Beck Song Information - Hard Travelin'

Original Performance: Woody Guthrie
Written by: Woody Guthrie

Versions:

Hard Travelin' (Take 1) (:25)
Available on Beck And Dava.
Credits

Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals

Hard Travelin' (Take 2) (2:14)
Available on Beck And Dava.
Credits

Beck Hansen: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
Dava: Vocals

Lyrics:

Hard Travelin' (Take 1) [Version (a)]:

I've been...
I've been doing some hard travelin' no no

Hard Travelin' (Take 2) [Version (b)]:

I've been doing some hard travelin'
I thought you'd know
I've been doing some hard travelin'
All down the road
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin' hard gamblin'
I've been doing some hard travelin' alone

I've been doing some hard travelin'
I thought you'd know
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin' hard gamblin'
I've been doing some hard travelin' alone

I've been hittin' some hard rock mining
I thought you'd know
I've been hittin' some high state drilling
Way down the road
I've been doing some hard luck gamblin'
I've been doing some hard travelin' long

I've been doing some hard travelin'
I thought you'd know
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Hard gamblin' hard ramblin'
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Woo yeeha

I've been doing some hard travelin'
I thought you'd know
I've been doing some hard travelin'
All down the road yea yea yea
I've been doing some hard travelin'
Hard gamblin' oh yea
I've been doing some weeha down the road

The Song:

"Hard Travelin'" is an old Woody Guthrie song, one of his more famous.

Beck sings it on a home recording, called Beck + Dava which appears to just be a tape of a get-together of a small group, and Beck (and Dava) sing stuff. Right before it (the take one), you can hear Beck admitting he doesn't really know the song. But he knows the main verse or two, so they run through those the best they can.

Notes:

Here are the lyrics to Woody Guthrie's original:
I've been havin' some hard travelin', I thought you knowed
I've been havin' some hard travelin', way down the road
I've been havin' some hard travelin', hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I've been havin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been ridin' them fast rattlers, I thought you knowed
I've been ridin' them flat wheelers, way down the road
I've been ridin' them blind passengers, dead-enders, kickin' up cinders
I've been havin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been hittin' some hard-rock minin', I thought you knowed
I've been leanin' on a pressure drill, way down the road
Hammer flyin', air-hose suckin', six foot of mud and I shore been a muckin'
And I've been hittin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been hittin' some hard harvestin', I thought you knowed
North Dakota to Kansas City, way down the road
Cuttin' that wheat, stackin' that hay, and I'm tryin' make about a dollar a day
And I've been havin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been working that Pittsburgh steel, I thought you knowed
I've been a dumpin' that red-hot slag, way down the road
I've been a blasting, I've been a firin', I've been a pourin' red-hot iron
I've been hittin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been layin' in a hard-rock jail, I thought you knowed
I've been a laying out 90 days, way down the road
Damned old judge, he said to me, "It's 90 days for vagrancy."
And I've been hittin' some hard travelin', lord

I've been walking that Lincoln highway, I thought you knowed,
I've been hittin' that 66, way down the road
Heavy load and a worried mind, lookin' for a woman that's hard to find,
I've been hittin' some hard travelin', lord