Tom and Harry were the best of friends They called themselves The Dharma Bums Lit out from their home and kin With a mandolin and a pair of thumbs They worked side by side all the summer Picking those grapes from the vine Read by one light, took turns to cook The oldest story in the book Enter Richard and his sister, June Just before the season's end Richard's guitar knows a whole lotta tunes Harry starts a-picking on the mandolin Down by the dam in the moonlight They play 'til their fingers are sore When June kisses Tom, Harry doesn't know where to look The oldest story in the book The band pull into town in the afternoon They've got a hit song on the radio Richard calls up his sister, June And says 'Do you want to come along to the show?' June scrapes the money together for a babysitter Tom's working late, she's glad she's on her own Especially when Harry sings that song about the girl By the lake and how the moonlight looked The oldest story in the book