Bill Staines is an American songwriter and folk singer from New England, we… Read Full Bio ↴Bill Staines is an American songwriter and folk singer from New England, well known for composing children's songs as well as folk songs with a timeless quality. In the early 1960s he started his professional career in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area. Staines began touring nationwide a few years later. In 1975 he won the National Yodeling Championship at the Kerrville Folk Festival. He performs about 200 times a year and has appeared on A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, and The Good Evening Show.

Notable Bill Staines songs include "Bridges," "Crossing the Water," "Sweet Wyoming Home", "The Roseville Fair", "A Place in the Choir", "Child of Mine," and "River."

His songs have been recorded by other artists including, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Makem and Clancy, Nanci Griffith, Mason Williams, The Highwaymen, Glenn Yarborough, Jerry Jeff Walker, Grandpa Jones, and Priscilla Herdman. Staines has recorded twenty-two of his own albums, fifteen of which are still in print as of 2005. His songs have been published in four songbooks, If I Were A Word, Then I'd Be A Song; River; Music To Me: The Songs of Bill Staines; and All God's Critters Got A Place In The Choir.

Staines is left-handed and plays a right-handed guitar upside-down so that the bass strings are at the bottom. He has developed his own fingerings and picking style over long years playing this way.

In 2004 his memoir, The Tour: A Life Between the Lines, was published.

Hobo's Lullaby
Bill Staines Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Go to sleep you weary hobo,
Let the towns drift slowly by.
Can't you hear those steel rails humming,
That's the hobo's lullaby.

Don't you worry 'bout tomorrow,
Let tomorrow come and go.
Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar,

Sale from all the wind and snow.

I know your clothes are torn and tattered.
And your hair is turning gray,
But lift your head and smile at trouble,
You'll find peace and rest someday.

Chorus

I know the police give you trouble.
They cause trouble everywhere,
But when you die and go to heaven,
There'll be no policemen there.

Chorus

Overall Meaning

In the song "Hobo's Lullaby" by Bill Staines, the singer is addressing a weary hobo, someone who is likely homeless, possibly due to financial difficulties, and is likely traveling by hopping trains. The singer encourages the hobo to rest and not worry about tomorrow, and to listen to the sound of the train tracks, which serves as a soothing lullaby. Despite the difficult circumstances, the singer acknowledges the hardships that come with being a hobo, including torn clothing and gray hair, but encourages the hobo to find peace and rest someday.

The second verse mentions the police causing trouble for the hobo, suggesting that they may be persecuted or mistreated for their lifestyle or even for being homeless. Despite this, the singer says that there will be no policemen in heaven, implying that the hobo's struggles and persecutions on earth will eventually end.

Overall, the song portrays the difficult but also somewhat romanticized life of a hobo, with its sense of freedom and adventure but also its challenges and limitations. The song encourages the hobo to find peace and comfort in the moment and suggests that there is hope for a better future beyond this life.

Line by Line Meaning

Go to sleep you weary hobo,
Close your eyes and rest, tired traveler.

Let the towns drift slowly by.
Let the landscapes pass you by as you leave your troubles behind.

Can't you hear those steel rails humming,
Let the sound of the railways lull you to sleep.

That's the hobo's lullaby.
It's a soothing sound that only the hobos can appreciate.

Don't you worry 'bout tomorrow,
Don't fret about the future.

Let tomorrow come and go.
Let it pass like any other day.

Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar,
Take comfort in the shelter the train car provides.

Sale from all the wind and snow.
You're safe from the harsh weather conditions outside.

I know your clothes are torn and tattered.
I understand that your clothing is worn and damaged.

And your hair is turning gray,
Your hair is losing its natural color due to the hardships you've endured.

But lift your head and smile at trouble,
Raise your head and put on a brave face despite adversity.