You never know who you're going to meet on the internet and I came to know Peter Tibbles (bio here) via email over the past couple of years. His extensive knowledge of most genres of music and his excellent taste became apparent only gradually (Peter's not one to toot his horn) but once I understood, I knew he needed his own column at Time Goes By - or, better, that TGB needed his column - which appears here each Sunday. You can find previous Elder Music columns here.

I thought of doing a blog about the many songs called On The Road Again. There are certainly enough. Instead, as the “Route 66” and “Promised Land” pieces seemed to be quite popular, I’ll do a “travelogue” using just one of the songs.

I could have used Bob Dylan’s, but he doesn’t mention many places. Neither does Willie Nelson in his song. Also scrub Canned Heat. That leaves the best one of all, Tom Rush.

Tom pretty much invented the super-cool singer/songwriter genre some years before James Taylor. In fact, he discovered James and recorded his songs before James ever had a record deal. Tom did the same with Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne.

♫ Tom Rush - On the Road Again

Hey, hey, hey, On the road again.
Now, locked my doors, the sun went down
Said goodbye to Boston town.
Mass turnpike to route 15
You take me on down to New York scene
Hummin’ of the tyres, it sure is pretty
Thinking ‘bout the women in New York city
I’m on the road again

I spent nearly a year living in Boston in the early Seventies. This may not seem such a big deal to you but this was a boy from Oz (boy? huh, I was 28).

This is a picture of Boston from some years ago, before I was there. Cup of tea, anyone?

Tom’s saying goodbye to Boston, but Dave Loggins is asking you to come back in Please Come to Boston.

♫ Dave Loggins - Please Come To Boston

I don’t know any songs about New York (and if you believe that I have this bridge you may be interested in buying). I already had a full quota so New York missed out in the music department. Here is a photo in compensation.

Now I can’t stop more than just a few minutes
Baby make love to you
Hey, hey, hey.  On the road again.

You take the Holland Tunnel to the Jersey ‘pike
Roll through Philly in the middle of the night
I’m on the road again.

I do have a song for the Holland Tunnel, however. It’s called Holland Tunnel and it’s performed by John Phillips (once a Papa).

The song also references the New Jersey Turnpike. Two for the price of one.

♫ John Phillips - Holland Tunnel

Speaking of Jersey, it gives me a good excuse (as if I need one) to include Tom Waits performing Jersey Girl.

♫ Tom Waits - Jersey Girl

I went downtown D.C.
Runnin’ all around the town
Tryin’ to find a little lady
Hit me when I’m down
Nobody answers, ain’t anybody home
Grab me a cab, get to Baltimore
She got great long hair, big old smile
Great long legs that drive me wild

And hey. I’m on the road again

Now I can’t stop more than just a few minutes
Baby tell you about my love for you
Hey, hey, hey.  I’m on the road again

And so, to D.C. and the best song ever about this place: Huddie Ledbetter’s Bourgeois Blues.

This photo was taken by Matthew Brady. It is Ford’s Theatre in Washington (“Apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?” Sorry).

♫ Huddie Ledbetter- The Bourgeois Blues

I have two fine songs for Baltimore. It was pretty much a tossup to decide which to include. Finally, I went for Tim Hardin singing his song Lady Came From Baltimore as I seem to be in a singer/songwritery type mood.

Here is Baltimore in earlier times. We hope it’s a bit more peaceful these days.

♫ Tim Hardin - Lady Came From Baltimore

Now, I hate to go, I just can’t stay
Got to make it to Atlanta by the break of day
And hey. On the road again.
Hey, hey, hey. On the road again.

I got the Georgia patrol hot on my tail
Hit the throttle, I’m moving special airmail
The sunshine state, it sure looks sweet
Put the Georgia patrol back a’pounding the beat
Put her in overdrive, Rollin’ down the turnpike
Listen to the whistle of the wind, feeling just like, hey
I’m on the road again

Now I can’t stop more than just a few minutes
Baby make love to you
Hey, hey, hey, I’m on the road again

I’ll skip over Atlanta as it was covered in Promised Land and got the flick as I already had too may songs. Another time.

Here are some railway locomotives in Atlanta going nowhere in particular.

Miami women, they sure are jive
They get their men if it’s dead or alive
And hey, I’m on the road again

I include Miami just so I can slip in Jimmy Buffett singing A Pirate Looks at Forty. It probably should be called A Pirate Looks at Seventy these days.

This is someone on the road in Miami.

Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate Looks at Forty

Now, it’s too many places
Too many towns
Too many faces going to drag me down
Believe I’ll leave Chicago
I believe I’ll roll
Back down to Boston
And rest my soul
I’m on a time ticket
Moving way too fast
Got to pull into fast stop and get me some gas
And hey, I’m on the road again

Now I won’t be stopping more than just a few minutes
Baby, baby, make love to you
Hey, hey, hey. I’m on the road again

As with New York, songs are hard to come by for Chicago (okay, as for New York, I’m lying to you). I’ve featured a number of songs about Chicago over the months (or months to come, depending on when this is published) so I’ll skip that fair city with just this photo.

Got a woman that I’m lovin’,
I believe I’ll leave her
‘cause I’ve never been to Denver
or the west coast either
And hey, I’m on the road again
Hey, hey, hey.  I’m on the road again
Hey, hey, hey.  On the road again
I say hey.  I’m on the road again

I’m omitting Denver from the song-list, although it does get referenced in the Boston song, so that will do. Denverites will have to be content with this picture. From the evidence of the photo there don’t seem to be many people in Denver.

A picture of the west coast.

This is Highway 1 south of San Francisco, and it’s a gorgeous drive. Nearly as beautiful as the Great Ocean Road in south west Victoria.