When I First Came To This Land

trad 

Oscar Brand translated it in 1957 from a Pennsylvania Dutch song.

The Melrose Quartet: https://melrosequartet.bandcamp.com/track/when-i-first-came-to-this-land

When I first came to this land, I was not a wealthy man
So I got myself a shack And I did what I could
And I called my shack “break my back”
For the land was sweet and good, and I did what I could

So I got myself a cow…And I called my cow “no milk now”
And I called my shack “break my back”

So I got myself a hen…And I called my hen “now and then”
…cow…shack

So I got myself a duck…And I called my duck “out of luck”
…hen…cow…shack

So I got myself a wife…And I called my wife “love of my life”
…duck…hen…cow…shack

So I got myself a son…And I called my son “my work’s done”
…wife…duck…hen…cow…shack