Home I'll Never Be
Wanderer's Journey: Seeking Roots Beyond Borders
Lyrics
I left New York in 1949
Departure from New York in 1949.
To go across the country without a bad blame dime
Traveling across the country with little money.
Montana in the cold cold fall
Arrival in Montana during the cold fall.
Found my father in the gambling hall
Finding the father in a gambling hall.
Father, Father where you been?
Dialogue with the father about worldly experiences at a young age.
I've been out in the world and I'm only ten
-Father, Father where you been?
-I've been out in the world and I'm only ten
-Don't worry about me if I should die of pleurisy
Expressing a lack of concern about potential death from pleurisy.
Across to Mississippi, across to Tennessee
Traveling across various locations, expressing a sense of not finding a true home.
Across the Niagara, home I'll never be
-Home in ol' Medora, home in ol' Truckee
-Apalachicola, home I'll never be
-Better or for worse, thick and thin
Describing a relationship with God, emphasizing mutual love and commitment.
Like being married to the Little poor man
-God he loves me (God he loves me)
-Just like I love him (just like I love him)
-I want you to do (I want you to do)
-Just the same for him (just the same for him, yeah)
-Well the worms eat away but don't worry watch the wind
Symbolic reference to decay, with a reassurance to not worry and watch the wind.
So I left Monatana on an old freight train (on an old freight train)
Leaving Montana on a train after the father's death in the rain.
The night my father died in the cold cold rain (in the cold cold rain)
-Road to Opelousas, road to Wounded Knee
Listing roads with the repeated theme of never finding home.
Road to Ogallala home I'll never be
-Road to Oklahoma, road to El Cahon
-Road to Tahachapi, road to San Antone
-Hey, hey
A brief interjection.
Road to Opelousas, road to Wounded Knee
Repetition of roads and the theme of not having a home.
Road to Ogallala, home I'll never be
-Road to Oklahoma, road to El Cahon
-Road to Tahachapi, road to San Antone
-Home I'll never be, home I'll never be
Final affirmation of never finding a home.
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