Leroy Van Dyke – The Auctioneer

A song written by Leroy Van Dycke & Buddy Black, was recorded by Leroy in September 1956 for the Dot label, reaching number 9 on the country charts and 19 on the pop charts,the song was again recorded in single for the label Mercury in 1961, and was included in several albums, Movin ‘Van Dyke (Mercury 1961), At The Trade Winds.

The story behind the song:
Leroy was inspired by his personal experiences, as an auctioneer and those of his cousin Ray Slims.
He wrote it while stationed in Korea during the Korean War, and first performed it to troops on the same bill as Marilyn Monroe.
When he finished military service, he went to a talent show in Chicago, he managed to win a recording contract with Dot Records, where he recorded, The Auctioneer, managing to sell more than two and a half million copies.

About the song:
The song tells of a young boy from Arkansas who would miss school and visit a local auction barn. Being fascinated by the singing of the auction, he decides he wants to be an auctioneer, practicing regularly singing behind the family barn.

Although their parents are initially not happy with their career choice, they eventually regret it, but (not wanting their last name ruined by a poor auctioneer skill) they send it to the auction school to learn the trade correctly.

He returns home a full-fledged auctioneer. With time, he becomes “the best of the whole earth”, he has so much business that he ends up buying “an airplane to move.

Some versions :
Chuck Miller 1959 ( Mercury )
Reg Lindsay 1959 ( Columbia )
Brenda Byers 1968 ( MTA Records )
Anita Lockman & The Chaperones 1968( IGL Records )
Earl Morin 1968 ( Arc Records )
Roger Quick 1975 ( RQ Music )
Pat Dailey 1978 ( Olympia Records )
Gordon Lightfoot 1980 ( Warner )
……and many more .

Leroy Van Dyke – The Auctioneer Lyrics
There was a boy in Arkansas
Who wouldn’t listen to his ma
When she told him that he should go to school
He’d sneak away in the afternoon
Take a little walk and pretty soon
You’d find him at the local auction barn

Well, he’d stand and listen carefully
Then pretty soon he began to see
How the auctioneer could talk so rapidly
His pappy’d find him behind the barn
Just a workin up an awful storm
As he tried to imitate the auctioneer

25 dollar 30 now 30 dollar etc…
Who will bid it at a 35 dollar bid
30 dollar 35 etc…
Who will bid it at a 35 dollar bid

Said his pappy, «Son we just can’t stand a havin’
A mediocre man,
You gotta take that auction usin’ our good name
I’ll send you off to auction school
And then you’ll be nobody’s fool
You’ll be the best of all the auctioneers

35 dollar 40 dollar etc
Who will bid it a a 45 dollar bid
40 dollar etc
Who will bid it at a 45 dollar bid

Well from that morning he went to school
There grew a man who played it cool
He came back home a full fledged auctioneer
And people came from miles around
Just to hear him make that rhythmic sound
Cause he’s the best of all the auctioneers
Well his fame reached out from shore to shore
He had all he could do and more
He had to buy a plane to get around
Now he’s the best in all the land
So let’s all give that man a hand
He’s the best of all the auctioneers

45 dollar 50 now etc
Who will bid it at a 55 dollar bid
50 dollar 50 now will you give me 55 etc
Sold that horse for a 50 dollar bill