Going Up The Country

Canned Heat

About Going Up The Country

"Going Up the Country" (also Goin' Up the Country) is a song adapted and recorded by American blues rock band Canned Heat. Called a "rural hippie anthem", it became one of the band's biggest hits and best-known songs. As with their previous single, "On the Road Again", the song was adapted from a 1920s blues song and sung in a countertenor-style by Alan Wilson.


Year:
2008
523 
#1

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I'm goin' up the country, baby don't you want to go?
I'm goin' up the country, baby don't you want to go?
I'm goin' to some place, I've never been before
 
I'm goin' I'm goin' where the water tastes like wine
I'm goin' where the water tastes like wine
We can jump in the water, stay drunk all the time
 
I'm gonna leave this city, got to get away
I'm gonna leave this city, got to get away
All this fussin' and fightin' man, you know I sure can't stay
 
So baby pack your leavin' trunk
You know we've got to leave today
Just exactly where we're goin' I cannot say
But we might even leave the U.S.A.
It's a brand new game, that I want to play

No use in your runnin', or screamin' and cryin'
'Cause you got a home as long as I've got mine

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Canned Heat

Canned Heat is an American blues/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965. more »

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Written by: ALAN WILSON

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


13 facts about this song

Background
"Going Up the Country" is an iconic song by American blues-rock band Canned Heat.
Chart Success
It was a major hit in 1968 and reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Source Inspiration
The song was adapted from "Bull Doze Blues" recorded by Texas blues musician Henry Thomas.
Musical Instrument
It's well known for its catchy, distinctive flute riff known as "partigo whistle", actually played on a type of tin whistle.
Album Appearance
"Going Up the Country" appeared on Canned Heat’s third album, "Living the Blues".
Songwriter
The song was largely composed by band member Alan Wilson, who also sang its lead vocals.
Cultural Impact
The song was used as the unofficial theme music for the Woodstock Festival in 1969.
In Films
It has appeared in several films and documentaries including "Into the Wild," "Forrest Gump," and "Flashback."
Legacy
In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked "Going Up the Country" #446 on its list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Covers
The song was covered by the popular band, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis in 2008.
Posthumous Recognition
Alan Wilson, who died in 1970, was recognized for his role in the song's success with an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013.
Background Vocals
Members Bob Hite, Henry Vestine, and Larry Taylor provided the background vocals for the song, in addition to their typical instrumental roles in the band.
Lyrics Theme
The lyrics of "Going Up the Country" describe a desire to leave the city and return to a simpler, rural lifestyle.

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    Going Up The Country

    73,661
    1,740     46

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1969

    Billboard #11


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