This was originally a post World War I lament of a soldier returning
to hard times in America. I've interpreted it as a tribute to traveling and have written a few new verses to reflect my love of wanderin'.
Lyrics
[C] My daddy is an engineer, [Em] my brother drives a hack
My [F] sister takes in washing and the [Dm] baby balls the jack
[C] And it looks like I'm [Em] never going to [Am] cease my [Dm] - [G7] - [C] wandering
I've been out a-wandering both early and late
From New York City to the Golden Gate
And it looks like I'm never going to cease my wandering
Been across this country so many times before,
But I never lose the feeling, that's what God made me for
And it looks like I'm never going to cease my wandering
Been working in the city, working on the farm
I always have a guitar underneath my arm
And it looks like I'm never going to cease my wandering
Played most every country, played most every town
Want to keep on playing, this whole wide world around
And it looks like I'm never going to cease my wandering
There's fish in the ocean, and eels in the sea
And everywhere I haven't been, that's where I want to be
And it looks like I'm never going to cease my wandering
Traditional, New lyrics by Roger McGuinn (C) McGuinn Music 2005 / BMI
The purpose of the Folk Den is to use the medium of the World Wide Web to continue the tradition of the folk process, that is the telling of stories, and singing of songs, passed on from one generation to another, by word of mouth.
In this electronic era, such a process is in danger of being overwhelmed by the commercial mass media. This page and others on the 'net are working to preserve the folk songs that have chronicled our global heritage for centuries.
In the Folk Den, a "new" folk song is uploaded every month as a "Global Community Service."
