Goober Peas

As performed by the 2nd South Carolina String Band

Hard Road: Favorite Campfire Songs of the Civil War

Website: http://CivilWarBand.com/

Written perhaps by anonymous Confederate soldiers, “Goober Peas” made light of the very real Southern food shortages late in the war.  Published after the war, A. E. Blackmar continued the songs’ humorous connotations by crediting its authorship to “A. Pindar” and “P. Nutt.”

Sitting by the roadside on a summer’s day

Chatting with my mess-mates, passing time away

Lying in the shadow underneath the trees

Goodness, how delicious, eating goober peas.  

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

When a horse-man passes, the soldiers have a rule

To cry out their loudest, “Mister, here’s your mule!”

But there’s another pleasure, enchanting-er than these

Is wearing out your grinders, eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

Just before the battle, the General hears a row

He says “The Yanks are coming, I hear their rifles now.”

He turns around in wonder, and what d’ya think he sees?

The Georgia Militia, eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

I think my song has lasted almost long enough.

The subject’s interesting, but rhymes are mighty rough.

I wish the war was over, so free from rags and fleas

We’d kiss our wives and sweethearts, and gobble goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

Peas, peas, peas, peas

Eating goober peas

Goodness, how delicious,

Eating goober peas.

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