The Hobos is a Latvian rock band, that was founded in 1999 in Rīga, Latvia,… Read Full Bio ↴The Hobos is a Latvian rock band, that was founded in 1999 in Rīga, Latvia, when Rolands Ūdris (vocals, guitar) came back to Latvia from one of his travels around the world. He teamed up with Mārtiņš Burkēvics (bass), Egons Kronbergs (guitar) and Vilnis Krieviņš (drums) and began writing their first songs, which eventually got released on their first studio album Numbvision. This release became a smash hit in Latvia selling more than 8000 copies by the end of the year.

Their second studio release, titled Perfect Solutions and recorded in Abbey Road studios, London with the help of producer Nick Webb (has worked with artists and acts such as John Lennon, Queen, Pink Floyd and Duran Duran), sees the daylight in 2001 and is followed by Flashback Mornings with it’s hit single Walk All Night. The Hobos are hailed by many critics as the best thing to come out of Latvia in the last decade.

In 2004, after two long years, The Hobos came out with yet another successful release – band’s first double album Radio Jah Jah. A very special occasion, since the second CD is complied almost entirely of cover versions. Suffice to say, this another example of The Hobos long-standing search for original musical directions.

Since 2006 The Hobos are back in studio, working on their next release due, which is due out soon.

Also: a Brixton based Americana band

Information
The Hobos Lyrics

We have lyrics for 'Information' by these artists:

Beck Aaah The information is laughing at us The ticker tape feed…
Berlin So it's a numbers game Every number has a name Doesn't mea…
Billy and the Jets Well, I heard that since you said we're through You bought…
C.P.S. When you're rising, everyone's on you. When you fall, many d…
Charly Beutin & Die Schreckschuss-Band När lillbabs berättar hur ungarna mår Då pöser jag över av…
Classified Bringing information It's all a thinking process kid My …
cobra charlie Information Allt jag hör är information En miljon människor …
Course Of Empire I'm working at a service station Working myself into the gro…
D.W.I. Neural networks notwithstanding But instead placated, satiat…

Date-X I was a happy man Before I discovered the internet Before I…
Dave Edmunds She's been around me all the while Try as I might,…
Dave Edmunds (with Jeff Lynne) She's been around me all the while Try as I might,…
Dr. Justice & The Smooth Operators Information overload Someone turn me off please It breaks my…
dredg You're suffering, feel your pain Allow me to be your sponge …
Early Next Year Tell me, where have you been hiding? cause i've been…
Elektric Music Various combinations of: "Information" "Information wants to…
Eliot Summer I need your secrets From your past Just like your stitches A…
Eliot Sumner I need your secrets From your past Just like your stitches…
Eliot Sumner (I Blame Coco) I need your secrets From your past Just like your stitches A…
Eric Martin I'm still tracin' over lines That you used on me, yeah…
Fred Alpi Je n'étais pas là Mais je parle Et je sais J'ai vu dans…
Gathering Field I was getting slightly intoxicated I was going half way out…
Judie Tzuke Inside your head and in your heart you have All…
Killah Priest [Killah Priest] Information no doubt ya know …
Les Images Retro & Alem Zúñiga Now you're in the bottom x4 cre you there? Don't be…
Rainmakers Do you know your daughter well and do you know…
S S S S She's been around me all the while Try as I might,…
S.H.I.T. Neural networks notwithstanding But instead placated, satiat…
Schaft I saw the local cable company They came and dug up…
Squalls Move your feet, nowhere to go Shake your head, you don't…
The Dave Edmunds Band She's been around me all the while Try as I might,…
The Proclaimers Behind the old drill hall There's a dark dirty lane It's got…
The Rainmakers Do you know your daughter well and do you know…
The Rentals This desperate need to constantly share The comfort we take …
The Samples Give me some information Tell me the world's not that bad Po…
The Squalls Move your feet, nowhere to go Shake your head, you don't…
Trouble in the Wind Oh that information Oh that pain in your eyes I don't need…
Wiretree I've got some information coming down the wire I told you…
X-noiZe & Tom C I was a happy man Before I discovered the internet Before I…
XP8 My mind melts, my body stiffens My body melts, my mind…

We have lyrics for these tracks by The Hobos:

A Frick'n Xmas Song Unforgettable feeling you may find on a freezing day He's n…
Angel Inn Sympathetic eyes are gliding over me For its too late to…
Born to Be Drunk And you come, then you go But maybe there is something…
Can You Love Is it happiness there in your eyes? Are you the same…
Cecilia Cecilia, you're breaking my heart, You're shaking my confid…
Christian I used to drink Coca Cola And eat at McDonald's And sip…
Cocaine If you wanna hang out you've got to take her…
Don't Worry Be Happy Here is a little song I wrote You might want…
Even of You All night you didn't answer the phone Through the stone at…
Feeling Like a Hobo One cigarette in my pocket One bottle for the night One gi…
Flashback Morning Long day's done another morning Another deep cold trance W…
Flying Away Gravitation deceives 17 thieves, lawyer achieves his aim Co…
Fun Now avatar has woken He is full of long letter words He…
Heaven of Green All the flowers cry again, Where you been so long? Paradi…
Hero Would you dance if I asked you to dance? Would…
I Shot the Sheriff I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the…
I've Just Seen a Face I've just seen a face, I can't forget the time or…
Into the Sound Please don't wake me up It's only nine o'clock I'm only se…
Junkie Girl Hey little junkie girl Change your brown sugar for me Thro…
King It started in April, continued through May, darkness had cau…
Lost in Space Welcome to worldwide web-lines, Please fasten the body scan…
Lullaby Sleep my baby, sleep tight Maybe this is your last night C…
Lululu It is simply the sun, which shines It is simply the…
Midnight Lovers It's five in the morning, someone knocking on my door…
Numbvision You little whore, you asked for more You wanna be sure…
Outhouse Let’s try it different ways, different days We might work i…
Rain Rain, I don't mind Shine, the weather's fine If the rain…
Ram Nam Waiting at the cloud today Creating all the birds and light…
Red Red Wine Red, red wine Goes to my head Makes me forget that I Stil…
Reminiscence of a Funny Face I'm the clown of a local circus And I'm concerned…
She Sounds Like a Little Child Oh boy, what happened I just can't tell you since you…
She Was My Girl Well, you're trying to catch the last bus How do you…
Sorry Have you heard the story of the guy who decided…
Speed You got a boyfriend who's waiting outside He'll take you ou…
Sunrise Slowed down emotions Damn grown up life Too idealised …
Surrender When he was I was not Now I am he is…
Take-Off The better the day the louder it’s raining Always the same…
Thanks This could be a story of mind or soul and…
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' You keep saying you got something for me Something you call…
Too Long to Linger On Got time, got whole bunch of roses Got days, got years,…
Walk All Night Now you treat me kindly Stuck in a traffic - here…
Worry Not Your smile was so sweet While od-ing in my car in…

Yours Beautiful We met on the 21st of July You were so, yeah…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

No Related Genres

More Genres

No Artists Found

More Artists Load All

No Albums Found

More Albums Load All

No Tracks Found

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Stella Maris

4y↑1

Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for an organism.

Food is usually of plant or animal origin,
and contains essential nutrients,
such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals.

The substance is ingested by an organism
and assimilated by the organism's cells to provide energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.

Historically, humans secured food through two methods: hunting and gathering and agriculture,
which gave modern humans a mainly omnivorous diet.

Worldwide, humanity has created numerous cuisines and culinary arts,
including a wide array of ingredients, herbs, spices, techniques, and dishes.

Today, the majority of the food energy required by the ever-increasing population of the world
is supplied by the food industry.

Food safety and food security are monitored by agencies like the
International Association for Food Protection,
World Resources Institute,
World Food Programme,
Food and Agriculture Organization,
and International Food Information Council.

They address issues such as
sustainability,
biological diversity,
climate change,
nutritional economics,
population growth,
water supply,
and access to food.

The right to food is a human right
derived from the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR),
recognizing the "right to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food",
as well as the "fundamental right to be free from hunger".

All comments from YouTube:

William Fisher

6y↑2.1K

My great-grandmother's house was definitely marked. She would make biscuits and gravy for any hobo or drifter that knocked on her door but she never advertised that so her house had to be marked.

Dinner-fork tongue

She probably hd a cat drawn around the side or back of her property.

ibelieveicansoar

Knowing how many of these chaps she invited into her abode, chances are high that you are descended from one of them

Kevin m. P

4y↑1

@MrYouarethecancer neolib/conservative?? You're confusing the lynchmob... Who are we witchhunting for these frivolous and irrelevant accusations? Neolibs or conservatives??... Gotta keep the story straight!!

20 More Replies...

HS Ryu

6y↑2.3K

The one rule of the Hobo code is that you do not talk about the Hobo code

Invented_Magic_Studios_USA

noice

Ak Aak

Ok fight club calm down

ushiii `

"Hello this is Hobo code!"

BobIsNotAPerson

In Minecraft Anarchy ya leave sign tags to say: I was here, I replanted the farm, or [insert swear word]

Andrew Ibanez

Absolutely not wooooooooosh

8 More Replies...

R '

6y↑288

Hobos and Hobo culture still excist even today. Back in the 90s I even hopped a few freight trains with some.

nicholas spinelli

@Un Traceable not true i just spent 7 tears riding the rails. not as difficult or dangerous as you are making it out to be

Blank Face

@Nurdbrowski Sandwichez It's probably less prevalent now but it's picking up in other countries, which is an exciting development

Sarah Evan

Yeah, definitely around the baltics :)

C V

4y↑1

People still do it.

Nurdbrowski Sandwichez

4y↑4

I used to hop 2011-2015 it's still alive and kicking.

5 More Replies...

US

6y↑1.7K

I saw some graffiti in a city in Socal with the USB and Wifi symbol. Started looking for a hotspot.

Rezin 8

4y↑1

Should have looked for a USB in a wall or bench 🧐😎✌

SeaFoam

5y↑1

Roger Szmodis

5y↑3

Don't plug your computers into random USBs they could be kill device that will fry your stuff immediately..

Brennan Morris

5y↑1

Where, i live in Socal.

Lurid Phaesporia

5y↑1

Haha my kinda guy

13 More Replies...

Brian Garrow

6y↑63

Those markings were real. My father told me about how his brothers rode trains across the country after WW1. And they had a system of signals along with the use of rocks and sticks to pass information.

R '

6y↑105

I think you should have a least mentioned other forms of Hobo art, like one of my favorites, Hobo nickles. It's basically a nickel or other coin that's been carved to have a new image, often depicting a hobo or a hobo scene.

Sarah Evan

Maybe because it's illegal? I guess this is also though

Pierce Arner

6y↑292

Incidentally, I now also have a better understanding of the intention of the title, "Lady and the Tramp" than I did before watching this video.

Gotta Cache ‘em All!

4y↑2

Me too

Prince Diop

6y↑6

Pierce Arner ikr

TheSurlax

6y↑33

This is one of my most favourite channel, you get to learn so much stuff you will never need in your life and yet still wont feel like you are wasting your time watching their videos instead of studying or working. And they are great at explaining complicated things in a simple way, especially visualy

Marc Shanahan

6y↑661

Ah, The Hobo Code. One of my favorite episodes of Mad Men.

Gustavo

4y↑3

@Angel Gutierrez 🇺🇦 If you apreciate Charactee Devolpment, photography and recreation of a past era it will be the best show ever for you. If you want thrilling stories with plot twists and lots of action it's not for you.

md

6y↑2

yeah, it's mostly about the show. I finished breaking bad with difficulty, while i could watch episodes of mad men one after another and not even notice time passing, when they both have 45 minute episodes

Bald Manc Twat With A Head Like A Fucking Orange

6y↑3

Any show is binge-watchable if you like it enough.

The Dead Immortal

6y↑2

Breaking Bad is also a pretty slow show that takes it time to set up stuff so I don't see how it's a bingable show either.

Moni B

6y↑8

Clicked on the video specifically because of Mad Men. Loved that episode!

7 More Replies...

[]

6y↑618

"Peak Hobodom"... I like that term

Brennan Morris

5y↑1

So if femdom is wanting to be dominated by a female. Wisdom is wanting to be dominated by a wizard so hobodom.....

fata morgana

goals

20 years ago

6y↑3

"Peak Homodom"

Zoë de Wijn

6y↑4

could be a cool name for a band

Macy M

5y↑96

half an hour from my house there is graffiti that says
" I found a bottle of spray paint"

Baard Ove Kopperud

"Vandalism is Fun!"

Macy M

@Colorado Strong thanks for noticing, I fixed it

TheBigGuy275

4y↑9

@Kevin m. P some people measure distance by how long it takes to get there by various modes of transportation, usually by car.

Kevin m. P

4y↑17

@Tyson Warfield means some kid doesn't know the difference between a bottle and a can...

Kevin m. P

4y↑4

Half an hour......?

1 More Replies...

Oddless

6y↑684

I thought the title said hobo giraffe, I’m disappointed

Mike K

"..woah..

You got her too."

Mackenzie Evelynn

5y↑4

on this video i got TWO ads for the skittles giraffe so apparently the bots thought so too

DoshWhop

6y↑21

I read the title correct and was satisfied that the accompanying video was both engaging and relevant with regard to said title...

But after reading this comment I am now also disappointed and saddened by the lack of a hobo giraffe.

Jediya Rahim - Danford

6y↑27

Great idea for a children's book

CheesecakeLasagna

6y↑18

my kind of people

PeriwinkleFilms

5y↑1

When I was really little, I thought all graffiti was done by hobos to communicate with one another. So it's cool to know that it was indeed a thing.

Dead Pirate Roberts

6y↑410

"Thieves guild shadowmarks explained"

chrissipher

4y↑1

was searching for this comment

Vanguard

5y↑1

Nice

AZ Dobrosavljevic

5y↑1

Omg

Eoin Peacock

5y↑4

The Senate beat me to it

NOMOREMLP

6y↑10

ah was looking for this comment

Max Emiliano Gonzales

6y↑1

Thank you so much for this video! Moniker art is super under appreciated even though it’s so culturally significant. I was so surprised to see you guys cover this :’^}
You should do a video on the roots of graffiti and why it’s so demonized in American society. From the campaign of ed Koch, to the delegitimization of POC art forms, and how graffiti is now only accepted in its watered down and pro gentrification format, “street art”

Ms. R's Take_

6y↑1

wow!

JohnnyBadboy

6y↑12

I went to the national cryptology museum and they had a brief description of this. This is interesting and more detailed.

thelasonj

6y↑2

Fascinating! Thank you for posting this!!

Nick Charles

4y↑3

If you want to hear more about this lifestyle, I highly recommend “You Can’t Win” by a drifter/cat-burglar named Jack Black who died in the 1930’s. It’s a book that I regularly give as a gift to people. Also, they called their personalized symbol a “Moniger”; not Moniker. That’s one thing I learned from the book.

Joshua Skippintown

One of my favorite books!

The Piano Haven

6y↑4

OMG I've seen these hobo signs when I played "Secret of the Old Clock" from Nancy Drew. I've always wondered what this was used for!

Terry Turner

6y↑1

My great grandma used to feed and house hobos who was looking for work in my city long ago. She was just being a good Christian, helping others in need. 😊

Stonehawk

6y↑3

Hieroglyphics:
As deeply embedded as our nature itself. And still useful.

Enthused Norseman

6y↑5

The idea of "leaking" misleading information to the outside reminds me of some Romani (Gypsy) stuff that's allegedly the same. Ideas of grand gatherings to elect "Gypsy Kings" for example are probably largely made up to spur the mystery and fascination of outsiders.

boch

Idk. every gypsie family here in northern countries have a king and a queen. ive had a few gypsy associates and heard a bit about their culture.

ScarceOne Tattoos

6y↑5

As a fellow graffiti artist I was always intrigued by the hobo oil marker drawings next to the pieces I would paint on box cars

Sorzin

6y↑199

I guess we all want to be remembered

Han Nguyen

4y↑3

This is a wholesome comment, short but true.

Sona

6y↑106

If they published books with the meaning of the symbols, wouldn't that help the police catch them ? Just wondering. . .

Kevin m. P

@Frankie wasting your time....

Sona

6y↑1

miguel they did mention in the video that the police were after them or something. . . that's why I was curious

miguel

6y↑4

being a hobo wasnt seen as something so illegal back then it was just the way of life back then

themurderofcoke

6y↑17

Any traveler can tell you it definitely isnt made up. Almost certainly embellished, but even briefly travelling ive seen symbols and im glad I followed them. Some have evolved to be more clear to anyone, like an arrow with an X and a police hat - unfriendly police. X over waves was beside a weir and on an old dirty well in the middle of nowhere screamed DONT DRINK/SWIM. With hobo culture barely existing anymore and even travelling culture being rare, the symbols are much less rare, but follow a train line for a while and youll see some. Look outside train yard out of town, youll almost always see an unfriendly bull symbol of some kind. Bull horns under an X outside of a train yard tells me "Bad bull here" which means don't hop from here. IDK if it was an old unwashed symbol or what but I found a barn omw back to town with a fairly large symbol (like no way the owners never saw it big) pointing towards the hayloft being okay to sleep in. Was never bothered, didnt see anyone and went on my way the next morning, so idk if that was an intentional thing left there because they were just past the last yard before reaching town and not far from the tracks. IDK how much of the older symbols are used though, because we have more than chalk now and less hobos to communicate with, thres gonna be less symbols and they are going to change over time.

Frankie

6y↑19

in the video they say this lore about hobo codes was probably flourished (maybe even completely fabricated?) but even regardless of that if you're living on the street you still probably have a lot of know how about stealthiness and being in hiding. a symbol that lets you know that theres resources doesn't mean you're just going to flock to it and chill there, or you'd risk exposing it

2 More Replies...

Marlon Moncrieffe

6y↑4

This reminds me of that early episode of 'Mad Men' where we see a young Don encounter a hobo played by Paul Schulze.

Graco Rossanigo

6y↑121

Sorry Vox for being too perfectionist, in the minute 0:16 you show the photo of a Rock, that Rock is called "La Piedra Movediza" or "The Moving Stone" it's In Tandil, not in Buenos Aires, I just say it because I live there and I'm HYPED!

Graco Rossanigo

5y↑7

Yes, it is located in the province of Bs.As, but is in the city of Tandil, it is just a little thing that ticked me since I feel a connection with that place.

Hello there, Youtube user

5y↑2

...Tandil is in Buenos Aires tho

Jessy Montoya

6y↑8

My favorite band Circa Survive uses the hobo code for "safe camp" as their logo. It was the first time I ever came across hobo graffiti/language. Coming from The Bronx and seeing the parallels between the graffiti I grew up seeing and they origins or hobo communications is really cool . Thanks for sharing and I'll go by "Bronx Kidd Jessy" now I guess lol

CheesecakeLasagna

6y↑1

Jessy Montoya it's cool that you have already come up with your hobo name, I'm still thinking about mine.

Jessy Montoya

ahhh, I figured I might've gotten that wrong lol. My name also got auto corrected but good to know thx

CheesecakeLasagna

I think the name comes first then the signifier/moniker?

Karl Fernandez-Cao

6y↑1

Great article. Thank you Vox.

Felipe

6y↑19

There's a fun comic by the name of Rock Candy Mountain that revolves around the noble hobos in the late 19th century to early twentieth.

Kevin m. P

Listen to train hop story rag by black death Allstars

CheesecakeLasagna

Pip IV commented for future ref! also where is your profile pic from?

Justin Pipes

6y↑3

Pip IV Big Rock Candy Mountain is a song also.

CAN Control

6y↑4

Rail workers also would just write information right on the old boxcars, you still see it from time to time.

Jeremy Edwards

As a Graff writer this bit of history was wonderful information I appreciate it

MickeyKnox

6y↑107

Like a Hobo I was born, to walk alone ...

sad internet user

Don't know where it goes, but it's home to me and I walk alone

adrian

4y↑1

MickeyKnox very cool, Mickey. 🤘🏽

H B

on the lonely road of the boulevard of broken dream

Gorgeous George

6y↑1

MickeyKnox, when u walk, through a storm, keep your head up high. Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone

Aashish

:D :D

1 More Replies...

Thomas Hughes

6y↑12

Hitchhiking in southern Texas in 1980 I saw the tag at @5:08 top right page sombrero siesta man with palm. It was undated and signed "H.B." and the palm was shorter and the man larger and overall more square than tall it was chalked over and over again on every car of a sided train . It went on for about 80 cars always on the same place on every car. I was still seeing those on passing trains in the Midwest 11 years later.

MAKAE

6y↑1

Herby!

Clark Smith

5y↑1

In my town, there is someone who graffitis RACE in big bubble letters everywhere. Behind signs, on buildings, and even bridges.

MAIN ACCOUNT

6y↑2

Always great coverage vox

Renata Cantore- Gross

4y↑1

I really enjoyed this fascinating documentary. I remembered this from MAD MEN. More, please.

Nero Wolfe

5y↑1

"Hobo" -- I just love how previous generations of Americans sanitized, normalized, and even romanticized extreme poverty and homelessness. Truly the "Greatest Generation." /s

Pat McNamara

I actually knew a “retired hobo” at some point during his hobo career he decided to get a job! There was a standardize type of symbols/writing. But it tended to be known within groups that knew each other from job site to job site and eventually they would go their separate ways but they would have their own symbols/writing. And if they should see in their travels assemble and they knew it it be the equivalent of seeing someone you know on the street.

Irish Identity

Cool story bro. I mean that genuinely, and you managed it in an appropriate amount of time.

Napalm

6y↑1

There’s examples of this is swedish culture, for example “Rasmus på luffen” they mark the house’s fence with a sign that means the house is either nice or not

Jason Tolman

Hobo symbals were real.when you were coming into a town or train yard,symbols would be written usually on a fence or wall just outside of town letting each other know important info such as violent cops,good begging,or headlice in jail.that way you could decide whether or not to get off or continue on.those symbols could mean life and death.

Lamantinel's Archives

6y↑22

So sad, give graffitis a home! :(

solarprogeny

Lamantinel's Music play despacito

CarrowMind

5y↑1

This is what gave Tolkien the idea for the "thief rune" Gandalf etched on Bilbo's door so that the Dwarves would know where to knock in "The Hobbit".

pooch

this is one reason i love graffiti, it isnt hurting anyone. even the freight workers did it

Dr. LigmahNutts

5y↑7

Interesting, might change up some of my graffiti with some hobo symbols now.

Fuck.What.You.Think.

4y↑2

1 UP what u write

Bobblesworth VI

Cute. And I was almost afraid this was actually going to be about the codes. I can say a lot of the lore is still alive. Or at least were some years ago when I was working a lot of seasonal jobs.

killsalive1

03:14-~~--Tex-King of Tramps~~ was all up and down The Milwaukee Road. The story I was told was every year the hobos/ tramps would elect a new king. Tex obviously won it that year.

DavidsKanal

6y↑1

Love the quality and feel!

Paul Langland

Apparently hobos used to visit my Great Grandmother's farm. They would try to steal from her garden and my Great Grandmother didn't take kindly to that. She didn't mind them hanging around the farm but she put them to work. She would have them milk the cows or work out on the fields in exchange for food and milk. And maybe even some beer since she had a beer recipe. This was in Northern Wisconsin where this happened.

mgmegt

My cousin who used to hop trains had these symbols tattooed on his face, RIP Chris

Countryy

Just awesome. Thanks again Vox.

rick weber

I remember seeing "Bozo Tex-ino" on box cars, back in the 1980s in Central Ohio..I used to draw them on my walls in my bedroom, my Mom never knew what they were..if there's anyone out there, who know's who Bozo Texino was, tell him I saw his monikers back in the day..

James Smith

Hey Vox, could you guys do a video on the standard of living across multiple states and the cost of fast food respectively video?

CheesecakeLasagna

6y↑4

Okay, somebody has to make a hobo app now.

WHOOPSidc

Me and my friends learned this in middle school and we’d pass notes around and write this 😂😂

Don B

Amazing, I used to do graffiti as a kid I never knew it originated from bums writing their name all the way back in 1900 or earlier, thought it started around 1970’s or so

truepeacenik

Graffiti goes back before the written word. Cave art in Europe, petroglyphs in the Americas, Uluru, cave art in Gabon, Algeria and across the African continent.

Blue

6y↑14

Did the hobo graffiti inspire the house markings for thiefs for Skyrim?

Bruno W.

4y↑5

0:27 You can’t call this a Tag this is a throw up or piece (however you define Pieces)

Hunter Hanlon

4y↑1

My grandpa told me a story that her grandma told her. She said that there was a planter made out of a tire that was painted white with a marker on it. My grandma‘s grandma always gave the hobos food!

Stella Maris

4y↑1

Tim Francoeur

You know it's a good video when it cuts from colorful modern-day footage to swelling music and a Vox logo over black-and-white footage of industry.

Crazy 88

6y↑4

As a Hobo...thanks for this. 🤨

George S

This is soooo cool! I really want to see those books

Ravenofthedog

I once saw a scribble on a bathroom stall that said ; “ please keep this stall nice. I live here.” With a stick figure underneath.

Adi

6y↑10

Awesome Video Vox Team.

cj j rock

6y↑4

Mad men made this code seem so important.

Roger Stroklund

I read an article in Maxim years ago where they were talking about how this system is still used, but even better hidden due to more common styles of graffiti.

In the article, a camp saw a car pass through that had a tag of a beautiful woman's face with a zipper across the forehead, and "HIV+" written underneath. To the naked eye, it looked like two, non related tags.

The next day, though, a new pretty woman arrived in the camp, and everybody steered clear of hitting on her when they found out her name; Zipperhead.

haiku heroism

What is fascinating about this sort of thing is that you can still find similar ideas online. For instance, on the minecraft server 2b2t, it is common place for people to leave signs with their name and the date.

thevioletskull

6y↑3

Some person: Graffiti has NO thought to it!
Me:

Kevin Nines

that was the perfect way to end it and why I love painting or marking cutty spots "woah you got here too"

SOCIALIST DISTANCING

My grandmother father was a hobo of sorts. In the 30s when there was no work. He road the trains summer and winter to wherever work was. They road on top of the box cars and in between to stay out of the wind in winter. He'd be gone for months. He left my grandmother with 5 kids to get work. They ate pigeons and my mother's doll was a stick wrapped in a blanket. They built play houses out of tumbleweeds. They got an orange for Christmas and that was a big deal. My mother and her siblings would watch the trains come through town looking for their dad, hoping that he was coming home. When he did finally come home, my grandmother was in a mental institution because she had a nervous breakdown and all the kids were fostered out to other homes. He never talked about it much and I was too ignorant to ask about it. He went on to join the Canadian light horse infantry in WW2. After the war he worked for the CPR for a short time and then went to CNR to which he retired there. His last posting was a section man and lived in a one horse town in the old train station. When he retired and moved to the city in 1970, they tore down the station. I have fond memories of staying there for a week at a time. I've only found one picture online. My uncle would also ride the trains and he would ride down by the wheels. The one drawing in the video reminded me of that. He said that if there was ever a wreck, he'd been killed. There's still hobos out there. I met some in Minot ND a couple years back. Except I suspect that their motives for riding the rails is very different. And they smelled like they needed a shower and a change of clothes.

Jonathan Palumbo

I discovered Hobo Sign just under 1 year ago and have been studying it every chance I get! Great summary!

Burnt Marshwiggle Studio

The Massillon Museum (aka MassMu) in Massillon Ohio did a comprehensive exhibit of hobo tagging called "Moniker" last year. They tracked down a lot of the actual taggers or their families and had samples of their tags made by the artists and placed in the archives of the museum

Capisce324

Would have been cool, if a bit insensitive, to see what real hobos are willing to say about it. Fascinating

Chris

There's some graffiti done close to us.... you can tell it's got a great story behind it.

525Lines

The marks were probably kind of a folklore thing, a code shared among groups of hobos. The code is taught to newbies in the group.

Blake Williams

Too cool. Nice to see Bill is doing good.

Br1koo

5y↑1

Graffiti writers are also communicating with each other. Its a kind of message through the piece, which could only understand another writer. The message itself isnt actually a real message, but a projection, like if i see another dudes piece i imagine how he got there, the situation from the lines, how much time he spent there and which tools he had, and maybe even what he was thinking. A normal person would only think about the look and the style of it, but someone who is doing it can feel and relate to someone elses drawing. Some 7 years ago i was seeing in my hometown stencil drawings which was saying:ART AREA. It was painted in the town everywhere where graffiti writers were active, and i loved it, i smiled every time ive seen this stencil. I told this to my friend, who was doing stuff like me too and she just smiled and said: yeah those are my sprayings. That moment was absolutely chatartic. For me graffiti is mainly not art because of the details or the proffessionalism, but the kind of secret binding it can create between people, who dont even know each other personally, but in a way they are still family.

Adolescent Daydreams

Whenever someone sees a write, that might be on a bag I'm carrying, they ask "you write?". Since 07, and then we just smile and silently enjoy that connection

Bernard

5y↑16

2:02
Hobo: draws duck
Also hobo: this means free telephone

Baard Ove Kopperud

I would've thought "here lives a bad doctor"...

boch

4y↑3

messenger dove?

Gadblatz

I've met US scout aka John, the guy who did the moniker at 0:28 several times. I always try and give him a markal and a beer if I see him around the yard.

xxxzzz zzzx

something interesting fact. This is the history, and now it is still being used especially in a constructed site or military sites commune languages that only they know.

R

People want to be remembered and cant always do it with fame

Harrison Leon-Gay

Should've mentioned the comic, Rock Candy Mountain. Funny, independent series about hobos!

Jack Obrein

I am a hobo!! I just choose to drive a truck for a living.
Before I got my cdl. I would bounce around the country in a van doing temp jobs.
Ps. If you would like to know more message me.

Leif Crenshaw

Have you ever noticed boxcars in general look better with graffiti on them?

Helgali

@Vox: Another group uses symbols to communicate: prisioners. An English police officer fed a database and noticed the pattern (if I'm not mistaken). A clown for killing, a Tasmanian devil for drug deliverer etc.

Opinunate ted

Nowadays train hoppers keep track of each other over the internet. I'm sure some still do graffiti, though.

Mike Holloway

I still see thumbprints sometimes, but these days it is just meaningless drivel in all the wrong places. Sometimes think I am the last of The Great Wasted and the world will never be the same. A few years back I took my last ride. Many of the old places I knew were gone and in those places still around all I found were junkies and degenerates that knew nothing about the code.

David John

There are still hobos when my sis was homeless she train hopped and met a community around it

Seamo One

Streaks!
Yes they’re alive & well! Bill Daniel’s a helluva guy!

Honaaa

I knew this was clickbait but I still clicked :/

Let me summarize the video.

Hobo markings were a code to tell other hobos helpful things, hidden near their campsites. Most of the markings were personal monikers that told when they were there and what direction they were going.

Two sentances were all I needed

shiny paint f

How cute that the "kind ladie lives here" is a litte cat :')

I shouldn’t be debating on the Internet but,

That deep human desire to communicate; I feel that, and I think everyone has it, to varying degrees. That might tell a ways to why the comment section is so volatile; everyone wants to be heard, loudly...

Westep427

I love rail car graffiti especially bozo texinos but sadly I've never seen a bozo texino tag

Gorgeous George

Vox is an entertainment! Dont get mislead by the quasi intellectual information/ newslike feel the Try to portrait

Marco Lanzoni Larra

0:14 That's the "piedra movediza" in the city of Tandil (province of Buenos Aires) not Buenos Aires city.

Joshua Hillner

Some Railroad car man also draw these tags when they repair rail cars

Paul P

6y↑6

When Vox starts making Tom Scott videos

Not complaining... cool little lessons

The Texas roadrunner /hobo roadrunner

6y↑4

Us hobos are still here we still use the old codes .

Jasmine Angie

The Texas roadrunner /hobo roadrunner
That’s interesting to know. Do you guys use the same symbols that they used in the early 1900s?

Napalm John

6y↑2

When I think of hobos I always think of Dean Martin's "King of the Road"

Rosa Amarillo

Dean Martins was ‘Houston’

Anon A. Miss

5y↑3

Love that song! "I know every engineer on every train, all of their children, all of their names, every handout in every town, every lock that ain't locked when no one's around..." Pretty sure it was by Roger Miller though.

Load More Comments...

More Comments

just now