When I was just a youngster and hardly in my teens I went to school on many a day with faded old blue jeans The patches they were many the seat was all thread bare But a poor girl didn't notice and a poor boy didn't care A poor boy don't have no money a poor boy don't have no dough Give a poor boy a pretty little girl and watch that poor boy go He's the backbone of the nation the pappy of the land With a two buck loan he'll build him a home And raise him a poor boy clan His worries they are many his pleasures are but few But that don't worry a poor boy his pappy had 'em too His living don't come easy he has to sweat it out But he'd rather be a poor boy than a wealthy gad-a-bout A poor boy don't have no money a poor boy don't have no dough Give a poor boy a pretty little girl and watch that poor boy go He's the backbone of the nation the pappy of the land With a two buck loan he'll build him a home And raise him a poor boy clan If it wasn't for the poor boy a lot would go un-done The plow would never furrow or the mill would never run There wouldn't be no taters there wouldn't be no beans The rich would all be poor boys in faded old blue jeans A poor boy don't have no money a poor boy don't have no dough Give a poor boy a pretty little girl and watch that poor boy go He's the backbone of the nation the pappy of the land With a two buck loan he'll build him a home And raise him a poor boy clan