Introduction To "Hobo Bill" - Merle Haggard

Introduction To Hobo Bill

The hobo was a subject that the late and great Jimmie Rogers

Sang of many times during his great career

And the freight train served a faithful means of travel for the migrant

worker or for the fella out of work or some ole boy

That just wanted to live off the fat of our great land

And of course at this time the fat was kind a scarce

Because during the period of Jimmie Rodger’s greatest popularity

Our great Nation’s economy was at all time low

And it was known as the depression days

During this time it wasn’t unusual to see 50 or 75 hobos

Jump from a moving freight train as it neared the edge of a city

This was dangerous but it was done to keep from being caught by the

train bulls that worked the great freight yards during this era

A lot of the hobos were respectable men and rode the rods

Because it provided a dependable means of travel which they could afford

And some of them made their destinations and some of them died along

the tracks and their friends and family never knew what happened to 'em

And I would imagine maybe that Hobo Bill was one of them…