Gordon Lightfoot - The Auctioneer Ukulele

CAPO: 3rd Fret



[INTRO:] G

N.C.
Hey well, all right, sir 
                                                 G 
Open the gate and let 'em out and walk 'em boys 
N.C.
Here we come and let in number twenty-nine

What are you gonna give for the little fella


[CHORUS:]
  G
I want a five dollar want a bid
Would you bid it on a five on a five on a five 
Will you bid it on a twenty-five 
Got a twenty-five dollar would you bid it on five on the five 
Will you bid it on a thirty dollar five on five 
Will you bid it on a five, will you bid it on a thirty-five


[VERSE 1:]

Well, there was a boy from Arkansas
    C
Who wouldn't listen to his ma 
     D                                 G       D
When she told him that he should go to school
           G
Well, he'd sneak away in the afternoon
       C
Take a little walk and pretty soon 
      D                             G 
You'd find him at the local auction barn 


[VERSE 2:]
           C
Well, he'd stand and listen carefully
  G
Until at last he began to see 
        A                             D
How the auctioneer could talk so rapidly 
         G
Well, he said, "Oh my, it's do or die
     C
I've got to learn that auction cry 
      D                            G 
Gonna make my mark and be an auctioneer"


[CHORUS:]

Twenty-five dollar bid you now thirty dollar thirty 
         C
Will you make it thirty, bid it on a thirty dollar thirty dollar 
D                                                       G     D
Will you give me thirty, will you give me thirty dollar bill
        G
I got a thirty dollar bid you now 
                           C 
Five will you beat it on a thirty-five, bid it on thirty-five, thirty-five 
D                                          G
Who's gonna bid it at a thirty-five dollar bill


[INSTRUMENTAL:] G  C  D  G    C  D  G


[VERSE 3:]

Well, the time went by and he did his best
    C
And all could see he did not jest 
   D                                     G    D
He practiced calling bids both night and day 
          G
Well, his pappy found him behind the barn
     C
Just working up an awful storm 
      D                          G 
As he tried to imitate the auctioneer


[VERSE 4:]
         C
Then his pop said, "Son, we just can't stand
   G
To have a mediocre man 
        A                                 D
Selling things at auction, using our good name 
      G
Gonna send you off to auction school
    C
And then you'll be nobody's fool 
    D                                 G 
And you can take your place among the best"


[CHORUS:]

Thirty-five dollar bid you now forty dollar forty 
         C
Will you make it forty, bid it on a forty dollar forty dollar 
D                                                     G     D
Will you give me forty, will you give me forty dollar bill 
        G
I got a forty dollar bid you now 
                           C 
Five will you beat it on a forty-five, bid it on forty-five, forty-five 
D                                         G
Who's gonna bid it at a forty-five dollar bill


[INSTRUMENTAL:] G  C  D  G    C  D  G


[VERSE 5:]

And from that boy that went to school
      C
There grew a man who played it cool 
   D                                   G     D
He come back home a full fledged auctioneer 
        G
And the people would come from miles around 
        C
Just to hear him make that rhythmic sound 
     D                                     G 
That filled their hearts with such a happy cheer 


[VERSE 6:]
        C
And his fame spread out from shore to shore 
     G
He'd all that he could do and more 
   A                          D
He had to buy a plane to get around 
          G
Well, now he's the best in all the land
      C
Let's pause and give that man a hand 
       D                              G 
'Cause he's the best of all the auctioneers


[CHORUS:]

Forty-five dollar bid you now fifty dollar fifty 
         C
Will you make it fifty, bid it on a fifty dollar fifty dollar 
D                                                     G     D
Will you give me fifty, will you give me fifty dollar bill 
        G
I got a fifty dollar bid you now 
                           C 
Five will you beat it on a fifty-five, bid it on fifty-five, fifty-five 
D                                         G
Who's gonna bid it at a fifty-five dollar bill 


[INSTRUMENTAL:] G  C  D  G    C  D  G


[OUTRO:]
        D                                G
Well, I sold that hog for a fifty dollar bill