Lefty Frizzell

Last week we were in Saginaw, Michigan. Whenever we saw a sign referring to Saginaw - we sang the opening line of Saginaw, Michigan, by Lefty Frizzell. I vaguely recalled bits of the first verse.

While I was growing up, my dad, a guitarist, played this song in his repertoire. Didn't every family have a dad who led singing around the campfire? Our family, more than thirty years later, still enjoys hearing my dad as he sings the songs of our youth. Being in Saginaw was a reminder of a happy childhood memory.


Saginaw, Michigan
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.