I've been a havin' some hard travelin' I thought you know

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' way down the road

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' hard ramblin' hard gamblin'

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord

Well I've been a ridin' them fast rattlers I thought you know

I've been a ridin' them blind passengers way down the road

I've been a ridin' them dead ends and flat wheelers kickin' up cinders

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord

[ banjo - dobro ]

Well I've been a layin' in a hard rock jeil I thought you know

I've been a layin' there ninety days way down the road

Mean old judge said to me it's ninety days for vagrancy

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been a workin' at Pittsburgh Steel I thought you know

I've been a dumpin' that red hot slag way down the road

I've been a blastin' I've been firin' I've been a pourin' that red hot iron

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord

[ banjo - fiddle ]

I've been a hittin' some hard harvest and I thought you know

North Dakota to Kansas City way down the road

Cuttin' that wheat stackin' that hay tryin' to make about a dollar a day

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord

I've been a workin' on Lincoln Highway I thought you know

I've been a hitchin' on 66 way down the road

Heavy load and worried mind lookin' for woman that's hard to find

I've been a havin' some hard travelin' Lord