don mclean
This is a true story. Anderson "Andrew" McCrew (1867-1913) was a black, one-legged hobo who died the way the song tells, was claimed by nobody, but mummified awaiting a claim since his identity was known. Then he was bought by, and followed, a travelling circus for 60 years as a public attraction : "The Amazing Petrified Man; Eighth Wonder of the World". Don McLean stumbled upon the story, and wrote this for his 1974 album "Homeless Brother". In 1973 a local caretaker gave Andrew a grave for free, after the circus closed down and the mummie had been stored away in a warehouse for years, then taken care of by Mrs. Elgie Pace, a widow and former nurse. After the song became popular, friendly souls supplied the grave with a proper tombstone in addition to the marker. His remains now rest at Lincoln Memorial Park, Dallas, Texas. Visit him HERE, and watch the video from the second and final ceremony HERE.
there was a mummy at the fair • all crumbled in a folding chair
the people passed but did not care that the mummy was a man
so tell me if you can:
who are you ? who are you ?
where have you been ? where are you going to ?
well Andrew McCrew must have lost his way
cause though he died long ago he was buried today
down on nightmare alley where the shady people sway
a hobo came a - hiking on a salty summer day
he hopped a freight in Dallas and he rode it out of sight
but on a turn he slipped and lost his grip and fell into the night
well Andrew had one leg of wood • the other leg was small
but when he fell off of the train that night he found he had no legs at all
they found him in a thicket and the undertaker came
and they mummified his body for the relatives to claim
but no one came to claim him till the carneval passed through
the carnies took him to their tent and decided what to do
they dressed him in a warn out tux and put him on the stand
and millions saw the legend called "the famous mummy man"
well what a way to live a life and what a way to die
left to live a living death with no one left to cry
a petrified amazement • a wonder beyond worth
a man who found more life in death than life game him at birth
well what about the ones who live and wished that they could go
whose lives are left for living and performing for the show
well at least you got the best of life till it got the best of you
so from all of us to what is left of you : farewell Andrew McCrew
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
E G#m A E there was a mummy at the fair all crumbled in a folding chair G# C#m F# B7 the people passed but did not care that the mummy was a man F# B7 so tell me if you can E B11 E B11 who are you who are you E C#m F# B7 where have you been where are you going to E Emaj7 C#m C6 well Andrew McCrew must have lost his way E F# B11 E cause though he died long ago he was buried today [E ... B11 ... E ... B11] E B11 E B11 F# B7 down on nightmare alley where the shady people sway E B11 F# B7 a hobo came a-hiking on a salty summer day E B11 F# B7 he hopped a freight in Dallas and he rode it out of sight E Emaj7 C#m C6 B11 E but on a turn he slipped and lost his grip and fell into the night
