Living In The Country
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics

You know the guitar came to Europe with the gypsies 700 years ago
The origin of the guitar can be traced back to the gypsies who came to Europe 700 years ago

Spain brought the guitar to Mexico 400 years ago
Spain introduced the guitar to Mexico around 400 years ago

U.S.A. picked a quarrel with Mexico and got Texas and California
The USA acquired Texas and California after conflicts with Mexico

And it also got the guitar and the guitar got us
Moreover, the USA inherited the guitar, which has become an integral part of American music culture

It was Afro American people in the south
It was the African-American community in the South

That worked out this way of playing it though
Who developed the fingerstyle of playing the guitar

You know in Europe they usually play a guitar
The traditional way of playing the guitar in Europe is different from the fingerstyle playing developed by African-Americans

But the Afro American peple worked out a way to play it
However, African Americans developed a distinctive way of playing the guitar, like playing in a drum band

The base strings were played by a thumb with a steady beat
The bass strings were typically played rhythmically by thumping with the thumb

And the top strings were played
While the other strings on the upper side were played differently

With the finger and got all the little off beats
Fingers were used to play the other strings to create the syncopated or off the beat notes

Up in Syracuse there's a 92 year old woman
There is a 92-year-old woman in Syracuse, who is an important figure in American folk music

Who wrote a song, which some of you may know
She composed a popular song that many people may recognize

She plays it, who knows it?
It is worth listening to her play that song if you get the chance

Freight train, freight train goin' so fast
The song 'Freight Train' is being mentioned here

Please don't tell them which train I'm on
The singer requests not to reveal the details of the train they are traveling on

So they won't know which route I've gone
The reason behind the singer's request is to keep their route a secret

When I die just bury me deep
The lyrics now switch to the theme of death and burial

Down at the foot of old Chestnut Street
The singer requests to be buried at Chestnut Street

So I can hear old number nine
So that the sound of old number nine, which the singer possibly associates with a passing train, can be heard

As she goes roaring by
As the old number nine passes by, the sound will be heard even more prominently

When I'm dead and in my grave
The singer continues to discuss their death and burial in the next verse

No more good times do I crave
The singer implicitly indicates their satisfaction of living a fulfilling life and has no unfulfilled desire

Place the tombstone at my head and my feet
The instructions for the grave attendant is to place the tombstone at both the head and the feet of the singer's grave

Tell my friends that I've gone to sleep
The singer asks others to inform their friends and loved ones that they have peacefully passed away