I was born on a farm out in ioway

A flaming youth I was bound I would

I packed my grip and I grabbed

My saxophone

Can't read notes, but I play

Anything by ear

I made up tunes on the sounds

That I used to hear

When I'd start to play folks used to say

"Sounds a little goofus to me"

Cornfed chords appeal to me

I like rustic harmony

Hold a note and change the key

Hey but that's "goofus"

Not according to the rules

That you learn in music schools

But the folks just dance like fools

They sure go for "goofus"

Got a job but I just couldn't keep it long

The leader said that I played all

The music wrong

So I stepped out with an outfit of my own

Got together a new kind of orchestree

And we all played just the same

"Goofus" harmony

And I must admit we made a hit

"Goofus" has been lucky for me