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Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)

28 Mar 97 - 10:44 PM (#3622)
Subject: Hobo's Lullaby
From: Nuttby London

Part go's - Go to sleep you weary Hobo Let the town's go drifting by etc.

29 Mar 97 - 02:54 AM (#3633)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: Bill

Howdy,

It's in DT correctly credited to Goebel Reeves (since Woody Guthrie dd sing it, I've heard many people say that Woody Guthrie wrote it). Check Hobo's or Lullaby or hobolull.

Allinkausay, Bill

31 Mar 97 - 05:54 PM (#3699)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: Mountain Dog

Good recording of this on Arlo's "Hobo's Lullaby" album on Reprise records from the early 70s. (In fact, this is pretty much a "must have" disc, containing Arlo's versions of "City of New Orleans", "Shackles and Chains", Dylan's "When the Ship Comes In", "Anytime", Hoyt Axton's "Lightnin Bar Blues", "Days Are Short", Woody's "1913 Massacre"; an embarassment of riches, to be sure!)

04 Jun 99 - 02:23 PM (#84005)
Subject: Chords needed: hobo's lullabye
From: annamill

I was listenening to Utah Phillips this morning while I was getting ready for work. This is the first time I ever heard his stories and music. He reminded me of a song I heard in the 60's and still goes through my head now and then. It's called Hobo's Lullabye. I found the words in the database, but it doesn't have the chords. Can someone help me with this?

Thank you in advance, annap

04 Jun 99 - 02:37 PM (#84009)
Subject: RE: Chords needed: hobo's lullabye
From: Rick Fielding

Beautiful song Anna. It was the theme song for Gobel Reeves, the WSM Hobo back in the thirties. Try these.

G////C//AM//D7////G//(D7)//
G////C//AM//D7////G////
rick

04 Jun 99 - 02:44 PM (#84010)
Subject: RE: Chords needed: hobo's lullabye
From: annamill

Thank you Rick. I'll be able to do the chords and timing, I hope, but I remember an undercurrent that sounded like wheels of a train ahummin'. I think it's going to be awhile before I can do that.

annap

29 Jan 00 - 09:07 PM (#170209)
Subject: Hoboes lullaby
From: GUEST

Anyone know the chords to Hoboes lullaby? Thanks

29 Jan 00 - 10:24 PM (#170251)
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Hoboes lullaby
From: JamesJim

D-----------------------G Go to sleep you weary Hobo

A7---------------------------D Let the towns drift slowly by

----------D7-------------------------G Can't you hear the steel rail hummim'(?)

A7----------------------D That's the hobo's lullaby

15 Aug 16 - 02:47 AM (#3805177)
Subject: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby
From: Joe Offer

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Hobo's Lullabye

DESCRIPTION: "Go to sleep you weary hobo, Let the town drift slowly by. Listen to the steel rails humming, That's the hobo's lullabye." The hobo is urged not to think about tomorrow, to ignore the police (who will not be found in heaven), and to remember mother's love
AUTHOR: Goebel Reeves
EARLIEST DATE: 1934 (recording, Goebel Reeves)
KEYWORDS: hobo rambling lullaby
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Silber/Silber-FolksingersWordbook, p. 410, "Hobo's Lullabye" (1 text)
DT, HOBOLULL*
Roud #16629
RECORDINGS:
Billy Cox & Cliff Hobbs, "The Hobo's Lullaby" (Vocalion 04924/Conqueror 9221, 1939; Conqueror 9352, 1940)
Goebel Reeves, "Hobo's Lullabye" (Champion 45181, 1936); (Vocalion 02828, 1934)
NOTES [34 words]: Although composed, this has become so popular that I think it qualifies as a genuine folk song. Woody Guthrie, for instance, was very fond of it, and many people must have learned it from his singing. - RBW
Last updated in version 4.3
File: FSWB410C

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2023 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

...and the Digital Tradition lyrics. Any corrections?

HOBO'S LULLABY (from DT)
(Goebel Reeves)

Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the town drift slowly by;
Listen to the steel rails humming
That's the hobo's lullaby.

Do not think about tomorrow;
Let tomorrow come and go.
Tonight you have a nice warm boxcar
Free from all the ice and snow.

I know the police cause you trouble,
They make trouble everywhere;
But when you die and go to heaven,
Well, you won't find police there.

Now do not let your heart be troubled
If the world calls you a bum;
'Cause if your mother lives, she loves you
Well, you are still your mother's son.

Note: tune is a harmony to Just Before the Battle, Mother
copyright Fall River Music, Inc.
@hobo @lullaby
filename[ HOBOLULL
TUNE FILE: HOBOLULL
CLICK TO PLAY
RG

15 Aug 16 - 05:49 AM (#3805199)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: GUEST,henryp

A lovely song. These are the words on the Woody Guthrie website;

HOBO'S LULLABY
Words and Music by Goebel Reeves

Go to sleep you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Can't you hear the steel rails hummin'
That's the hobo's lullaby

I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is turning gray
Lift your head and smile at trouble
You'll find peace and rest someday

Now don't you worry 'bout tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar
Safe from all that wind and snow

I know the police cause you trouble
They cause trouble everywhere
But when you die and go to Heaven
You'll find no policemen there

So go to sleep you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails hummin'
That's a hobo's lullaby

 

© Copyright Sanga Music, Inc.

Source: http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Hobos_Lullaby.htm

07 Jun 19 - 09:14 AM (#3995515)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: skarpi

I wonder if some one the story of this song or the lyric ? what is it about ? and why . all the best Skarpi Iceland .

07 Jun 19 - 12:29 PM (#3995539)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge

me again- just pointing out it was also a favourite of Danny Kyle of Paisley, Scotland

27 Aug 19 - 10:45 PM (#4006118)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: GUEST

Is this song in the public domain?

27 Aug 19 - 11:21 PM (#4006127)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: PHJim

I first heard this song from Pete Seeger, but the late Mose Scarlett also did a wonderful version.
I have taught this song to many classes of kids in the past 50 years.

28 Aug 19 - 04:51 AM (#4006155)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: John MacKenzie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMld7JFnITU

28 Aug 19 - 11:08 AM (#4006204)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: PHJim

Pete Seeger sings Hobo's Lullaby

Mose Scarlett sings Hobo's Lullaby

Woody Guthrie sings Hobo's Lullaby

Goebel Reeves, the composer of Hobo's Lullaby

28 Aug 19 - 11:13 AM (#4006206)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: PHJim

An extra verse that Goebel Reeves sang:

When you die and go to Heaven
All the trains there you can ride
The hard-boiled brakeman and the hobo
Sleep there peaceful side by side

25 Jan 21 - 12:12 PM (#4089852)
Subject: ADD: Tinker's Lullaby (Pecker Dunne)
From: Joe Offer

Thread #100219   Message #4198242
Posted By: Joe Offer
28-Feb-24 - 05:55 PM
Thread Name: Did the Pecker - Tinker's Lullaby
Subject: ADD: Tinker's Lullaby (Pecker Dunne)

TINKER'S LULLABY
(Pecker Dunne)

Go to sleep my little tinker
Let all your troubles pass you by
For you have no place to camp now
Oh that’s a tinker's lullaby.

Ever since you were a baby
Cradled in your mother's shawl
Society said they did not want you
And now you have no home at all

When your mother died and left you
You had to fend all alone
All in this land of saints and scholars
And still you have not got a home.

Although your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is silvery grey
Someday you'll die and go to heaven
And you will find a campground there.

Oh, Go to sleep my little tinker
Let all your troubles pass you by
For you have no place to camp now
Oh that's a tinker's lullaby.

Lyrics from https://cllrmannixflynn.blog/tag/irish-traveller-culture/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPyxiLppBj8

Threads combined. Messages below are from a new thread. -Joe Offer-

16 Nov 24 - 03:32 AM (#4211734)
Subject: Hobo's Lullaby
From: GUEST

Do any Mudcat folks know more infomation on the song Hobo's Lullaby? The song was written in 1926 by Texas folk singer Gowbo Reves I don't think the tune is original. If you know more info of the song it would be nice to hear your stories from Joe.

Do any one know any infomation on the song Just Before The Battle Mother it was written in 1874 by George Root. The only recording I have come across was by Jerry Silverman who recorded it some time in the 1960s folk revival.. From joe and if more recordings exist please post them here!

16 Nov 24 - 04:16 AM (#4211738)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: DaveRo

I have Hobo's Melody on 'Shine a Light' - Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad - sung by Billy Bragg & Joe Henry. It was recorded in Amtrak Station, Alpine*, Texas. (The songs are mostly recorded in Railway Stations.)

The notes say: It was written and recorded in 1934 by Goebel Reeves, "The Texas Drifter", who specialised in hobo-philosophical recitations and cowboy ballads.

*Alpine was founded in 1882 on the route of the Southern Pacific, completed in 1883. The current Alpine station was built in 1946 in 'Spanish Mission Revival' style. So it should have good acoustics.

16 Nov 24 - 04:25 AM (#4211741)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: Thompson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Before_the_Battle,_Mother

For future ref, Guest, if you're looking for info on a song, put the name in the thread title - you may also find it in Mudcat's lyrics collection, though for me the internal search on the site isn't working too well - I find it easier to come on it by using a Boolean search on the wilds of the World Wide Web like so:

"Just Before the Battle Mother" site:mudcat.org

16 Nov 24 - 07:47 AM (#4211755)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: cnd

A few other threads on Hobo's Lullaby:

Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
Req: Hobo's Lullaby /Oklahoma Hills (answered)
DT Entry (note: "tune is a harmony to Just Before the Battle, Mother")

And a few more on Just Before The Battle; currently no threads I'm finding, but two versions are in the DT:

Just Before the Battle Mother
Just Before the Battle Mother (Comedic Version) - note that this is close to several period versions of the song I've seen -- it's not a modern mockery.

16 Nov 24 - 11:10 AM (#4211760)
Subject: RE: Hobo's Lullaby
From: John MacKenzie

Am I right in remebering Kendall Morse singing this? Or am I suffering from senility again?

16 Nov 24 - 01:29 PM (#4211770)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: Joe Offer

You posted it above, John (before I combined the threads). It brings back such good memories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMld7JFnITU

17 Nov 24 - 02:28 PM (#4211829)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: Pappy Fiddle

Marc Nerenberg has a video of himself singing this with the banjo and making choo-choo sounds on harmonica, which I think sounds pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAo4f4IhREg

It's my understanding that Woody Guthrie added the verse about the cops

24 Nov 24 - 12:35 PM (#4212269)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: The Sandman

te

25 Nov 24 - 01:21 PM (#4212341)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: GUEST

Verses missing from Goebelès original:

Do not let your heart be troubled
When the world calls you a bum
If your mother lives she loves you
You'll always be your mother'e son

When you die and go to Heaven
All the trains there you can ride
The hard-boiled brakeman and the hobo
Sleep there peaceful side by side

27 Nov 24 - 05:25 PM (#4212469)
Subject: RE: Origins: Hobo's Lullaby (Goebel Reeves)
From: Pappy Fiddle

Here's a couple more verses from the other Woody (Woody Brison)

This boxcar floor is a-wobblin
It's enough to smash the bones of a man
But when you get so tired you just have to sleep
The trick is to just not give a damn

You see that rich feller
In his mansion large and fine
Thing is he ain't had his heart torn up
and his will to survive