The Auctioneer

"The Auctioneer" (also known as "The Auctioneer's Song") is a 1956 country song by Leroy Van Dyke.^[1] It was co-written with Buddy Black.^[2]

The song is notable for its interspersal of auction chants.

Origin

Van Dyke was inspired to write the song from his own experiences as an auctioneer^[3] and those of his second cousin, Ray Sims.^[4]

He wrote it while stationed in Korea during the Korean War, and first performed it to troops on the same bill as Marilyn Monroe.^[3] After finishing his service, Van Dyke entered the song in a Chicago talent contest.^[3] It gained him a record contract with Dot Records. "The Auctioneer" subsequently topped the pop music chart,^[3] selling 2.5 million copies.^[5]

Storyline

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 practicing the chant behind the family barn.

Though his parents are initially unhappy with his career choice, eventually they relent, but (not wanting their family name to be ruined by poor auctioneering skill) they send him to auction school to properly learn the trade.

He returns home a full-fledged auctioneer. Over time, he becomes "the best in all the land", having so much business that he ends up buying "a plane to get around".

Covers

"The Auctioneer" has been covered by numerous artists, most notably Gordon Lightfoot on his 1980 release, Dream Street Rose, and by Steve Goodman, who played it live while opening for Steve Martin. It was also included on his posthumous album, No Big Surprise. In the year 1990, the song was performed by Bert Southwood, in cooperation with Playtown Sound Audio Services.

Footnotes

Sources