Hard Travelin'

Cisco HoustonCisco Houston 

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Cisco Houston

Gilbert Vandine 'Cisco' Houston (August 18, 1918 – April 29, 1961) was an American folk singer and songwriter who is closely associated with Woody Guthrie due to their extensive history of recording together. more »

Year:

1994

1:28

826 Views

Playlists:

#9

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I've been doin' some hard travelin'
   I thought you knowed
I've been doin' some hard ramblin'
   way down the road
Hard travelin' hard ramblin'
  hard drinkin' hard gamblin'
I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been doin' some hard rock minin'
   I thought you knowed
I've been leanin' on a pressure drill
   way down the road
Well the hammer flying 
   and the air hose suckin'
And six feet of mud,
   I sure been muckin'
I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been workin' that Pittsburgh steel
   I thought you knowed
I've been pourin' that red-hot slag
   way down the road
I been blastin'
   I've been firin'
I've been pourin'
   red-hot iron
I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been layin' in a hard rock jail
   I thought you knowed
I've been layin' out ninety days
   way down the road
The darned old judge he said to me
  it's ninety days for vagrancy 
And I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been walkin' that Lincoln highway
   I thought you knowed
And I've been hittin' that sixty six
   way down the road
Got a heavy load 
   got a worried mind 
I'm a' lookin' for a woman
   that's hard to find
And I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been doin' some hard travelin'
I've been havin' some hard ramblin'
I've been doin' some hard traveling
I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

(The following two verses are not included in the performance on the CD Best of Vanguard Years. But are on Folkways) 

I've been ridin' them fast passengers
   I thought you knowed
I've been hittin' them flat wheelers
    way down the road
I've been ridin' them 
   blind passengers
   dead enders
   kickin' up cinders
I've been doin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been doin' some hard harvestin'
   I thought you knowed
From North Dakota to Kansas City
   way down the road
Cuttin' that wheat and 
   stackin' that hay
   just tryin' to make 'bout a dollar a day
And I've been doin' some hard harvestin' Lord

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Of note:
If any song could be a signature tune, this would certainly be Cisco's. One of Woody's best songs, and a performance that Cisco certainly was pleased with, as he named one of his LPs after it. Captures the flavor and the sweat without glamorizing or fantasizing. It is THE song of the Open Road.

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