I ain't been nowhere

What a treat for fans of the late Hank Snow to find that Amazon is selling an excellent compilation of his later works on a double CD entitled "I'm Still Moving On: Singles 1961 - 1979."  Great stuff on both discs, from his novelty hits ("Ninety Miles an Hour Down a Dead End Street") to his ballad side ("I Just Wanted to Know How the Wind Was Blowing") and the under-appreciated "Rome Wasn't Built in a Day," which demonstrated the guitar skills of the man from Canada born Clarence Eugene Snow.  In fact, he was such a fine picker that Chet Atkins recorded several instrumental albums with him, which is sort of like being asked to help Dale Earnhardt Jr drive a car.

Geoff Mack wrote the song "I've Been Everywhere" and Hank had the big hit on it, and sang it on the Grand Ole Opry for years.  For some reason, someone used Johnny Cash's version of this song for a tv commercial a couple of years ago.  Cash never had a hit with it, but there is a certain cachet to using Cash, I guess. I'd have to check...

Anyhow, I, who once spent an entire recuperative afternoon teaching myself and my knee replacement how to say Nahasapeemapetilon (as in Apu, the owner of the Kwik-E-Mart in Springfield) have once again undertaken to learn all the cities and locales that Hank so effortlessly spins in the song.  Lyrics: 

I was totin' my pack
Along the dusty Winnemucca road
When along came a semi
With a high and canvas covered load
"If you're going to Winnemucca, Mack
With me you can ride."
So I climbed into the cab
And then I settled down inside
He asked me if I'd seen a road
With so much dust and sand
And I said,
"Listen, Bud I've traveled
Every road in this here land."

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere.

Been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota,
Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota,
Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma,
Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma,
Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo,
Tocopilla, Barranquilla, and Padilla, I'm a killer.
I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere.

Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana,
Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana,
Monterey, Ferriday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa
Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa,
Tennessee, Hennessey, Chicopee, Spirit Lake,
Grand Lake, Devil's Lake, Crater Lake, for Pete's sake;

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere.

Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Ombabika,
Shefferville, Jacksonville, Waterville, Costa Rica,
Pittsfield, Springfield, Bakersfield, Shreveport,
Hackensack, Cadillac, Fond du Lac, Davenport,
Idaho, Jellicoe, Argentina, Diamontina,
Pasadena, Catalina, see what I mean, sir;

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
I've been everywhere.

Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, Gravellburg, Colorado,
Ellensburg, Rexburg, Vicksburg, Eldorado,
Larrimore, Atmore, Haverstraw, Chattanika,
Chaska, Nebraska, Alaska, Opelika,
Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City,
Sioux City, Cedar City, Dodge City, what a pity;

I've been everywhere, man
I've been everywhere, man
'Cross the deserts bare, man
I've breathed the mountain air, man
Of travel, I've had my share, man
"I know some place you haven't been."
I've been everywhere.

Now, how many of those places can you say YOU have been to?  I have been to Baltimore, obviously, and Jacksonville, if you count the one in Baltimore County.   And Pasadena, if you count the one in Anne Arundel County, and Glen Rock, in York County, PA.  Never been close to any of the other places.  


I would love to say I have been to Kalamazoo, but the Baltimore Zoo is as close as I'll likely get.  If you go, please send me a postcard.