King of the Road
Wanderer's Anthem: Unveiling the Soulful Journey of a Nomad
Lyrics
Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents
Advertising a trailer for sale or rent with rooms available for fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes
Describing the lack of amenities like a phone, pool, pets, and cigarettes.
Ah but two hours of pushin' broom
Expressing the hard work of pushing a broom for two hours.
Buys a eight by twelve four-bit room
Stating that the result of the hard work can only afford a small, basic room.
I'm a man of means by no means
Contrasting the speaker's modest lifestyle with the phrase "a man of means by no means."
King of the road
Declaring oneself as the "King of the road," possibly embracing a carefree or independent lifestyle.
Third boxcar midnight train, destination Bangor, Maine
Describing a journey on a third boxcar of a midnight train heading to Bangor, Maine.
Old worn out suit and shoes, I don't pay no union dues
Highlighting the speaker's worn-out suit and shoes, emphasizing a lack of affiliation with unions.
I smoke old stogies I have found
Indicating the enjoyment of smoking old stogies that the speaker has found.
Short but not too big around
Humorously describing the size of the speaker's cigars.
I'm a man of means by no means
Reiterating the theme of the speaker's modest means.
King of the road
Reasserting the claim to be the "King of the road."
I know every engineer on every train
Boasting familiarity with every engineer on every train and their families.
All of their children and all of their names
Claiming knowledge of the names of all the engineers' children.
And every handout in every town
Asserting awareness of handouts in every town.
And every lock that ain't locked when no-one's around
Claiming knowledge of unlocked locks when no one is around, indicating a keen awareness of surroundings.
I sing
Introducing a singing element to the narrative.
Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents
Repeating the initial advertisement for a trailer, emphasizing the transient nature of the lifestyle.
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes
Reiterating the lack of amenities in the trailer, maintaining a consistent theme.
Ah but two hours of pushin' broom
Repeating the idea of working hard by pushing a broom for two hours.
Buys a eight by twelve four-bit room
Reiterating the outcome of the hard work as a small, basic room.
I'm a man of means by no means
Restating the contradiction between being a man of means and lacking significant wealth.
King of the road
Affirming the self-proclaimed title of "King of the road" one final time.
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