Half Pint and The Fifths - Orphan Boy (1966)

Bo Blider was born in 1950 and began playing guitar by the age of ten. After a trip to New York City when he was twelve years old, he came back to his hometown of Chicago with a new-found determination to start a band. In 1964, he joined this band, which at that time was known under its original name, Artie and the Night Trippers. Composed of young teenage boys, the band put out one single before breaking up in 1967. I’m not entirely sure how the band’s demise came about, but Bo Blider went on to perform in numerous tribute bands honoring The Beatles and John Lennon.

Written by L. Nestor, this song was released locally by Chicago-based Orlyn Records in 1966. It was actually the B-Side of the band’s one and only single. The A-Side, a cover of “Lovin’ on Borrowed Time,” wasn’t as popular as they had hoped and it became overshadowed by the track heard below.



Half Pint and The Fifths - Orphan Boy (1966)

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Lyrics:

All my life I’ve been alone
Never had nothing just to call my own
Wake up each morning very forlorn and
There ain’t even a record of my being born

(Orphan boy)
“Come shine my shoes”
(Orphan boy)
“Come make ‘em look like new”
(Orphan boy)
"Well if you make a noise, we’re gonna
Send you back to the orphan, boy"

Walkin’ barefoot through the snow
Look for shelter with no place to go
Beggin’ for meals and ridin’ the rail
Maybe I’d be better off in jail

(Orphan boy)
“Come shine my shoe”
(Orphan boy)
“Come make ‘em look like new”
(Orphan boy)
"Well if you make a noise, we’re gonna
Send you back to the orphan, boy"

Livin’ out of lockers sure ain’t boss
So I’ll sell my pint of blood to the old Red Cross
Wreckin’ pool balls for a nickel a game
And everybody calls me by my first name

(Orphan boy)
“Come shine my shoes”
(Orphan boy)
“Come make ‘em look like new”
(Orphan boy)
"Well if you make a noise, we’re gonna
Send you back to the orphan, boy"