From the recording Hobo Highway
Hobo Highway
I had read The Cold Millions by Jess Walter and was intrigued by some of the hobo culture of the early 20th century described in the book. Tim and I got into some old Hobo terminology and wrote this song around it.
written by:
Tim Stafford (Daniel House Music, BMI) & Thomm Jutz (Thomm Songs, SESAC admin. by Bluewater Music)
Thomm Jutz; guitars and vocals
recorded and mixed by Thomm Jutz at TJTunes, Nashville/TN
mastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering, Nashville/TN
I recorded this song playing and singing at the same time.
The guitar I used is a 1930 Gibson L-0.
Vocals were recorded with an AEA R44 ribbon microphone, the guitar was recorded with an AEA R84 ribbon microphone.
Both microphones ran through an Audioscape Golden 58 mic pre, and into Audiscape V-Comp+ compressors.
I bought the L-0 from Fred Oster’s Vintage Instruments in Philadelphia. Mike Compton turned me on to it. It’s a great guitar, scarily light, plays really easy, and sounds so good. You can hear the character of the guitar and the ribbon mic complementing each other, I love that punchy, mid-rangy sound.
Lyrics
Hobo Highway
Back door bumming
Till the trains starts running
Dodging the bulls a day
There’s always one going
And a whistle-a-blowing
Gotta be on my way
When you hear the highball
It might be a close call
Jump in the boxcar and ride
Crossing the river
Soon she’ll deliver us
Safe on the Arkansas side
Heading down the Hobo Highway
Traveling down the drifter road
I got nothing to my name but a nickel
Carrying a heavy load
Don’t take much thinking
When it comes to drinking
A hit of Wild Irish Rose
Might go for some rye
When the biscuits hang high
It warms you up I suppose
Riding the blinds
Way out behind
The baggage car and caboose
North to Chicago
Wherever the wind blows
You know you got nothing to lose
Chorus