HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY

Original Woody Guthrie version

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I been a-havin' some hard travelin', I thought you knowed
I been a-havin' some hard travelin' way down the road
I been a-havin' some hard travelin', hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I been a-havin' some hard travelin', Lord

I been ridin' them fast rattlers, I thought you knowed
I been ridin' them flat-wheelers way down the road
I been ridin' them blind passengers, dead enders, kickin' up cinders
I been a-havin' some hard travelin', Lord

I been a-hittin' some hard rock minin', I thought you knowed
I been a-leanin' on a pressure drill way down the road
Hammer flyin', air hose suckin', six foot of mud, and I sure been a-muckin'
And I been a-hittin' some hard travelin', Lord

I been a-hittin' some hard harvestin', I thought you knowed
North Dakota to Kansas City way down the road
Cuttin' that wheat, stacking that hay, and I'm tryin' to make about a dollar a day
And I been a-havin' some hard travelin', Lord

I been workin' at Pittsburgh Steel, I thought you knowed
I been a-dumpin' that red-hot slag way down the road
I been a-blastin', I been a-firin', I been a-pourin' red-hot iron
And I been a-hittin' some hard travelin', Lord

I've been a-layin' in a hard rock jail, I thought you knowed
I been a-layin' out ninety days way down the road
Damned old judge, he said to me, "it's ninety days for vagrancy"
And I been hittin' some hard travelin', Lord, whoah!

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Info

HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY is a song written (words and music) by Woody Guthrie who recorded it in 1941. It was released on his 1987 album Columbia River Collection. The above lyrics are for the original Woody Guthrie version of HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY as released in 1987.

This song is know under both "Hard Travelin'" and "Hard Travelin' Hootenanny" titles. "Hard Travelin'" is the title used on the 1987 release but this website uses the title "Hard Travelin' Hootenanny" as per the 'Til We Outnumber 'Em album (see the live 29 Sep 1996 version for more details).

Springsteen's Version

Bruce Springsteen performed HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY live once, on 29 Sep 1996 during a Woody Guthrie tribute concert. See the live 29 Sep 1996 version for more details.

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY on this website:

HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY [Live 29 Sep 1996 version]
HARD TRAVELIN' HOOTENANNY [Original Woody Guthrie version]

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Page last updated: 28 Apr 2015