Roll On Columbia

Album: Columbia River Collection (1941)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Guthrie wrote this after he was hired by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), to write songs. Guthrie was 28 years old and unemployed, and the BPA needed to promote the benefits of building dams. Guthrie moved his family from California to Oregon, and was paid $266 a month to write songs. He came up with 26 songs in 30 days, including this one, which was a tribute to the Columbia River. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington
  • The music to this song was based on "Goodnight Irene" by Leadbelly. Guthrie often put his lyrics to existing melodies.

Comments: 2

  • Vivek from Bangalore, IndiaGuthrie was one of the major influences on Bob dylan. He even worte a song for guthrie when he was in the hospital, close to his death.
  • Mike from Mountlake Terrace, WashingtonOne of the most popular songs in the history of the United States, it is paean to the harnessing of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest to help farms and industry through federally-built hydroelectric power facilties. It became famous as an anthem about American public works projects arising out of FDR's New Deal in the Great Depression.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Cy Curnin of The Fixx

Cy Curnin of The FixxSongwriter Interviews

The man who brought us "Red Skies" and "Saved By Zero" is now an organic farmer in France.

Randy Houser

Randy HouserSongwriter Interviews

The "How Country Feels" singer talks Skynyrd and songwriting.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.