazy, crazy mind of the farmer.
The farmer has a unique and unconventional way of thinking.




Contributed by Emily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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