On the road
BUSH Sam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lives a little girl named Pearly Blue
About so high, and her hair is brown
The prettiest thing, boys, in this town
Well any time you wanna know
Just where I'm goin' down the road
Get my girl on the line
You'll find me there most any time
Down the road, down the road,
Got a pretty little girl, down the road
Now every day and Sunday too
I go to see my Pearly Blue
Before you hear that rooster crow,
You'll see me headed down the road
Down the road, down the road,
Got a little pretty girl, down the road
Well every time I get the blues,
I walk the soles right off my shoes
Don't know why I love her so,
That gal of mine lives down the road
In Bush's song "On the Road," the lyrics paint a picture of a young man constantly traveling down the road to visit his love interest, a girl named Pearly Blue. The song reveals that Pearly Blue is a pretty girl with brown hair who lives just a mile or two away, making the journey to see her a habitual occurrence for the singer. The repetition of the phrase "down the road" emphasizes the idea of a repetitive journey and the importance of the destination. The singer's love for Pearly Blue is so strong that when he is feeling down or blue, he walks the soles right off his shoes. The song's simple and upbeat lyrics showcase the singer's unwavering love for Pearly Blue and his willingness to make the journey to see her at any time.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written by traditional bluegrass musician and songwriter, Bill Monroe. The song was recorded by Bush on his album "King of My World," which was released in 2001. Despite the song's title, it has no relation to Jack Kerouac's novel "On the Road." The lyrical repetition of the phrase "down the road" is a common feature in many traditional bluegrass songs. The song was covered by a number of other artists, including Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and was a popular tune during the bluegrass revival of the 1980s.
Another interesting fact is that the phrase "Pearly Blue" refers to the flowers of the Blue Pearly Everlasting plant, which is native to North America. The plant produces small white flowers with a yellow center, which bloom in late summer and early fall. The song has been described as a classic example of a bluegrass love song, showcasing the genre's emphasis on storytelling and acoustic instrumentation. The song's melody is relatively simple and utilizes the traditional bluegrass instruments of the banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle.
The chords for "On the Road" are as follows:
Verse 1:
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
Chorus:
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
Verse 2:
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
Chorus:
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
G - - - | C - - - | G - - - | D - - - |
Line by Line Meaning
Now down the road just a mile or two
I live a short distance away from Pearly Blue
Lives a little girl named Pearly Blue
Pearly Blue is the girl who lives near me
About so high, and her hair is brown
Pearly Blue is short in height and has brown hair
The prettiest thing, boys, in this town
Pearly Blue is the most beautiful girl in our town
Well any time you wanna know
Feel free to ask me anytime
Just where I'm goin' down the road
I will tell you where I am going down the road
Get my girl on the line
Call Pearly Blue's telephone number
You'll find me there most any time
I am usually with Pearly Blue
Down the road, down the road,
I am going down the same road repeatedly
Got a pretty little girl, down the road
I have a beautiful girlfriend who lives down the road
Now every day and Sunday too
I see my girlfriend every day including Sunday
I go to see my Pearly Blue
I visit Pearly Blue frequently
Before you hear that rooster crow,
It's early in the morning before the rooster crows
You'll see me headed down the road
You will spot me moving towards Pearly Blue's home
Got a little pretty girl, down the road
My girlfriend, Pearly Blue is a beautiful girl who lives near me
Well every time I get the blues,
Whenever I am upset or unhappy
I walk the soles right off my shoes
I walk too much and too hard till I wear out the soles of my shoes
Don't know why I love her so,
I am not sure why I am deeply in love with Pearly Blue
That gal of mine lives down the road
My girlfriend, Pearly Blue, lives close to my place
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: M. McAnally
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
T’Robert Smif
Saw them at old settlers. Blew my
Mind
fractuss
A John Hartford tune if I am not mistaken.
Tricia Berkow
It is DEFINITELY a John Hartford tune. I produced this DVD ...
Lindsey Wannemacher
I only discovered this song last year, and I had no idea John Hartford originally did it, that’s awesome!
Tricia Berkow
Dig the 5/4 time on this one !
Eisenhower Warned Us
The melody in this song sounds like it's borrowed from a traditional folk/Irish song but I can't put a finger on it. I know the one I'm thinking about is in my Spotify library, but I can't recall anything about the title. Perhaps it's a common mandolin tune.