"The Auctioneer" (also known as "The Auctioneer's Song") is a 1956 country song by Leroy Van Dyke.It was co-written with Buddy Black.
The song is notable for its interspersal of auction chants.
Van Dyke was inspired to write the song from his own experiences as an auctioneer and those of his second cousin, Ray Sims.
He wrote it while stationed in Korea during the Korean War, and first performed it to troops on the same bill as Marilyn Monroe.After finishing his service, Van Dyke entered the song in a Chicago talent contest. It gained him a record contract with Dot Records. "The Auctioneer" subsequently topped the pop music chart,selling 2.5 million copies.
The song talks of a young Arkansas boy who would skip school and visit a local auction barn. Becoming mesmerized by the auction chant, he decides he wants to be an auctioneer, regularly practising the chant behind the family barn.
Though his parents are initially displeased with his career choice, they eventually relent, but (not wanting their family name to be tarnished because of poor auctioneering skills) they send him to auction school to properly learn the trade.
He returns home a full-fledged auctioneer. Gradually, he becomes a top quality auctioneer, to a point where he ends up purchasing an airplane just to keep up with his sudden business demands.
Van Dyke later stated that the story was largely true; the only artistic license he took with it was changing his cousin's home state from Missouri to Arkansas for scansion purposes: "nothing rhymed with Missouri."
The movie
Pat Hubbard (Leroy), following his San Diego discharge from the Navy, is on a bus returning to the family ranch in Phoenix Arizona, and has a stop-over in Hollywood.
Lyrics
Hey, well, alright sir
Here we go there and what are ya' gonna give for 'em
I have a 600 dollar down here now ten and now 25 and
Now 35 and now there 50 now 60 will ya' give me 60
Now 75, 75 another 85 dollars and buy 'em there
There was a boy in Arkansas
Who wouldn't listen to his ma
When she told him he should go to school
He'd sneak away in the afternoon
Take a little walk then pretty soon
You'd find him at the local auction barn
He'd stand and listen carefully
Then pretty soon he began to see
How the auctioneer could talk so rapidly
He said, "Oh my, it's do or die
I've got to learn that auction cry
Gotta make my mark and be an auctioneer"
25 dollar bid it now, 30 dollar 30
Will you gimmie 30 make it 30
Bid it on a 30 dollar will you gimmie 30
Who'll bid a 30 dollar bid?
30 dollar bid it now, 35, will you gimmie 35
To make it 35 to bid at 35
Who would a-bid it at a 35 dollar bid?
As time went on, he did his best
And all could see he didn't jest
He practiced calling bids both night and day
His pap would find him behind the barn
Just working up an awful storm
As he tried to imitate the auctioneer
Then his pap said, "Son, we just can't stand
To have a mediocre man
Sellin' things at auction using our good name
I'll send you off to auction school
Then you'll be nobody's fool
You can take your place among the best"
35 dollar bid it now a 40 dollar 40
Will you gimmie 40 make it 40
Bidin' it on a 40 dollar will you gimmie 40
Who'll bid a 40 dollar bid?
40 dollar bid it now, 45, will you gimmie 45
To make it a 45 to bid it a 45
Who would a-bid it at a 45 dollar bid?
So from that boy who went to school
There grew a man who played it cool
He came back home a full-fledged auctioneer
Then the people came from miles around
Just to hear him make that rhythmic sound
That filled their hearts with such a happy cheer
His fame spread out from shore to shore
He had all he could do and more
Had to buy a plane to get around
Now he's the tops in all the land
And let's pause and give that man a hand
He's the best of all the auctioneers
45 dollar bid it now a 50 dollar 50
Will you gimmie 50 make it 50
Bidin' it on a 50 dollar will you gimmie 50
Who'll bid a 50 dollar bid?
50 dollar bid it now, 55, will you gimmie 55
To make it a 55 to bid at 55
Sold that hog for a 50 dollar bill
Hey, well, alright sir
Open the gate and let 'em out and walk 'em boys
Here we come a lot number 29 in
What are you gonna give for 'em?
I have a 25, I oughta get 35 and now a 50 make it
50 bid it along at 50, now 60 will ya' give me 60
Now 75 and now 85 and now 95 and a 100 and now 25
And now it's at 75 and a two and a three and a four and a five and a six
Now seven, now 800 dollars and a buy 'em there
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Buddy Black / Leroy Van Dyke

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