Lyrics
Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents
Describes a trailer available for sale or rent with rooms for fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes
Lists the absence of phone, pool, pets, and cigarettes in the speaker's possession.
I am a, two hours of pushin' broom buys a
Expresses the speaker's occupation as a manual laborer, with two hours of work affording a small room.
Eight by ten four-bit room
Specifies the size of the room as eight by ten and its cost as four bits.
I'm a man of means by no means, cause I'm a king of the road
Contrasts the speaker's modest lifestyle, claiming to be a man of means yet without significant wealth, proclaiming himself the "king of the road."
Third boxcar midnight train, destination Bangor, Maine
Narrates the speaker's travel on a midnight train headed to Bangor, Maine, riding in the third boxcar.
Old worn out suit and shoes, I don't pay no union dues
Describes the speaker's worn-out suit and shoes, emphasizing non-membership in a labor union.
I smoke old stogies I have found, short but not too big around
Indicates the speaker's enjoyment of smoking old stogies, portraying a sense of contentment with simple pleasures.
I'm a man of means by no means,cause I'm a king of the road
Reiterates the speaker's claim of being a man of means but without significant resources, asserting again his status as the "king of the road."
King of the road. I'm just a king of the road
Reaffirms the speaker's self-proclaimed title as the "king of the road."
I know every engineer on every train
Asserts the speaker's familiarity with every engineer on every train, showcasing a well-traveled and knowledgeable persona.
All the children and all the good names
Claims knowledge of all the children and good names, suggesting a broad and inclusive social awareness.
every handout in every town
Highlights the speaker's familiarity with receiving handouts in various towns, possibly indicating a transient lifestyle.
And if it's locked it ain't locked if no-one's around
Suggests a laid-back attitude towards locked doors, implying that if no one is around, it's not truly locked.
I say...
Introduces a repeated line expressing the availability of the trailer for sale or rent with rooms for fifty cents.
Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents
Recaps the details of the trailer for sale or rent, underlining the speaker's economic constraints.
I'm a man of means by no means, king of the road
Reiterates the paradoxical claim of being a man of means but without significant wealth, again asserting kingship over the road.
'Cause I'm a king of the road
Reaffirms the speaker's self-proclaimed title as the "king of the road."
I'm just a king of the road
Concludes with a repetition of the speaker's asserted kingship over the road.
King of the road
Finalizes the song with a restatement of the speaker's self-identification as the "king of the road."
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