The Genealogy Bug

THE GENEALOGY BUG

Little Genni Alogy's come ta our church ta stay,
Ta show us how ta save our kin 'n' loved ones passt away,
An' hep us fix are pedigrees 'n' family groups 'n' things,
An' rite our fam'ly hist'ries about our queens 'n' kings.
'N' all us utter members, when the Sunday things is done,
We set around the chapel 'n' has the mostest fun
A-lis'nin' ta the reserch tales 'at Genni tawks about --
An' the genealogy bug'll bite ya if ya don't watch out !!

Oh, onct they wuz a little boy who alluz said his prayers;
He askt the Lord ta hep him ta fergit his earthly cares,
An' fergit his trials 'n' troubles 'n' tribulations, too,
'N' all the worldly problems 'at makes us feel so blue.
Well, the way his prayers wuz answered 'ud really make ya wince;
He stepped into the archives an' they haven't seen him since;
An' all they ever found wuz jist his records round about --
An' the genealogy bug'll bite ya if ya don't watch out !!

An' onct a little lady who goes ta all the clubs,
She figgered 'em 'at don't belong wuz jist a bunch o' scrubs;
She's busy with her social groups -- She worked in PTA,
An' thought 'at genealogy's fer 'em 'at's turnin' gray.
But since she heerd her neighbor's folks hepped sail the ol' Mayflower,
A huntin' HER ancestors takes her ev'ry wakin' hour!
Oh, it got her goin' good afore she knowed what she's about --
An' the genealogy bug'll bite ya if ya don't watch out !!

An' little Genni sez 'at while we're in our prime,
'N' we think we're way too busy 'n' don't have the time,
'At no matter whut we're doin ta devoutly serve the church,
We'll lose some promist blessin's if we fail ta do reserch.
So ya better HOPE it bites ya, an' ya START ta squirm 'n' twitch,
An' ya find ya can't scratch hard enuff ta satisfy the itch!
An' ya'll hep yer dear ancesters 'at clusters all about --
An' the genealogy bug'll bite ya if ya don't watch out !!

Composed by Ethlene Payne Mangum
circa 1960