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Canned Heat — On The Road Again
Album: The Best Of Canned Heat
Avg rating:
7.8

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Total ratings: 851









Released: 1969
Length: 3:21
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Well, I'm so tired of crying
But I'm out on the road again
I'm on the road again
Well, I'm so tired of crying
But I'm out on the road again
I'm on the road again

I ain't got no woman
Just to call my special friend

You know the first time I traveled
Out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow
You know the first time I traveled
Out in the rain and snow
In the rain and snow

I didn't have no payroll
Not even no place to go

And my dear mother left me
When I was quite young
When I was quite young
And my dear mother left me
When I was quite young
When I was quite young

She said, ''"Lord, have mercy
On my wicked son."''

Take a hint from me, mama
Please don't you cry no more
Don't you cry no more
Take a hint from me, mama
Please don't you cry no more
Don't you cry no more

'Cause it's soon one morning
Down the road I'm going

But I ain't going down
That long old lonesome road
All by myself
But I ain't going down
That long old lonesome road
All by myself

I can't carry you, baby
Gonna carry somebody else
Comments (74)add comment
Seems like the "Best of Canned Heat" album could be just one song.
Posted 2 years ago by Imkirok    [ Reply ]
Original release: 1968.
Posted 2 years ago by Stefen    [ Reply ]
Thanks again Bill! On a roll delivering the best to we gray haired ones as always! 

Big thumbs up to Eileenomurphy for her WNEW FM post! Yeah!  Birds of a feather.

Alison Steele...The Nightbird! 
Posted 2 years ago by chinaski    [ Reply ]
so good to hear something else than goin' to the county such a underplayed group. 
Posted 2 years ago by eyke    [ Reply ]
GODLIKE!!! ICONIC!!! When this came out, they used to play it a lot on WNEW FM 102.7 NYC.  Brings back memories!  Thank You RP!   
Posted 2 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
Please give a listen also to the 1980s "space" version of Rockets ...
Posted 3 years ago by nicknt    [ Reply ]
Used to consider them a novelty act. Discovered later they were serious students of The Blues
Posted 3 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
This song captures just about everything I love about rock music--a favorite.
Posted 3 years ago by GTT    [ Reply ]
One of those strange songs when I heard it one time after many before after all these years and suddenly realized..Holy Shit, this is amazing.  Some of the best harmonica I have ever heard and I have heard a lot.  RIP Blind Owl.{#Meditate}
Posted 3 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
This is good shit...I was always attracted to this songs vibe. As a song writer this was a song that just 'Came together"
Posted 6 years ago by Rockit9    [ Reply ]
 JckTorance wrote:


 
So perfect.
Posted 9 years ago by stealingtruth    [ Reply ]
 jpfueler wrote:

bit different version tonight.
9:40 pm - Canned Heat - On The Road Again
9:38 pm - Roger Miller - King of The Road
9:34 pm - Greg Brown - Just A Bum

 
And this afternoon I'm listening to the same great set, Canned Heat right now, hoping someone's version of Going Down the Road Feeling Bad :-)
Posted 10 years ago by fotd    [ Reply ]

Posted 10 years ago by JckTorance    [ Reply ]
 WonderLizard wrote:
What a great set! Three distinctively different approaches to the blues:

Savoy Brown - Train to Nowhere
Ray Charles - I'm Movin' On
Canned Heat - On the Road Again

 
bit different version tonight.
9:40 pm - Canned Heat - On The Road Again
9:38 pm - Roger Miller - King of The Road
9:34 pm - Greg Brown - Just A Bum
Posted 10 years ago by jpfueler    [ Reply ]
Germany. Smokin' dope in the barracks. So so long ago.
Posted 10 years ago by Old_Pat    [ Reply ]
 WonderLizard wrote:
What a great set! Three distinctively different approaches to the blues:

Savoy Brown - Train to Nowhere
Ray Charles - I'm Movin' On
Canned Heat - On the Road Again

 
{#Yes}
Posted 10 years ago by Peter_Bradshaw    [ Reply ]
What a great set! Three distinctively different approaches to the blues:

Savoy Brown - Train to Nowhere
Ray Charles - I'm Movin' On
Canned Heat - On the Road Again
Posted 10 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
Back in the day ..........  if you were wondering, you could ask someone about Hot Tuna.  If they were knowledgeable, you invited them around back of the barn for a smoke.
Posted 11 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Another song with a baby-voiced, whispery, breathy, female singer...oh, wait, I may need to reconsider: this sounds like Mumford & Sons, or one of The Muppets as mentioned below.
Posted 11 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
da LaPara.......{#Fire}...fito cooked       {#Fire}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
 The_Enemy wrote:

I always thought it was Ernie. (seriously :) )

 

Kermit stole it, but boogied on....ask Ms Piggy
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
don't forget to BOOGIE......{#Bananasplit}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
 jnesser wrote:
I've always thought this sounded like Kermit the Frog singing.
 
I always thought it was Ernie. (seriously :) )
Posted 11 years ago by The_Enemy    [ Reply ]
 vandal wrote:

Interesting.  Its the whole deadpan Kermit thing that does it for me. . . you should hear the Andy Prieboy version. . .

{#Meditate}


 
Me too. I makes me smile.
Posted 11 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]


Is that freedom Rock Man?  Turn it up Man!

Nice Highway Mix Today.....
Roger Miller — King of The Road -->
Canned Heat — On The Road Again -->
Pearl Jam — The Long Road --->

Time for a road trip maybe....


Posted 11 years ago by zepher    [ Reply ]
 jnesser wrote:
I've always thought this sounded like Kermit the Frog singing.

 

Thanks.  Now I can't not hear Kermit singing this.
Posted 11 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
That is not even theorically possible. All music is built upon other pre existing music. That is how it works. It is impossible to rip someone off. There may have been an exact song that Canned Heat reproduced in their own way, it is still their interpretation of a song already done. Like this has never been done before? If we banned all artists that did that, you wouldn't be hearing any music at all.{#No}
 
Like every Brit or American rocker who played the blues . . . for starters.
Having said that, there's no question that Led Zeppelin (for instance) should have credited some of their "influences".
Posted 11 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
*sigh* {#Meditate}
Posted 11 years ago by Isabeau    [ Reply ]
 Bodhisattva wrote:
The song "Going Up The Country" was 100% completely ripped off from an older, actual blues man (who CH never gave credit to, never mind royalties).  I heard the original on a public radio blues show, and it is unmistakable theft, note for note.  Canned Heat should be banished from RP in the name of artistic integrity.

{#Naughty}


 
Quote:"On the Road Again" was adapted by Alan Wilson from a song of the same name recorded in 1953 by Floyd Jones (July 21, 1917 – December 19, 1989), a Chicago blues musician. Jones' song was itself an adaptation of "Big Road Blues," recorded in 1928 by Delta blues musician Tommy Johnson.


So, who do we ban here? 

Posted 11 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Ha! I knew theses guys back in the day ('69). Our anarchist affinity group had use of the Fillmore East every Wednesday for community concerts. Canned Heat was one of the bands who came forward to play. They, and their music, were alright in my book. Still are.
Posted 11 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
    This is one of those "had to be there" songs. If you didn't experience this song/group within the context of everything that was going on (counter-culture, anti-war/peace movement, hippies, drugs, flower power, etc.), then you're probably not going to appreciate it now.
     That being said, I would say that the vocals are no more strange than some of the things that the hugely popular Bon Iver has going on (check out the track Holocene).
     Also, has anyone noticed the near identical instrumentation between On the Road Again and the song Back Where I Started from Box of Frogs? Can't imagine there weren't legal ramifications...
 
Posted 11 years ago by ShortSharpShock    [ Reply ]
and never forget to booge........
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
Did any of their output warrant a 'Best Of'?
Posted 11 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
 jnesser wrote:
I've always thought this sounded like Kermit the Frog singing.
 

{#Lol}
Posted 11 years ago by jesspra    [ Reply ]
 jnesser wrote:
I've always thought this sounded like Kermit the Frog singing.
 
They wished, and so do I.
Posted 11 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
...It is impossible to rip someone off...
 
 Vanilla. Ice. (baby)
Posted 12 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]

Did people -really- have that much hair-?!... Now they're all Grandfathers...
and still dancing around the office... ( Stand-up desk, with computer )..
Posted 12 years ago by AndyJ    [ Reply ]
I've always thought this sounded like Kermit the Frog singing.
Posted 12 years ago by jnesser    [ Reply ]
The year was 1969. Another gem from a great year in Music history. 
 
Posted 12 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
 vandal wrote:

Interesting.  Its the whole deadpan Kermit thing that does it for me. . . you should hear the Andy Prieboy version. . .

{#Meditate}
 
Aaaa hahaha!  Yes, you've nailed it.  Kermit!

Catchy tune.....but so is "Kung Fu Fighting". 
Posted 12 years ago by Stratocaster    [ Reply ]
But why, oh why, are the drums mixed entirely into the right channel, etc? {#Stupid}

Posted 12 years ago by numbat    [ Reply ]
The AM radio version. I got one much better off Itunes.
Posted 12 years ago by Lrobby99    [ Reply ]
To imagine in August these guys will play at a local Bluesrock Festival in a small town just around the corner from where i live... {#Mrgreen}
Posted 13 years ago by Sjaaks    [ Reply ]
 Bodhisattva wrote:
The song "Going Up The Country" was 100% completely ripped off from an older, actual blues man (who CH never gave credit to, never mind royalties).  I heard the original on a public radio blues show, and it is unmistakable theft, note for note.  Canned Heat should be banished from RP in the name of artistic integrity.

{#Naughty}

 

That is not even theorically possible. All music is built upon other pre existing music. That is how it works. It is impossible to rip someone off. There may have been an exact song that Canned Heat reproduced in their own way, it is still their interpretation of a song already done. Like this has never been done before? If we banned all artists that did that, you wouldn't be hearing any music at all.{#No}
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 techer2 wrote:
i didn't know that Ron Jeremy and his brothers had a band! :)
 
Ha!
Posted 13 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
This song scared the hell out of many parents with teenagers in the 60's
 i was 18 when i first heard it and it sent a shiver down my spine too.
wotta song.
Posted 13 years ago by k_trout    [ Reply ]
FOREVER GORGEOUS!!!

"10"
Posted 13 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
 Bodhisattva wrote:
The song "Going Up The Country" was 100% completely ripped off from an older, actual blues man (who CH never gave credit to, never mind royalties).  I heard the original on a public radio blues show, and it is unmistakable theft, note for note.  Canned Heat should be banished from RP in the name of artistic integrity.

{#Naughty}

 
Jerry, just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it

Posted 14 years ago by k_trout    [ Reply ]
Saw a clip of this band from a Woodstock documentary. They were wicked good live.
Posted 14 years ago by chyk5    [ Reply ]
Kind of hypnotic.
Posted 14 years ago by capandjudy    [ Reply ]
i didn't know that Ron Jeremy and his brothers had a band! :)
Posted 14 years ago by techer2    [ Reply ]
ooooohhhhhh.... LOVE THIS!!!
Posted 14 years ago by musicmaniac    [ Reply ]
I'd almost sell my soul to some kinda evil deity to have a voice like that (just kidding, evil deities!)
Posted 14 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]
This wonderful set keeps on going.
Posted 14 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
 Bodhisattva wrote:
The song "Going Up The Country" was 100% completely ripped off from an older, actual blues man (who CH never gave credit to, never mind royalties).  I heard the original on a public radio blues show, and it is unmistakable theft, note for note.  Canned Heat should be banished from RP in the name of artistic integrity.

{#Naughty}

 
they don't give any credit on the album? They were known as blues collectors and experts back then... folklorists who studied the blues. I'm sure they announced quite often who had originally done the song; but I don't know....certainly a lot of white blues bands and white folkies took the exact song or melody of an original song and made money off of it. do you think Led Zep and Bob Dylan should be played on here?

Posted 14 years ago by Giselle62    [ Reply ]
The song "Going Up The Country" was 100% completely ripped off from an older, actual blues man (who CH never gave credit to, never mind royalties).  I heard the original on a public radio blues show, and it is unmistakable theft, note for note.  Canned Heat should be banished from RP in the name of artistic integrity.

{#Naughty}

Posted 14 years ago by Bodhisattva    [ Reply ]
Wow, its been a while since I've heard this one.  Love their tune 'going up the country' also.
Posted 15 years ago by fran_tarkenton    [ Reply ]
 robb104 wrote:
...well it's about time...what a tasty little gem from days gone by...
 
Totally. A quintessential 60s nugget!

Posted 15 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Very nice!
Posted 15 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
 mfassett wrote:
Kermit the Frog sings... man... can't stand this, never could.  
 
Interesting.  Its the whole deadpan Kermit thing that does it for me. . . you should hear the Andy Prieboy version. . .

{#Meditate}

Posted 15 years ago by vandal    [ Reply ]
{#Motor}
Posted 15 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
{#Dancingbanana}
Posted 15 years ago by glassbuteo    [ Reply ]
If EVER there was an underplayed band on RP....
Posted 15 years ago by Bleyfusz    [ Reply ]
A great cut from a Blues Band named after STERNO! {#Lol}
Posted 15 years ago by Walrus_Gumbo    [ Reply ]
Quintessential Canned Heat! Back in the day we (UAW/MF) would throw free concerts at Fillmore East in NYC. These guys were always willing musicians. Great guys to hang out with as well.

Posted 15 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
Sweetness.  Listened to this the first time I dropped.  Damn talk about memories.
Posted 15 years ago by kurtster    [ Reply ]
Kermit the Frog sings... man... can't stand this, never could.  
Posted 15 years ago by mfassett    [ Reply ]
I am honored to have caught this one at such a long interval (or did we just lose some data...?)

Let's not - forget - to BOOGIE!
Posted 15 years ago by sherf    [ Reply ]
...well it's about time...what a tasty little gem from days gone by...
Posted 15 years ago by robb104    [ Reply ]
Wow - this hasn't been played since 2003!!!??  Amazing....gr8 song!  {#Bananapiano}
Posted 15 years ago by Randomax    [ Reply ]
Originally Posted by ludwig7: Definitely the best tune by this group. A nice occasional addition to the playlist!
I prefer 'Goin Up The Country' myself, but great Classic stuff none-the-less. (pimp)
Posted 21 years ago by MsfStl    [ Reply ]
Definitely the best tune by this group. A nice occasional addition to the playlist!
Posted 21 years ago by ludwig7    [ Reply ]