he's a modern day yodeling hobo... ramblin' across this land...
singin' all them old railroad songs, a battered guitar in his hand...
standin' on a busy street corner... singin' for nickels and dimes
tryin' to brighten up your mornin', friend...
won't you stop and spend some time?
(attempt to yodel, if you dare...)
...
come on and favour us with a tune, Petunia...
you know you yodel with a lot of soul...
hang your hat wherever you want to...
you're never too far from home...
(go ahead... try again...)
...
'Tune, you know you're welcome in our home...
any time you're passing through...
leave a hobo's chalk mark on our front walk...
your arrival will be overdue...
(come on.. you can do it... yodel!)
... well ... this little ditty was inspired as tribute to my friend (he's your friend, too...) 'Marcel Petunia'... a self made man if ever there was one... when we first met, he was still 'busking' on a regular basis, ]lying the street singer's trade wherever the wind blew him... am old Norman guitar, severely distressed by countless hurs of hard strumming was his instrument, (though he tells me that it has since been stolen... a hard oneth to 'fence', that old guitar; I would imagine...)... the origin of his name apparently from an old landlady who could not pronounce his surname correctly, and it stuck... endless traveling, numerous pairings with supporting musicians, and all these years later, 'Petunia and the Vipers' are a much in demand act across North America and beyond. The Vipers' were (late) rockabilly legend Ray Condo's band, and give Petunia's music serious boost. Petunia is also involved in a pilot series titled 'The Musicianer', and can be found online easily enough. He still tours with Al Mader, 'The Minimalist Jug Band' yearly; and Al s a unique character unto himself... declaiming poetry to a simple washtub bass, with 'Tune riffing on guitar behind on occasion. 'Dead Man's Pants' being a fave of mine. My father used to tell me that in the Depression years, hobo fellows would leave chalk marks on certain house sidewalks where a traveling man might find a meal r or some small kindness. Apparently my grandmother O'Toole was just such a woman, her own large family notwithstanding. Petunia is like no other, check him out!
... the parenthesis encouragement to yodel is just that... give it a try!
...