Roughneck
Johnny Cash (With The Carter Family) Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Born to be a roughneck I'll never amount to nothin'
Pullin' case and layin' pipe is hard labor
Well I was born in a boomer shack bout a half mile from town
Papa was a driller on a wildcat crew and my mama never was around
I learn to cuss when I was two and fight when I was three
And by the time I was five there was no kid alive could ever get the best of me
Born to be a roughneck...
[ banjo ]

Well I started workin' like a regular man when I was just about knee high
Skinning the knuckles with my two bare hands but they never heard me cry
I remember walkin' down the road and hearin' somebody say
He was born to live a rougneck's life and he's never gonna change his ways

Born to be a roughneck...
Born to be a roughneck...

Overall Meaning

The song "Roughneck" by Johnny Cash talks about the rough and tough life of a blue-collar worker in the oil industry. The lyrics reveal the singer's pride in being from a rough and tough background and working hard for a living. He talks about his childhood memories of growing up in a "boomer shack" and learning how to curse and fight. He shares the struggles and physical labor of his job - "Pullin' case and layin' pipe is hard labor.” Despite all of this, the singer expresses contentment with his lifestyle and claims that he was "born to be a roughneck."

This song's lyrics reflect the difficulties faced by many working-class individuals and their connection to their homes and families in the oil industry. It is also a tribute to the people who work hard and are proud of their blue-collar roots. The song’s energetic melody and the vibrant sound of the banjo create a joyful and uplifting atmosphere, capturing the energy and enthusiasm of the people working in the oil industry.

Line by Line Meaning

Born to be a roughneck
My destiny is to work hard in the oil fields and I'll be satisfied with that

I'll never amount to nothin'
I may not be educated, but I can work hard and make a living

Pullin' case and layin' pipe is hard labor
Working in the oil fields is physically demanding and not for everyone

Well I was born in a boomer shack bout a half mile from town
I was born in a small and humble home near the town

Papa was a driller on a wildcat crew and my mama never was around
My father worked as an oil driller and my mother was not present in my life

I learn to cuss when I was two and fight when I was three
I was exposed to rough language and violence at a young age

And by the time I was five there was no kid alive could ever get the best of me
I became tough and unafraid of any physical challenge at a young age

Well I started workin' like a regular man when I was just about knee high
I began working at a young age and had to grow up fast

Skinning the knuckles with my two bare hands but they never heard me cry
I endured physical pain from work, but I never complained

I remember walkin' down the road and hearin' somebody say
I recall hearing someone remark about my destiny to work in the oil fields

He was born to live a roughneck's life and he's never gonna change his ways
It's clear that working hard in the oil fields is my calling, and I won't stray from it

Born to be a roughneck...
I was born to work hard in the oil fields and I embrace that role

Lyrics © DOTSON-WOOLEY ENTERTAINMENT
Written by: S. WOOLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@itskuby443

1y↑14

Just became a roughneck couple weeks ago, absolutely love the job and just found this song, absolutely love it 😅

@xx_pcgamer_xx6866

19w

bro you look five in your profile picture💀lil bro still in third grade

@rogerkolaski4200

50w↑7

My dad has been in the patch for 30+ plus year strongest man I know forearms like Popeye I remember in highschool I tried to wrestle with him wrapped my arms around his shoulders and couldn't touch the back of his head because his shoulders we're so big when I was younger I started like he did and I've thrown hay but nothing compares to working in a corn field in the summer pulling joints out of a hole hardest work I've ever done by far and it'll make you strong as a ox nothing but respect for roughnecks

@rumblebee5812

4y↑23

You don't choose this life this life's chooses you

@user-tu1be8yf8o

3y↑3

Damn right

@thegoodwolf4255

10y↑185

love these old working man songs, makes me think of my grandfather and men who were twice as hard as the hardest man now days

@barbarasawyer3467

8y↑6

My mom also...She worked in the woods

@noelshelton5643

8y↑1

Barbara Sawyer

@bproudd

6y↑14

We're still around, just far and few between.

@ethan_freeman_9196

6y↑2

Yeah its pretty hard to find us nowadays

@clintontennison8660

Kyle park

7 More Replies...

@canadianluver46

14y↑14

this song means sometrhing to a guy like my self who noes that he will be nothing but a rough neck the rest of his life

@dubvisionz89

4w↑1

I feel this. Since 19 I been in the patch.

@joeo7257

1y↑2

"Born to be a roughneck, I'll never amount to nuthin." B.S.! Who says a roughneck is nothing? I worked along side of plenty of good men. Most "worms" don't have the grit to make a hand. I'm 3rd gen. oilfield worker in Oklahoma. Formerly Derrick man, now on the business end. Far from 'Nothin".

@markmeyer6800

5y↑7

I missed everything big in life for that oilfield dollar. When I die probably won’t be missed much. I never was and still am not around much.

@jimmysmith8714

3y↑2

I absolutely agree with you. I live on the rig and the road more than I do at home. It's not an easy life but it takes care of the family.

@420dredog

9y↑15

My veins will always pump black gold.....

@odatmatt

7y↑43

I worked the last 2 standard oil derricks in the country, Parker 45 and Parker 52. We drilled a 28,000 foot hole in Okla. and then scrapped out 45. Then we drilled a 27,000 ft. hole there and scrapped out old 52. Now those were 2 good rigs, they just cost too much to move. Was on a few when they blew out and burned the rig down and I worked on Parker 201, largest rig in the world for a while, too much scrubbing and too many TV crews out to film it for the news. We did get a hole down 36,700 feet in Sayer Okla. Great job if you were crazy and liked working 12 hrs. a day 7 days a week.

@dickidydoodah

6y↑6

Did any of those holes produce anything other than calluses? I worked on the last National drilling rig working in the U.S. in Troy Pa. It was a #3 metal rig, we drilled 7500 ft and was the only cable right to hit the Marcellus shale. The pressure was so high it blew the tooling out of the hole. We all took off running like crazy!

@Jejh4lom

11w

Depending on treatment they probably produce gas and are still alive thank you sir for paving the way

@jerrykinnin7941

4y↑23

We need to hear this on today's country stations. I've not listened to the radio since every other commercial is another lieing ass politican. I'm a trucker by trade.
No work no eat.

@DeltaDanner

2y↑1

I’d give for a country song that isn’t pop with a fake southern accent. Back when it was music about the men who made America and the common man, not drinking and clubs.

@diamondlion7304

10y↑22

Just got put up to Derrickhand and found this song haha good shit!!

@nickmoseley5968

5y↑1

Diamond Lion are you still alive ?

@tytaylor9331

@@nickmoseley5968 think he's dead now

@rumblebee5812

4y↑1

@@tytaylor9331 we're oil workers we don't die easily

@joeo7257

Derric man myself. You ain't nothin. This is a shitty song.

@watsonlong4519

9y↑33

Trying to adjust to a normal job after getting laid off in February and it has been tough.

@untillirott

9y↑5

Prayers from bakersfield,ca brother the oilfields will eventually rise again

@LadyRosalieA

9y↑3

+Watson Long it will get better next year , praying for you

@lcgtr235

8y↑6

+Watson Long with you there bud, I got layed off in September, im from Australia not good at all, spend all my time watchin rig clips on youtube

@kennydobbins9644

8y↑1

I'm sorry.

@charlietaulbee6172

It’s only been a week for a part time Job and I’m ready to get back to work

@andresgallegos6399

6y↑8

Damn proud of working in the oil field!!

@calebheney302

4y↑3

My grandfather was an Okie roughneck. Think I might end up like him

@countrymusicbydode9280

5y↑11

I play cash and feel better after a rough day or finish off a great day on a high
Country music by dode

@grxwcannabis

5y↑6

I am up at 7am after workin 13hr shift. I go back in today at 4pm and work till 6 am . Another 15 hr shift

@garyoak317

5y↑2

Metal Brain Good honest work. Stay safe brother

@grxwcannabis

5y↑2

Thanks bud

@grxwcannabis

5y↑2

35 hours 6 hours of sleep

@bigrigger10

14y↑5

Tribute to the men chasin the black gold by the Man In Black!!

@Samandrosajonesar

10y↑6

Great song !!! Thanks for posting.

@Billschneider42

49w

Pap Kelly was a wildcatter in Ritchie County, WV. He would take me to the oil patch to get me out of Grandma’s hair. We would have a bid picnic lunch for investors when we brought a well “in” with Murdy-Bickel Torpedo company “shooting the well”. Oil would gush over the derrick and rigging with investors dancing around - covered in oil. GREAT TIMES!

@karskatmesodd

12y↑2

this should be on the greatest hits

@peterstromboli8979

4y↑3

Haaaaaaaaaaard labor

@zacherymcclure327

7y↑62

It's in the Blood. You got it or you don't. You wanna work?
Get your rear end out here we'll make a hand out of you.
Or break you on the way.

@ethanhammons2757

6y↑2

zachery mcclure amen brother I'm a roughneck commercial hvac is what I do for a living

@dayonecannabis731

I worked on a rig in Midland Texas. Unfortunately I got let go for self defense. I miss the work. It sucks im not out there now!! Hard work but it sucks I actually miss it and hope to get on another rig soon

@rumblebee5812

Hell yeah

@benwise6517

4y↑1

I wanna work!
Sign me up

@roadieurinalcake1182

Facts

2 More Replies...

@kokkor

13y↑1

OFT and damn proud!

@joeo7257

I'm 3rd generation Oilfield. You are only trash if you believe it.

@zacherymcclure327

7y↑7

leaving the Bakken for the first time in years, wish me luck

@trollmanize

8y↑3

hell yeah roughneck for cr oilfeild west tx

@garypollard2812

5y↑1

Im a old hand 67 you old fighter fair

@XeXc

13y↑14

FUCK FIGHT or TRIPE PIPE god bless everybody workin' in da oilpatch.

@user-ve1kh7xq5x

6y↑1

XeXc stfu scrub

@MrEpiphone21

8y↑2

Cant wait to get back to Williston

@vendetta1306

7y↑1

This is tuff!

@dylanlemoine5321

4y↑2

I’m only 17 I wanna get on the rigs so bad man

@aceclark5697

12y↑1

running casing ,,,,for life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@dragonbeast9318

Very nice

@anthonyruiz5868

6y↑2

Reminds me of my grandpop

@danielcatoe3901

6y↑10

Make em bitte

@Fwazonly

5y↑4

Story of my goddamn life. Ah well.

@joeo7257

So you agree that you're 'nothin"? Not me!

@larrygordon8557

7y↑3

Check out the original version by Sheb Wooley, that's a killer!

@legsdontworkever6672

Hard labor……. He ain’t lying

@keithsevcik4374

Fuck fight trip pipe still playing the shit outta this on x39 stx cuhhh

@RAMLIA1

10y↑1

❤️❤️❤️

@arrikis99

13y

trinidad 91!

@sovietsks45

12y

yup

@TheFarmerfitz

12y

@gremlinuk1968 Yes, that is a Banjo!!!!

@satterfield276

6y↑1

Well I started working like a regular man when I was just about knee high

@livingwastland

11y↑1

no push or driller or even derrickhand?

@alanyoung2

12y

@andynwoody27 Is that in Cali?

@valselzer6522

Theme song for ole Cromwell Oklahoma

@screamingdemon2453

6y↑2

Never seen a 28'000 ft well in Oklahoma not saying there isn't I ran pipe on a 26'000 in eastern ok

@joeo7257

Actually they are deeper than that in Western Oklahoma.

@batfunk84

12y

Bad ass kelly

@lerocco29

11y

you should proud of a lot more than that...it's not the best part of you rlife but you love to treat it like it is

@anthonysvacuums

10y↑1

sounds like my oldest son...

@XeXc

12y

listenin' to this makes me want to drink some oilbase

@greaseization

12y

He says on the internet from his brand new laptop from his house in the city.

@AngryScotProductions

12y

@canadianluver46 i know the feelign man. i was literaly born in a fuckign shack. this is my theme song. no joke bro i aitn a poser.

@rockaholic114

13y

Nabors 688

@gearreviewwithswampy5794

I am a roughneck because I’m a volunteer fire fighter you have to be hard to be a volunteer fire fighter

@tongbuck

4y↑2

Roughneck is an oil worker, specially on a drilling rig. You ain't a roughneck less you worked tongs and chains.

@jimmysmith8714

3y↑1

Are you fucking serious. That's like saying you was a marine but was a weekend warrior. I been both a roughneck and a firefighter 2 totally different things. Roughneck is a name you earn on a Kell rig not this fancy shit they have now days. They are called fluff necks

@chtaea

9y↑2

I'm the baddest roughy there was I'm so bad if your ever on the phone with god and I call you better click over and see what the hell I want

@dj440575

13y

Ensign Rig 514 derek hand

@xoxshawnaxox92

What do you want

@RockyRoszel

14y

hmmm. Sound like grandad. :)

@johnkroner7145

6y↑3

back when men were men i'm 33 yo and there's damb few of us left with dry rough hands

@sarahburggraf861

6y↑1

John Kroner if they get to dry soak em in cider or insideher 😘

@johnkroner7145

and how old are you

@stevenbrown7042

5y↑1

I'm 35 and can sand a 2x4 with my bare hands as my dad and grandpa said it. I've been around so much diesel and grease it's part of my blood now. I was raised if you aint bruised and bleeding you don't earn that beer at the end of the day. Y'all have a blessed weekend.

@Cj-yw8cs

I am a roughneck

@Cj-yw8cs

Run more pipe than most men have seen

@stephen47lagardo

roughneck and rigman what is the diffrence between them

@gremlinuk1968

13y

Dont Want sound like Dum But is that a BANJO, playen ,,??? on a J Cash Song,?!!!

@mr.realdeal6779

5y↑2

I chose roughnecking as my last option to make a living. Literally it’s slavery for oil. It’s not worth the the beating on your body

@aidanmolina6513

5y↑4

Mikel Phillips not with that attitude boy, go make your self a round trip like I did in North Dakota

@joshuakleinsasser7497

Man up!!

@mr.realdeal6779

@@joshuakleinsasser7497 been there done that. Not worth it

@jodeehopkins1900

7y↑6

Rough neck aint nothin compared to a lumberjack.

@yugen

7y↑8

Jodee Hopkins well luckily Johnny Cash has a song about that too!

@tannerjordan3957

6y↑3

Obviously youve never been a real roughneck then you lil lumberjack bitch

@westexascaser4324

casing crew shits on all..

@jonahhastie-hooley6362

@@tannerjordan3957 😂😂

@AngryScotProductions

12y

lol ok then buddy

@noelshelton5643

oil rigs

@chuckheppner3374

10y↑6

Oilfield Trash

@chuckheppner3374

You fucking wurms are eating -up the oilpatch, +dennis Wilcox‼
You stupid POS. 💩

@denniswilcox3970

Come to ontario I'm a hard working guy helping people to get back work selling them cheap reliable cars a mans as only as good as his word you're word is a pos

@chuckheppner3374

8y↑5

Are you really experienced, or are you just another poseur?
FYI: "Oilfield Trash" is a colloquial term of endearment.
Meanwhile, at the Knowledge-Box is, +dennis Wilcox, the "honest" used-car salesman from Ontario, attempts to educate someone who broke-out as a roughneck in the days of yore; back when the derricks were made of wood,and the men were made of iron. I've worked on offshore, and land-based drilling rigs all over the world, just like my father before me, my brother, and my eldest son as well; and we all proudly answer to the moniker of 'oilfield-trash'.

Wise-up you freakin' moron‼ ┌∩┐ (◣◢) ┌∩┐