I have a friend lives up in Portland, I stayed there with him one time 
He had a new a pair of high-top sneakers, didn't fit him but they fit me fine 
I laced up his Converse sneakers, we drove down the California line 
After we played a little gig in Chico, he headed home, he left me behind 

Chorus: 
Said take these shoes and be on your way 
It looks like you've got travelin' to do 
Come back and see me some other day 
Tell me all about where they took you to 

Now I had a lot of fun in those black Chuck Taylors 
A finer shoe has never been worn 
I can see where I've been in the color fadin' 
I can what I learned where they're frayed and worn 
I walked off the tread on the concrete pavement 
Of London, and Dublin, and New York town 
I shook out the sand from the ocean beaches, 
I left it on the floor of an airport lounge 

Chorus 

Today it rained at the bluegrass fester 
It was squishy squashin through the fields all day 
I rinsed them out in the cool lake water, I washed that mountain mud away 
Now I'm sittin' in a friendly kitchen, the wind outside it howls and blows 
I'll let em dry by a cozy fire, and warm my soaked and wrinkled toes 

Chorus 

These are shoes that like to travel, no tellin' where they'll take me to 
They're still not done scratchin' gravel 
They still gotta show me a thing or two 

Chorus