BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD

Original Woody Guthrie version

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I'm blowin' down this old dusty road
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road, Lord, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

I'm goin' where the water taste like wine
I'm goin' where the water taste like wine
I'm goin' where the water taste like wine, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

I'm goin' where the dust storms never blow
I'm goin' where them dust storms never blow
I'm goin' where them dust storms never blow, blow, blow
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

They say I'm a dust bowl refugee
Yes, they say I'm a dust bowl refugee
They say I'm a dust bowl refugee, Lord, Lord
But I ain't gonna be treated this way

I'm lookin' for a job at honest pay
I'm lookin' for a job at honest pay
I'm lookin' for a job at honest pay, Lord, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

My children need three square meals a day
Now, my children need three square meals a day
My children need three square meals a day, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet
It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet
It takes a ten-dollar shoe to fit my feet, Lord, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

Your a-two-dollar shoe hurts my feet
Your two-dollar shoe hurts my feet
Yes, your two-dollar shoe hurts my feet, Lord, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

I'm goin' down this old dusty road
I'm blowin' down this old dusty road
I'm a-blowin' down this old dusty road, Lord, Lord
And I ain't gonna be treated this way

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Info

BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD is a song written (words and music) by Woody Guthrie and Lee Hays. It was recorded by Guthrie on 26 Apr 1940 as part of a recording session for RCA Victor. These recordings were originally released in 1940 on Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads Volume 1 (catalogue # P 27) and Dust Bowl Ballads Volume 2 (catalogue # P 28), each being a three-disc collection of 78 rpm records. BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD was included on the first volume, side B.

Woody Guthrie recorded BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD several times between 1940 and 1944, and several alternate titles were used, including "I'm Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad", "Blowin' Down This Old Dusty Road", "Blowin Down This Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way)", "Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad (Lonesome Road Blues)", "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad (Lonesome Road Blues)", and "Going Down This Road Feeling Bad (Lonesome Road Blues)". This website uses the title "Blowin' Down This Road" which was used on the 1940 release Dust Bowl Ballads Volume 1.

The above lyrics are for the original Woody Guthrie version of BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD as released on Dust Bowl Ballads Volume 1 in 1940. This is the most known Woody Guthrie version of the song.

Bruce Springsteen's Version

Bruce Springsteen performed BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD live a few times since 1993, always with other artists, most notably Joe Ely. See the live 19 May 1993 version for more details.

Available Versions

List of available versions of BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD on this website:

BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD [Live 19 May 1993 version]
BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD [Live 24 Jun 1993 version]
BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD [Live 25 Apr 1996 version]
BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD [Live 29 Sep 1996 version]
BLOWIN' DOWN THIS ROAD [Original Woody Guthrie version]

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Page last updated: 24 Apr 2015