Few people have not heard Roger Miller's famous ballad KING OF THE ROAD. I actually got to know Roger a bit when we both worked at the same record label in Nashville. Turns out he made up the entire song after driving by a sign that read: TRAILERS FOR SALE OR RENT. However, we hobos can actually boast of some real musical Kings Of The Road such as Arlo Guthrie and, of course, his dad Woody Guthrie, Burl Ives, and Merle Haggard. We also have a few authors among our ranks such as Jack London, James Michener, and, Jack Kerouac. Notable actors include, Robert Mitchum, and here again, we must include Burl Ives, who, to my mind, was the best Big Daddy that ever graced a production of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Following we will take a closer look at some of these road kings:
MERLE HAGGARD: In a 2010 interview for VANITY FAIR MAGAZINE (of all places) country music super star Merle Haggard offered the readers some sage advice about hopping freight trains, "If you can't run as fast as the train, it's never going to happen." Merle should know. He was pretty much a full time hobo from 1950 to 1956, and, a part timer most of his life. Merle remembers hoping his first train at about age ten. He didn't have to wander too far from home as his dad worked for the Santa Fe railroad and the Haggard family lived in an old box car his dad had converted into a house. Trains were in his blood. When I worked in the music business in Nashville, we had occasion to swap a hobo yarn or two.
JAMES MICHENER: "Years of wonder and enchantment." That's how James Michener referred to his years as a hobo. By the age of twenty he had toured much of the United States by hopping freights or hitchhiking. His stint as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy wetted his appetite for world travel. Little wonder that he titled his autobiography THE WORLD IS MY HOME. Michener, a native of Doylestown Pennsylvania, opted for a simple life and donated most of the money he earned, more than 100 million dollars in his lifetime. Despite selling over 75 million books, and, winning a Pulitzer prize, he disliked being called an author sometimes remarking that it "stunk of pomposity." A member of The National Hobo Foundation, Britt, Iowa, he was often interviewed for film documentaries like THE AMERICAN HOBO, or, publications such as THE HOBO TIMES (thehobotimes.com). Till the end of his life, he longed for the open road. He is the only hobo to be honored with his image on a U.S. postage stamp. Ok, ok, maybe it had a little something to do with his writing.
WOODY GUTHRIE: What hobo, or regular citizen, has not sang at least a few lines from THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND? Written in 1940 by Woody Guthrie, "The Dust Bowl Troubadour," it has earned a place as a true American anthem. During the Great Depression Woody hoboed about the West with scores of other migrant workers. Although born in Oklahoma, for most of his life Woody made his home in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn New York when he was not on the road. He freely published his address, 3520 Mermaid Avenue, and his home became a popular stop for hobos, musicians, and, other assorted folk. Even today Brooklyn is a hot bed for hobos (Google brooklynhobotimes). Woody wrote a song called MERMAID'S AVENUE in which he lamented, "I've never seen a Mermaid here on Mermaid Avenue." Woody documented his life of traveling and making music in his autobiography, BOUND FOR GLORY. Woody was a member of The National Hobo Foundation, Britt, Iowa.
ARLO GUTHRIE: Following the path of his famous father Woody, Arlo Guthrie birthed another American anthem when he popularized Steve Goodman's railroad ballad, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. To the general public Arlo is best known for his classic work, ALICE'S RESTAURANT, but, to the hobo community, it is his moving rendition of HOBO'S LULLABY, that brings us to tears around the evening fire, especially when Arlo himself is present to sing it with us. Go to the website hobo.com and click on the link: Hobo Musicians. Due to my own musical career, Arlo and I are both members of ASCAP (American Society Composers, Authors, and Publishers) as well as The National Hobo Foundation of Britt, Iowa. We also both played at WOODSTOCK, but, that's a story you'll have to gather around the fire to hear.
ROBERT MITCHUM: There is an old expression, "Art imitates life." or, is it the other way around? In 1933 a film WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD was made that told the story of two teenage boys who took to the hobo life in search of work to help support their Depression Era family. Ironically, that same year, Robert Mitchum and his brother Jack were living the script of that movie in real life. Their father, a railroad worker, was crushed to death in a rail yard accident. The small railroad pension their mother received was not enough to make ends meet. Robert and his brother had a number of hobo adventures including Robert being arrested for vagrancy in Savannah, Georgia and winding up on a chain gang. Robert eventually escaped and rejoined his brother and together they hoboed to New Orleans. The brothers got separated again when Robert managed to hop a train west. His brother Jack missed boarding the boxcar when he was grabbed by a railroad cop. Robert Mitchum, who arrived in Los Angeles in a box car, would go on to act in more than one hundred films, often in the starring role. In the process he landed in jail a few more times, notably for marijuana possession. Little is known about his hoboing after he became a movie star, but, close friends say he remained "footloose" for a good part of his life.
BURL IVES: Often hobos take on road names for reasons of privacy, or, just to be more colorful. Folksinger/actor Burl Ives went by "The Wayfaring Stranger." However, as a member of The National Hobo Foundation, Britt, Iowa, (hobo.com) Burl used his regular name. Many recreational hobos learned their outdoor survival skills in the military or from Scouting. Burl Ives not only served in the U.S. Army Air Force, but, was a life long Boy Scout. Burl is among the elite recipients of the Silver Buffalo Medal, the highest honor The Boy Scouts Of America can award. Burl often spoke and entertained at Boy Scout Jamborees. Feeling that collage was a waste of his time, Burl quit Eastern Illinois University and went hoboing. He made his way around the country playing his banjo and singing folk songs. In the late 80's his former university named a building after their most famous dropout. Burl Ives went on to record over 60 singles and albums and grace us with such iconic songs as BLUE TAIL FLY, BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN (a hobo ditty), and, A HOLLY JOLLY CHRISTMAS. He several times had his own National radio programs, plus a television series. Burl also appeared in 7 major Broadway productions and 30 films winning both the Academy and Golden Globe awards for his role of Rufus Hannassey in the 1958 film THE BIG COUNTRY. When Tennessee Williams penned CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF he wrote the part of "Big Daddy" Pollitt specifically for Burl Ives. Burl played the roll both on Broadway, and later, in the movie. Burl also wrote his autobiography THE WAYFARING STRANGER which he followed up about fifteen years later with, THE WAYFARING STRANGER'S NOTEBOOK. Burl was a lifelong hobo whenever he found the time.
JACK LONDON: Funny about hobos. Jack is the most common hobo name, and, hobos like to write about their adventures. Jack London's classic works CALL OF THE WILD and WHITE FANG are well known to the general public, but, ask a hobo which was London's best work and he will quickly reference THE ROAD, Jack's hoboing memoir. Unfortunately, Jack had rough times as a hobo often being beaten, robbed, or, jailed, and, many times going hungry. Remembrances of sleeping in soggy clothes in the freezing rain make THE ROAD a book that probably discouraged many a would-be hobo. Some of his problems were, no doubt, a product of the time in which he hoboed. The World was a harsher place in the old days. Also, London was a life long social activist. Standing up for your rights when confronted by authority, will usually buy you some misery. As bad as it sometimes got, it did not discourage Jack London. London is registered with the National Hobo Foundation, Britt, Iowa. (hobo.com)
JACK KEROUAC: "I myself was a hobo, but only of sorts..." So stated Jack Kerouac in the beginning of his 1960 essay, THE VANISHING AMERICAN HOBO. Partly, his reasoning was that if you hoboed only until you became a success at something, you were not the genuine article. A true hobo embraces an entire life of drifting and just getting by. Still, at least in the mind of the general public, Kerouac is synonymous with hobo since his sensational novel ON THE ROAD became a best seller in 1957. The book, which Kerouac finished in 1951, took almost 6 years to find a publisher with the courage, or stomach, to set it in print. When the novel took off Kerouac set right to work on the sequel DHARMA BUMS published in late 1958. Although Kerouac worked briefly at one point as a railroad brakeman, and did some hoboing by rail, he usually preferred hitchhiking and walking. He did have plenty of hobo experiences for sure, but, nearly a lifetime of alcohol abuse caused him to often cross the line from hobo to bum. He spent about as much time in big city skid rows as he did in rural hobo jungles. I suggest reading his work and making your own judgements, but be advised, it is not for the faint of heart. Kerouac died at age 47 from alcohol fueled liver failure. Kerouac once wrote: "Everyone ends up in a ditch at some point." Rest in peace Jack.
