Here are the lyrics and audio for "Ham on the Run," an original bluegrass comedy song by Lannie Dietle. The song describes chasing a sow and her litter through the woods and fields of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The narrator and his cousin track footprints, discover a massive hog nest, and even catch a squealing piglet — until the angry sow charges, turning the chase on its head. Based on a real childhood event, the song blends Appalachian storytelling, comedy, and real farming problems into an energetic, memorable bluegrass tale. Enjoy the free lyrics, personal notes, and streaming audio below.
Searchin' in the woods,
huntin' through the holler.
Our old sow got loose,
and now we gotta find her.
Bacon's on the loose,
ham's on the run.
Run piggy, run piggy, run piggy, run!
We might be get'n warm,
might be getting close,
found a bunch of tracks
but she's gone like a ghost.
They's big tracks, little tracks,
and now everybody knows,
she's got a piggy litter,
mebbie seven, I suppose.
Bacon's on the loose,
ham's on the run.
Run piggy, run piggy, run piggy, run!
We set out a sneakin'
just as quiet as we could,
then we found a hoggy nest
hidden in the woods.
It was ten feet across
and twelve inches high.
The hogs were all gone,
but maybe they were nigh.
Bacon's on the loose,
ham's on the run.
Run piggy, run piggy, run piggy, run!
Checkin' the corn field,
and saw a piggy run,
but I ran a little faster,
and finally caught one.
I held it by the back leg,
and listened to it squeal.
Mama heard the ruckus,
and around she did wheel.
Her piglet's in distress,
so she starts to charge.
That's when I noticed that
her teeth were rather large.
Bacon's on the loose,
ham's on the run.
Run piggy, run piggy, run piggy, run!
I quickly changed from
aggressor to defender,
when I saw her choppers
were level with my tenders.
Bacon's on the loose,
ham's on the run.
Run Lannie, run Lannie, run Lannie, run!
Thoughts on this bluegrass hog chase song
This energetic bluegrass song is based on a real event that happened in Somerset County, Pennsylvania when I was growing up. An old sow got loose, and she had her litter in the wild. My cousin and I spent quite a while searching the woods and fields, trying to round them up. While the main story is true, I took a little artistic license in the song, as follows:
We already knew the sow had given birth when the search started. We just didn't know where she and the piglets were.
In real life I was holding the piglet by both hind legs when the sow charged. I used "leg" in the hog chase song because it's just easier to sing.
The final chorus ("Run Lannie, run Lannie, run Lannie, run!") means whatever the listener wants it to mean. I view it as describing what I should have done, because I know that in reality I just froze in place when that angry sow charged. Thankfully, just as she made contact, my cousin came running out of nowhere, yelling and waving his arms, which was enough to drive her off.
My boyhood hog chasing story is told in more detail on page 272 of the 2024 book "In the Land of Used to Be." Although it's a true story, as a song I reckon it falls into the category of bluegrass humor, comedy bluegrass, or novelty bluegrass.
Additional songs about Appalachia
Now that you've heard my boyhood hog chasing song, here are a few other Appalachia-inspired folk and bluegrass songs you might like:
