I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE

Studio version



I ain't got no home, I'm just a ramblin' 'round
I work when I can get it, I roam from town to town
Police make it hard, boys, wherever I may go
I ain't got no home in this world anymore

I was farmin' shares and always I was down
My debts they was so many, ma, they wouldn't go around
The drought it got my crop and Mr. Banker's at my door
I ain't got no home in this world anymore

Six children I have raised, they're scattered and they're gone
And my darling wife to heaven she has flown
She died of the fever, yes, on the cabin floor
I ain't got no home in this world anymore

I mined in your mines and I gathered in your corn
I been workin' mister since the day that I was born
I worry all the time like I never did before
'Cause I ain't got no home in this world anymore

Well now I just ramble 'round to see what I can see
This wide wicked world is sure a funny place to be
The gamblin' man is rich and the workin' man is poor
I ain't got no home in this world anymore

Well, I'm stranded on this road that goes from sea to sea
A hundred thousand others are stranded here with me
A hundred thousand others, yes, and a hundred thousand more
I ain't got no home in this world anymore

Yee, ooh, ah ah, woo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Woo, ooh, hoo hoo, hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hee hee hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hee hoo hoo hoo hoo ha, hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Yee, ooh, ooh ooh, ooh, woo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hee, woo ooh ah, hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hee hee, hoo hoo hoo


Info

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE is a song by Woody Guthrie. See the original Woody Guthrie version for more details.

The above lyrics are for a Bruce Springsteen studio version of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE recorded sometime in late 1987 or early 1988 and released on the various artists benefit album Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly. The song features Bruce Springsteen on guitar and vocals, Roy Bittan on organ, and Nils Lofgren on guitar.

The Tribute Album

Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly is a various artists benefit album released on Columbia Records on 23 Aug 1988 in support of Folkways Records and the Woody Guthrie Archives. The album features songs by Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly interpreted by leading folk, rock, and country recording artists, including Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, John Mellencamp, Willie Nelson, Little Richard, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, U2, and others.

Bruce Springsteen was one of the first artists to join the project. He recorded two Woody Guthrie songs for the tribute album, I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE and VIGILANTE MAN. The two songs were produced by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau, and Chuck Plotkin, engineered by Toby Scott, and mixed by Bob Clearmountain, and they were likely recorded at Thrill Hill East, Springsteen's home studio in Rumson, NJ, sometime in late 1987 or early 1988.

Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly
Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly

LP - Columbia (OC 44034) - USA, 1988
Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly
Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly

CD - Columbia (CK 44034) - USA, 1988
Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly
Various artists -- Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly

MC - Columbia (OCT 44034) - USA, 1988

Along with the release of the tribute album Columbia Records also released a home video special that featured live versions of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE and VIGILANTE MAN. All artist royalties from both the album and video supported Folkways Records and the Woody Guthrie Archives which were acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987.

Other Official Releases

Other versions of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE were also officially released.

Various artists -- A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly
The live Feb 1988 version of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was released in 1988 on the A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly home video.
Bruce Springsteen -- Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993
The live 24 Jun 1993 version of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.

Live History

In preparation for the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour, I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place in late January and early February 1988 at Expo Theater in Fort Monmouth, NJ, prior to the tour's first leg. See the live Feb 1988 version for more details. This version was officially released in 1988 on the A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly home video.

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was performed once during the 20-date-long Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour.

  1. 23 Sep 1988 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA

In preparation for World Tour 1992-1993, I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was performed during the tour's public warm-up rehearsal show that took place on 23 Mar 1993 at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ.

  1. 23 Mar 1993 at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ (public rehearsal)

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was performed once during World Tour 1992-1993 (104 dates, June 1992 to June 1993). The 24 Jun 1993 show in East Rutherford, NJ, was billed as "Concert To Fight Hunger". The live 24 Jun 1993 version of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME was released on the Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey June 24, 1993 official live download in 2018.

In preparation for the Working On A Dream Tour, I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was performed during one of the tour's two public warm-up rehearsal shows that took place in March 2009 in Asbury Park. The song is also known to have been practiced during at least three of the private rehearsals that took place in March 2009 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg.

  1. 17 Mar 2009 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  2. 18 Mar 2009 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  3. 21 Mar 2009 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)
  4. 23 Mar 2009 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (public rehearsal)

In preparation for the Wrecking Ball Tour, I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place between January and March 2012 in Fort Monmouth, Trenton, and Asbury Park prior to the tour's first U.S. leg.

  1. 12 Mar 2012 at Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ (private rehearsal)

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE was performed off-tour on 15 Mar 2012 at Moody Theater in Austin, TX, during the South By Southwest music festival.

  1. 15 Mar 2012 at Moody Theater, Austin, TX

Credits

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

Requests

Some sources claim that the two studio versions of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE and VIGILANTE MAN were not recorded in studio but during the same February 1988 band rehearsals at Fort Monmouth, NJ, during which the rehearsals versions (the versions that appear in the A Vision Shared - A Tribute To Woody Guthrie And Leadbelly documentary) were taped. This website however highly doubt this claim, but if you do have any additional information about this matter that prove us wrong or right please contact me via the below form or by email: .

Available Versions

List of available versions of I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE on this website:

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE [Studio version]
I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE [Live Feb 1988 version]
I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE [Live 24 Jun 1993 version]
I AIN'T GOT NO HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE [Original Woody Guthrie version]

Page last updated: 06 Jan 2018