Album: Bob Dylan (1962)

License This Song 

• I'm out here a thousand miles from my home
  Walkin' a road other men have gone down
  I'm seein' your world of people and things
  Your paupers and peasants and princes and kings
  
  Hey, hey Woody Guthrie, I wrote you a song
  'Bout a funny ol' world that's a-comin' along
  Seems sick and it's hungry, it's tired and it's torn
  It looks like it's a-dyin' and it's hardly been born
  
  Hey, Woody Guthrie, but I know that you know
  All the things that I'm a-sayin' and a-many times more
  I'm a-singin' you the song, but I can't sing enough
  'Cause there's not many men that done the things that you've done
  
  Here's to Cisco and Sonny and Leadbelly too
  And to all the good people that traveled with you
  Here's to the hearts and the hands of the men
  That come with the dust and are gone with the wind
  
  I'm a-leaving' tomorrow, but I could leave today
  Somewhere down the road someday
  The very last thing that I'd want to do
  Is to say I've been hittin' some hard travelin' too Writer/s: Bob Dylan
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 11th 1961, Bob Dylan made his New York City debut when he was the opening act for John Lee Hooker at Gerde's Folk City...
  He performed a five song set, of which two he had composed, "Song to Woody" and "Talkin' Hava Negeilah Blues"...
  And little over a month later on May 24th he would celebrate his 20th birthday, he was born on May 24th, 1941.
• Kevin from Reading , PaPeople who like this should seek out Ramblin Jack Elliot's definitive version of "1913 Massacre." I saw Elliot perform "Massacre" live at a small folk club in Philadelphia, the Tin Angel, in the mid 90s. My buddy and I had to prompt Jack to sing it, and given his somewhat unsteady condition that night, we weren't sure he could pull it off - but sure enough, he did it without missing a beat, or, more precisely, a lyric -- of which there are many. Final anecdote: At the end of the show, I brought a copy of my "Woody Guthrie: A Life" book by Joe Klein and asked Jack to sign it. He obliged, but when I looked at the signature in the light, I saw that he signed "John Wayne."
• Barry from New York, NyDylan's rendition of SONG FOR WOODY at the 1992 tribute show at the Garden was spectacular! Unfortunately it was never released on the 2-cd soundtrack album so many people have forgotten that he actually played it.
• Andy from New York, NyThere was tribute concert for Bob a few years back and I asked my brother what he thought Dylan might play after all these revered musicians did covers and said nice things about him. He said, Bob'll deflect all this flattery and do Song to Woody...which he did right out of the gate...
• Jesse from Peterborough, CanadaIn concert Dylan has taken the key down from the orignal Bb (capo III) to G (no capo).
• Matt from Downey, CaThis song is so raw that if you listen really closely you can hear Bob flipping his notepad and he ends a verse..You can hear the paper rumblings.

More Songfacts:

TushZZ Top

"Tush" doesn't have to refer to anatomy, according to ZZ Top. It's a word that also means "lavish."

Hips Don't LieShakira

"Hips Don't Lie" is Shakira's in-studio mantra for her crew: If her hips are moving, the song is working. If not, best to try something else.

Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)Jay-Z

Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" is based on the song "It's A Hard Knock Life" from the Broadway play Annie.

Afternoon DelightStarland Vocal Band

The Starland Vocal Band got the title "Afternoon Delight" from the late-afternoon appetizer menu at the restaurant Clyde's Of Georgetown in Washington, DC.

LolaThe Kinks

When The Kinks released "Lola," most people didn't realize Lola was a man. "I was dancing with this beautiful blonde, then we went out into the daylight and I saw her stubble," Ray Davies said of the inspiration.

SundownGordon Lightfoot

The inspiration for Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" came when he was worrying about his girlfriend, who was out at bars all day while he was home writing songs.

Editor's Picks

Billy Gould of Faith No MoreSongwriter Interviews

Faith No More's bassist, Billy Gould, chats to us about his two new experimental projects, The Talking Book and House of Hayduk, and also shares some stories from the FNM days.

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

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!

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.