Country Music

The song “King of the Road” by Roger Miller was a cross between Sixties country music and pop music. Even a hobo can take pleasure in his freedom — and have a sense of humor. Roger Miller wrote the song and released it as a single backed with “Atta Boy Girl” in 1965. It was also on his 1965 album The Return of Roger Miller. Evidently Miller was driving and saw a sign on the side of a barn that said “trailers for sale or rent,” and that became the beginning of the song. In 1965, the song went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles, U.S. Easy Listening Chart, on the U.K. Singles Chart, and in Norway. It went to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #5 in Ireland, and #10 in Canada. There have been numerous covers, including versions by The Proclaimers, Randy Travis George Jones, Dean Martin, Jack Jones, Johnny Paycheck, R.E.M., Alvin and The Chipmunks, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many more.

Roger Miller was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1936. He is probably best known for his country/pop hits “England Swings,” “Dang Me,” “Chug-a-Lug,” “Husband and Wives,” and “Little Green Apples,” to name a few. Miller died at the age of 56 of lung cancer in 1992.

Here are the lyrics to “King of the Road” by Roger Miller:

“Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain’t got no cigarettes
Ah, but, two hours of pushin’ broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I’m a man of means by no means, king of the road.

Third boxcar, midnight train, destination, Bangor, Maine.
Old worn out suit and shoes,
I don’t pay no union dues,
I smoke old stogies I have found short, but not too big around
I’m a man of means by no means, king of the road.

I know every engineer on every train
All of their children, and all of their names
And every handout in every town
And every lock that ain’t locked, when no one’s around.

I sing, trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain’t got no cigarettes
Ah, but, two hours of pushin’ broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I’m a man of means by no means, king of the road.

Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain’t got no cigarettes
Ah, but, two hours of pushin’ broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I’m a man of means by no means, king of the road.”

If you would like to read about and listen to an answer song to “King of the Road” from a woman’s point of view, please click here for “Queen of the Road” by Jody Miller (strangely enough, no relation to Roger).

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free Sixties music there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “King of the Road” by Roger Miller.