Beat It On Down The Line

Lyrics: Jesse Fuller
Music: Jesse Fuller

Sung by Bob Weir with the Grateful Dead from the 1960s through to the 1990s.

Well this job I got, is just a little too hard
Running out of money, Lord, I need more pay
I'm gonna wake up in the morning, Lord
I'm gonna pack up my bags
I'm gonna beat it on down the line

Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Goin' down the line (goin' down the line)
Beat it on down the line

Yes and I'll be waiting at the station, Lord, when that train pulls on by
I'm going back where I belong
Yes and I'm goin' north to my same old used to be (note 1)
Down in Joe Brown's coal mine

Coal mine (coal mine)
Coal mine (coal mine)
Coal mine (coal mine)
Coal mine (coal mine)
Coal mine (coal mine)
Coal mine (coal mine)
Down in Joe Brown's coal mine

Yes I'm goin' back to that shack way across the railroad track
That's where I think I belong
Yes I got a sweet woman, Lord, she's waiting there for me
That's where I'm gonna make my happy home

Happy home (happy home)
Happy home (happy home)
Happy home (happy home)
Happy home (happy home)
Happy home (happy home)
Happy home (happy home)
That's where I'm gonna make my happy home
Notes
(1) I originally thought Bob Weir sang "I a-going home ..." but on closer listening I think it's "I'm a-going north ..."

Grateful Dead Recordings
     Date Album
      ? Jul 1964 Mother Mcree's Uptown Jug Champions
     studio 1967 Grateful Dead (first album)
      2 May 1970 Dick's Picks Vol 8
     25 Apr 1971 Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
     24 Aug 1971 Dick's Picks Vol 35
     24 Apr 1972 Rockin' The Rhein
     21 Jul 1972 Download Series Vol 10
     21 Sep 1972 Dick's Picks Vol 36
     27 Sep 1972 Dick's Picks Vol 11
     28 Feb 1973 Dick's Picks Vol 28
     10 Nov 1973 Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings
      2 Dec 1973 Dick's Picks Vol 14
     23 Mar 1974 Dick's Picks Vol 24
     11 Sep 1974 Dick's Picks Vol 7
     18 Oct 1974 Steal Your Face
     11 May 1978 Dick's Picks Vol 25
      7 Aug 1982 Dick's Picks Vol 32

Recordings from dead.net Tapers Section

Phil Lesh and Friends Digital Download Series
 
Other Related Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     1989 Doorway To The Angels Juggling Suns


The version on "Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions" (sung by Tom Stone) has some differences in the verses:
Well this job I got, is just a little too hard
Talk about your money, Lord, I need some pay
Gonna wake up in the morning
Pack up my case
I'm gonna beat it on down the line

I'll be waiting at the station, when that train comes on down
Thumping on down the line
Well I'm goin' back to my same old used to be
Down in Joe Brown's coal mine

Yes I'm goin' back to my shack 'cross the railroad track
That's where I think I belong
Yes I got a sweet woman, Lord, she's waiting there for me
That's where I'm gonna make my happy home


Futher Information
For an online discussion of the lyrics to this song see the deadsongs.vue conference on The Well.
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com

 


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