Yuba City

I came into Yuba as soon as I read
Of all of those twenty-five hobos found dead
Came in to find out if one of the slain
Could have answered to my brother's name
It might be your brother, I just couldn't say
We hire lots of floaters who work by the day
Now I see his photo, they might be the same
But I never did ask him his name

If I had a list and if I only knew
I'd write down the names and I'd sing them to you
And when I got done I'd sing them again
You'd all know each one had a name

He had a room and ran out on the rent
Hired on a crew, I don't know where he went
If I knew his boss I might make a claim
But I never did write down his name
He stopped for a drink every now and again
Didn't look no different than hundreds of men
You know these old bums, they all look the same
No reason to ask him his name

If I had a list and if I only knew
I'd write down the names and I'd sing them to you
And when I got done I'd sing them again
You'd all know each one had a name

It might have been Shorty, a feller I knew
We bunked in the empties when the season was through
You know I've been thinking it sure is a shame
I never did ask him his name

We always abandon the old for the new
And second-hand people get thrown away too
I know it won't help but still it explains
Why no one remembers their names

If I had a list and if I only knew
I'd write down the names and I'd sing them to you
And when I got done I'd sing them again
You'd all know each one had a name