"Big Rock Candy Mountain" (Tracy Newman on "What's New" 1965) 

The beauty of folk music is you can always change the words and tune around and it's always new but still has a connection to the past.

Oh, the big rock candy mountain Is the vagabond's delight Where the hand-outs grow on bushes And the stars shine every night Where the grass is always greener And the sun shines everyday Oh I long to be, where you're always free To do what you please, like the birds and the bees On the big rock candy mountain On the big rock candy mountain No one tells you what to do You can stay up each and every night And sleep the whole day through Working is against the law Your time is all your own You can sing very loud, you can fly through the clouds Every wish on your mind comes true you will find On the big rock candy mountain On the big rock candy mountain You never can grow old And since no germs have found this place You can never catch a cold You'll never get a cavity, no matter what you eat There's peppermint swings and a chocolate spring A mountain of cake and a lemonade lake On the big rock candy mountain Oh, the big rock candy mountain That's where I long to be And every time I think of it Well, it sounds just right for me I've climbed the highest mountain I've searched most everywhere I've wandered in vain, but by now it's plain Though I see it in my dreams, there's no place it seems Like the big rock candy mountain

Tracey Newman, you are a gem. Love this version.

You know every time I hear this song somebody has changed the words slightly and I love that. It makes it seem like it truly is an individuals fantasy land because its tailored to the person singing and their desires.

I know the original,...l kinda like Tracy's version. Reminds me of kindergarten. Thank you, Tracy.

HEY! A different version of this WONDERFUL SONG! I LOVE BOTH!!! SUBSCRIBED!

Nice song, cheerful spirit of the singer :) It's good I found this channel.

Early PBS. I loved it and Tracy. We are the same age. Still kicking at 78.

Man, this is a REALLY sanitized version. But it's certainly in the spirit of the original.

what a talented sweetheart

love her she good

That's because the big candy mountain is always in front of you! Your freedom is the time is your own, the opportunity is yours. You won't grow old when opportunity to do what your freedom avails you is about you no matter what mountain is in front of you as long as you chip away at that mountain and never give up!

I love this girl!

Such a pretty voice.

I love your videos. The quality really is amazing.

We studied this in English at high school along with the novel "Autobiography Of A Supertramp". Love your version Tracy.

I remember seeing some episodes of this early PBS childrens programming at age 9. I was too young for the weavers or burl ives but I distinctly remember Pete and Tracy. In fact I had long held memories of Pete doing these songs on these sets and now I know it was Tracy. My first crush on a Newman

Nice rendition Tracy, thanks. Yes, the original recording by Harry was the sanitized version of the lyrics, if you can believe that. He describes it in an interview you can find here on RU-vid. There was nothing genteel about the hobo jungle. I fully understand you were playing to a different audience.

I would love to see you revisit some of these old hobo and wobbly songs along with some storytelling to go along with it. Essentially this, just not aimed at children and more in depth.

I don't now where Tracy got this lyric from , but if I ever perform this song, it's the version I would use, rather than the hobo version. A song with a pretty melody and a lyric about a place where you don;'t have to work, you don't need money, you can eat strawberry shortcake and never get fat or get cavities, and can sing and play music all the time?!? This is like Willy Wonka's factory minus the cruel practical jokes.

Was this a children's show of some type maybe to teach music? If so then they should of had us watch this in our music class when I was growing up instead of having the teacher that never really taught us much just square dancing and musical chairs. Also she was a very strict teacher if we messed up one time in square dancing, she would punish us by embarrassing the crap out of us by saying how lousy we are and the others would laugh, instead of being kind and nurturing us to do better. I really dreaded that class I hated it. Alot of us did the class was once a week on a Friday and instead looking forward to a Friday, I would get nervous and really didn't want to go to music class anymore. Thankfully the next year which was 3rd grade, they replaced her with a kinder nurturing teacher. But that class wasn't on Fridays anymore 3rd graders was on Wednesday, and we all looked forward to hump day! Lol

Tracy ,sweet heart. You are talented and sing with feeling. Wish listen to Woody Guthrie s songs .Please do it for me .Thanks kisses 😍 ❤️ 👍

McClintock's family still has rights to his song, but the children's version is public domain.

I just discovered this channel! (And I've never heard these lyrics before.)

What a treasure you are. I’ve discovered these videos when looking for content to use for my online distance learning elementary music classroom. I’ve shared them with my students. Just saw ‘Fire Up That Weed’ - hilarious! I appreciate these oldies and enjoyed the ‘newer’ one. Hope you are well. Howdy from San Antonio, Tx!

I came looking for the kids song, this is far darker...😈

How come every time I hear this song it has different lyrics?

Trying not to get lost in those eyes

Wonderful stuff.

You really have a beautiful voice. Thank you for your song.

hello, i'm in college and learning english. I am engaged in translating the translation of various campfire songs into my native language in order to better understand the culture of wandering people. Could you please write the lyrics for easier translation

I am definitely in love.

I love this 😍😍😍she's so sweet and cute with a wonderful voice

Such a classic and yes a bit different than the Oh Brother Where Art Thou version but I love they way you sang and played it!

The lyrics came from the Spirit.

Amazing, Wanna go to big rock candy mountains !!!

I was only 1 when you were performing this music. Who were your influences back then. I am exploring new styles and genres. Thanks

Never heard this song before. Looking forward to hearing alt. versions. Do you still have that hat Tracy?

As an IWW member, this song really feels like something our membership would have sung (well the original version at least). The Big Rock Candy Mountains hasn’t been discovered yet because we ourselves must create the conditions for the mountains to form Edit: turns out Harry McClintock was a Wobbly

Good version!

The neutered version.

She was so cute and had such a lovely style. It's heartbreaking to know that sure turned out to be such a big liberal.

Lovely girl.

hey, this version has a nice flavor to it

Congrats. You just made the all time worst rendition of this song!

love her

love her she good siunger

You are too cute! I am so glad the comments are turned on for this one. I was only 3 years old in 1965. But I remember a lot of the folk music from the 1960s. I miss also the way people talked back then. You have that vintage accent from that era. Good times.

I like the original

Such a Babeorama.

Oh brother where art tho?.. this is cool..i love your singing!..

Your version of this song is so perfect. Do you think you can upload it to spotify? There is a very small amount of your songs on the app I am not sure if its actually your account

sounds like the land of the dead

the big rock candy mountain is a vagabonds delight where the handouts grow on bushes and the stars shine every night where the grass is always greener and the sun shines every day oh I long to be where you're always free to do as you please like the birds and bees on the big rock candy mountain on the big rock candy mountain no one tells you what to do you can stay up each and every night and sleep the whole day through working is against the law your time is all your own you can sing very loud you can fly through the clouds every wish on your mind comes true you will find on the big rock candy mountain on the big rock candy mountain you never can grow old and since no germs have found this place you can never catch a cold you'll never get a cavity no matter what you eat there's peppermint springs and chocolate swings a mountain of cake and a lemonade lake on the big rock candy mountain on the big rock candy mountain that's where I long to be and every time I think of it it sounds just right for me I've climbed the highest mountain I've searched almost everywhere I've wandered in vain but by now it's plain though I see it in my dreams there is no place it seems like the big rock candy mountain

I love that lady she's the bestest lady ever is she the best singer

This was just super cute! 🫶🏼

outstanding.

Anyone know the chords she is playing on guitar??

It's in San Francisco

I love it❤

what a darling, love her sweet essence

Good old woodie Guthrie (did I spell that right) always enjoyed his songs, well done Tracy a great rendition, greetings from Yorkshire England lol

53 K views

Big hit by Des and Dawn. Anyone remember them and their soirees? I was surprised to see D&D still performing not that many years ago, continuing to give pleasure to later generations. Dawn recently passed.

Très rafraîchissante et bucolique

play it at my funeral

Sounds like Portland or Seattle these days. :(

❤

That was wonderful! For some different lyrics you should look up Fretkillr or Fretkillrlivs I can't remember exactly. His version definitely goes down a different path! Thanks for sharing your talent.

Thanks for this, reminds me of Grandma

Lol. Watered down version of the original which has ..lets say a more conventional hobos version of that sane mountain😆

The lyrics were likely scrubbed to be POLITICALLY CORRECT.

Love this rendition!

Treasure! So glad these are getting a wide audience now.

this is the clearest audio from 1965 I've ever heard

The song and lyrics have long bee known to be credited to from Harry McClintock

Terrible version - great singer.... What are you going to do?

Yo dawg where you at?

Jeez, women were boring back then too eh?

this is pitiful

should be bernie sanders theme song. 'ode to a lazy socialist'