Go to sleep you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Can't you hear the steel rails hummin'
That's the hobo's lullaby
I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is turning gray
Lift your head and smile at trouble
You'll find peace and rest someday
Now don't you worry 'bout tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar
Safe from all that wind and snow
I know the police cause you trouble
They cause trouble everywhere
But when you die and go to Heaven
You'll find no policemen there
So go to sleep you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails hummin'
That's a hobo's lullaby
Let the towns drift slowly by
Can't you hear the steel rails hummin'
That's the hobo's lullaby
I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is turning gray
Lift your head and smile at trouble
You'll find peace and rest someday
Now don't you worry 'bout tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar
Safe from all that wind and snow
I know the police cause you trouble
They cause trouble everywhere
But when you die and go to Heaven
You'll find no policemen there
So go to sleep you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails hummin'
That's a hobo's lullaby
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/5/11 - 11:05
Language: Italian
Traduzione italiana da YouTube
NINNA NANNA DEL VAGABONDO
Va a dormire stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Sì lo so che i tuoi vestiti sono logori e laceri
E i tuoi capelli stanno diventando grigi
Ma rialza la testa e sorridi ai guai
Un giorno troverai anche tu pace e riposo
Adesso non preoccuparti del futuro
Lascia che il domani vada e venga
Stasera hai un garage bello caldo
Senza tutto quel ghiaccio e la neve
Ora va a dormire mio stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Sì lo so che la polizia ti crea problemi
Loro procurano grane ovunque
Ma quando morirai e andrai in cielo
Non troverai di certo sbirri lassù
E non lasciare che il tuo cuore soffra
Perchè la gente ti chiama barbone
Se tua madre è ancora viva lei ti ama
E allora sei anche tu figlio di una madre
Ora va a dormire mio stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano via lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Va a dormire stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Sì lo so che i tuoi vestiti sono logori e laceri
E i tuoi capelli stanno diventando grigi
Ma rialza la testa e sorridi ai guai
Un giorno troverai anche tu pace e riposo
Adesso non preoccuparti del futuro
Lascia che il domani vada e venga
Stasera hai un garage bello caldo
Senza tutto quel ghiaccio e la neve
Ora va a dormire mio stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Sì lo so che la polizia ti crea problemi
Loro procurano grane ovunque
Ma quando morirai e andrai in cielo
Non troverai di certo sbirri lassù
E non lasciare che il tuo cuore soffra
Perchè la gente ti chiama barbone
Se tua madre è ancora viva lei ti ama
E allora sei anche tu figlio di una madre
Ora va a dormire mio stanco vagabondo
Lascia che le città scorrano via lentamente
Ascolta il canto d'acciaio delle rotaie
Questa è la tua ninnananna
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/5/11 - 11:06
Language: French
LA BERCEUSE DU CLOCHARD
Tu peux dormir, tu en as marre
Bercé par les cahots du train
Et laisser défiler les gares
Tu dormiras jusqu'à demain.
Au loin tu vois passer les villes
Où riches et pauvres font dodo
Dans ton wagon t'es bien tranquille
Et tu pourras dormir au chaud.
Et si les flics te collent aux fesses
Les flics, vois-tu, il y en a partout
Mais si le ciel tient ses promesses
Au ciel il y a plus de flics du tout.
T'inquiète pas si l'on te lance
T'es qu'un clodo, fous-moi le camp
Car pour ta mère, seul, je pense
Tu seras toujours son enfant.
Tu peux dormir, tu en as marre
Bercé par les cahots du train
Et laisser défiler les gares
Tu dormiras jusqu'à demain.
Tu peux dormir, tu en as marre
Bercé par les cahots du train
Et laisser défiler les gares
Tu dormiras jusqu'à demain.
Au loin tu vois passer les villes
Où riches et pauvres font dodo
Dans ton wagon t'es bien tranquille
Et tu pourras dormir au chaud.
Et si les flics te collent aux fesses
Les flics, vois-tu, il y en a partout
Mais si le ciel tient ses promesses
Au ciel il y a plus de flics du tout.
T'inquiète pas si l'on te lance
T'es qu'un clodo, fous-moi le camp
Car pour ta mère, seul, je pense
Tu seras toujours son enfant.
Tu peux dormir, tu en as marre
Bercé par les cahots du train
Et laisser défiler les gares
Tu dormiras jusqu'à demain.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2014/6/23 - 20:32
Language: Finnish
Versione finlandese di Mikko Perkoila e Hannu Raatikainen
Finnis translation by Mikko Perkoila and Hannu Raatikainen
Suomennos Mikko Perkoila ja Hannu Raatikainen
This song was made by a Finnish band called Arkiviisu and it's included on their 1977 record »Tomuinen tie« (Dusty Road or Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad) by Love Records. I haven't been able to find in posted on the Web, but maybe somebody will.
Finnis translation by Mikko Perkoila and Hannu Raatikainen
Suomennos Mikko Perkoila ja Hannu Raatikainen
This song was made by a Finnish band called Arkiviisu and it's included on their 1977 record »Tomuinen tie« (Dusty Road or Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad) by Love Records. I haven't been able to find in posted on the Web, but maybe somebody will.
KULKURIN KEHTOLAULU
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
Ethän mieti huomispäivää
saapuu se vain mennäkseen
Nyt on yö ja vaunu lämmin
kylmältä sua suojelee
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
On vaatteet vanhat kaiken nähneet
hiuksetkin jo harmaantuu
Hymyillä voit huolillesi
kerran kaikki unhoittuu
Poliiseilta et saa rauhaa
niiltä kuka pääsiskään
Vaan taivaaseen kun kerran kuljet
ne sua tuskin siellä metsästää
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
Ethän mieti huomispäivää
saapuu se vain mennäkseen
Nyt on yö ja vaunu lämmin
kylmältä sua suojelee
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
On vaatteet vanhat kaiken nähneet
hiuksetkin jo harmaantuu
Hymyillä voit huolillesi
kerran kaikki unhoittuu
Poliiseilta et saa rauhaa
niiltä kuka pääsiskään
Vaan taivaaseen kun kerran kuljet
ne sua tuskin siellä metsästää
Vaivu uneen, matkalainen
uneen sulaa kaupungit
Kuulet vain kun kiskot laulaa
tuutulaulua kulkurin
Contributed by Juha Rämö - 2015/3/26 - 08:55
"Boxcar" non è garage, ma è un tipo di vagone da carico molto comune negli USA. Infatti la parola si ricollega al verso "ascolta il canto di acciaio delle rotaie" poiché il barbone è sopra il treno.
Maria A. Villano - 2016/2/3 - 17:38
Language: Italian
Trascrizione del testo completo di 7 strofe che corrisponde al video presentato sulla pagina principale di CCG :"Hobo's Lullaby" e alla traccia audio presente su: Hobo's Lullaby | Music from the Depression.
This comes from Goebel Reeves (1899 – 1959) who was born in Sherman Texas. He had a long musical career that began when he headed east with Jimmy Rogers and Lucian “Piggy’ Parks whom he met in New Orleans in the 1920’s. Most of the time he lived a loner’s life riding the rails and working at numerous radio stations between travels. He worked in Dallas, Chattanooga, Birmingham, and Los Angeles and appeared on the Grand Old Opry and the Rudy Valee Show where he was a comical, novelty performer.
He eventually became disenchanted with the music industry and quit. After World War II he settled in California and worked with the Japanese community to resolve resettlement issues after interment.
“Hobo’s Lullaby” was his most famous song. He set it to the civil war tune “After the Battle Mother”. It is likely that he wrote this as a teenager before hitting the rails and becoming a drifter. He maintained that he taught Woody Guthrie how to yodel. This is him singing it.
Fonte : Hobo's Lullaby | Music from the Depression
He eventually became disenchanted with the music industry and quit. After World War II he settled in California and worked with the Japanese community to resolve resettlement issues after interment.
“Hobo’s Lullaby” was his most famous song. He set it to the civil war tune “After the Battle Mother”. It is likely that he wrote this as a teenager before hitting the rails and becoming a drifter. He maintained that he taught Woody Guthrie how to yodel. This is him singing it.
Fonte : Hobo's Lullaby | Music from the Depression
HOBO'S LULLABY - Goebel Leon Reeves
Yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee.
Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails humming
That's the hobo's lullaby.
Now do not think about tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you'll have a nice warm boxcar
Safe from all the rain and snow.
I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is tweaked with gray
Lift your chin and smile at trouble
You'll have peace and rest someday.
Now do not let your heart be troubled
If the world called you a bum
If your mother lived, she'd love you
For you're still your mother's son.
I know the police cause you trouble
They make trouble everywhere
But when you die and go to Heaven
You'll find no policeman there.
And when you die and go to Heaven
All the trains there you can ride
The hard-boiled brakeman and the hobo
Sleep there peaceful side by side .
So go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails humming
That's the hobo's lullaby.
Yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee.
Fonte : Hobo's Lullaby | Music from the Depression
https://musicfromthedepression.com/hobos-lullaby/
Yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee.
Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails humming
That's the hobo's lullaby.
Now do not think about tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you'll have a nice warm boxcar
Safe from all the rain and snow.
I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is tweaked with gray
Lift your chin and smile at trouble
You'll have peace and rest someday.
Now do not let your heart be troubled
If the world called you a bum
If your mother lived, she'd love you
For you're still your mother's son.
I know the police cause you trouble
They make trouble everywhere
But when you die and go to Heaven
You'll find no policeman there.
And when you die and go to Heaven
All the trains there you can ride
The hard-boiled brakeman and the hobo
Sleep there peaceful side by side .
So go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Listen to the steel rails humming
That's the hobo's lullaby.
Yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee, yodel-a-dee.
Fonte : Hobo's Lullaby | Music from the Depression
https://musicfromthedepression.com/hobos-lullaby/
Contributed by Pluck - 2025/8/5 - 11:42
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.


Parole e musica di Goebel Leon Reeves (1899-1959), folkisinger texano.
Come sappiamo Woody Guthrie incise in vita un solo LP in studio, “Dust Bowl Ballads” del 1940.
La stragrande maggioranza delle sue canzoni si trovano in registrazione radiofoniche e in dischi compilativi successivi.
“Hobo's Lullaby” - che viene spesso erroneamente datata al 1961, cosa impossibile visto che l’autore Goebel Reeves era morto due anni prima - la troviamo nelle registrazioni effettuate da Moses "Moe" Asch nel 1944 e 1945, poi confluite in “This Land Is Your Land, The Asch Recordings, Vol.1” pubblicato dalla Smithsonian Folkways Records nel 1997.
Interpretata anche da Cisco Houston e da Pete Seeger e in seguito da The Kingston Trio, Arlo Guthrie, Utah Phillips, Jack Elliott ed Emmylou Harris.
L’attore David Carradine, nei panni proprio di Woody Guthrie, la interpreta lui stesso nel film “Bound For Glory” [Questa terra è la mia terra] diretto da Hal Ashby nel 1976.