I hardly had a bellyful

Never knew a new bicycle

Hand-me-down books and shoes

They brought the yule tides in July



I rode a bus, a train and sometimes

Strolling for miles to a movie show

Singing a song "Shoobedoo

"While birds and rich folks flew 

right on by



But we got by

Lord knows we got by



Winter wishes wait till June

We brightened July with 

that hot dog fun

Tell your mama you're with Sue

You bring the beans and I'll 

find the wine

Them neon lights were bright 

till 2:00

And sneaking back home with 

this girl named Jo

I hurried down to say Ï do"

And stared my first man-child 

in the eye



But we got by

Lord knows we got by



And now baby's got his bellyful

And finally here's that new bicycle

Working, praying, June to June

And mama's got LA gleaming 

in her eye



And we got by

Lord knows we got by



You see we kept on walking 

and talking, hawking

Ooing, cooing, wooing

Loving, tugging, hugging, rubbing

Sugging, fugging, laying, praying, swaying

Letting, fretting, begetting, lying

Flying, trying, sighing, dying.