Saginaw, Michigan … and Happy Birthday to Johnny Cash

Saginaw Bay-Michigan, photo by mark5032001.

The song Saginaw, Michigan was written by Bill Anderson and Don Wayne and famously covered by Johnny Cash, who was born on February 26, 1932.

I was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
I grew up in a house on Saginaw Bay.
My dad was a poor hard working Saginaw fisherman:
Too many times he came home with too little pay.

I loved a girl in Saginaw, Michigan.
The daughter of a wealthy, wealthy man.
But he called me: “That son of a Saginaw fisherman.”
And not good enough to claim his daughter’s hand.

Now I’m up here in Alaska looking around for gold.
Like a crazy fool I’m a digging in this frozen ground, so cold.
But with each new day I pray I’ll strike it rich and then,
I’ll go back home and claim my love in Saginaw, Michigan.

I wrote my love in Saginaw, Michigan.
I said: “Honey, I’m a coming home, please wait for me.
“And you can tell your dad, I’m coming back a richer man
“I’ve hit the biggest strike in Klondyke history.”

Her dad met me in Saginaw, Michigan.
He gave me a great big party with champagne.
Then he said: “Son, you’re wise, young ambitious man.
“Will you sell your father-in-law your Klondyke claim?”

Now he’s up there in Alaska digging in the cold, cold ground.
The greedy fool is a looking for the gold I never found.
It serves him right and no-one here is missing him.
Least of all the newly-weds of Saginaw, Michigan.

We’re the happiest man and wife in Saginaw, Michigan.
He’s ashamed to show his face in Saginaw, Michigan.

Much more in Wikipedia’s Johnny Cash entry and on the official Johnny Cash web site.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find Johnny playing Saginaw, Michigan, but here’s Lefty Frizzell (who had the original hit) and one of my favorites, Leo Kottke singing the song.

Check this photo out bigger in Mark’s slideshow.

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