The pride of Nova Scotia! This version of the song must be from American TV because the song's been modified to mention only places in the USA. In his original hit, there were lots of Canadian cities and place names included, but Americans wouldn't know those and would just be confused.
As a cyclist, by 2000 I'd ridden RAGBRAI — a huge (in excess of 10K riders) cross-state bicycle ride held annually in Iowa, using a different route and passing through different cities, towns, villages, and 'wide spots in the road' every year. So I reworked the lyrics to create a special "Iowa" version, using place names from previous RAGBRAI treks, which (on my semi-regular excursions to Iowa) I would then perform as a karaoke alternative from time to time.
Most folks think this is a Johnny Cash song. JC certainly does a fine version, but Hank Snow had a hit with the original and I think Hank’s performance is the better of the two.
The original is actually Australian, written by Geoff Mack in 1959, and sung by Lucky Starr in 1962. There have since been versions for England, Scotland, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, and so many more!
The Australian towns, with many Aboriginal placenames, can be tongue-twisters to English-speakers even before you try to rhyme them! The only one I notice Lucky twists a bit is pronouncing "Canbra" as "Can-berra" but I'll give him a pass on that one. I think I've been to a lot of these myself... off to check the lyrics and work out where I'll be heading on my next holiday :D
Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpRvAnhHfmc Interesting aside: The guitarist in this clip is Brian Henderson, who went on to become our nation's longest-serving newsreader (45 yrs), and one of the most trusted, in the days before the newsdesk's opinion was part of the news.
The pride of Nova Scotia! This version of the song must be from American TV because the song's been modified to mention only places in the USA. In his original hit, there were lots of Canadian cities and place names included, but Americans wouldn't know those and would just be confused.
ReplyDeleteSounds better in it's original Mi'kmaq.
ReplyDeleteAs a cyclist, by 2000 I'd ridden RAGBRAI — a huge (in excess of 10K riders) cross-state bicycle ride held annually in Iowa, using a different route and passing through different cities, towns, villages, and 'wide spots in the road' every year. So I reworked the lyrics to create a special "Iowa" version, using place names from previous RAGBRAI treks, which (on my semi-regular excursions to Iowa) I would then perform as a karaoke alternative from time to time.
ReplyDelete-"BB"-
Bill, I do believe we need to see a video of that. The song, not the ride.
ReplyDeleteMost folks think this is a Johnny Cash song. JC certainly does a fine version, but Hank Snow had a hit with the original and I think Hank’s performance is the better of the two.
ReplyDeleteWould if I could, Miss C, but that's looking almost twenty years back in the rear-view mirror.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't have a DeLorean with a flux capacitor.
-"BB"-
The original is actually Australian, written by Geoff Mack in 1959, and sung by Lucky Starr in 1962. There have since been versions for England, Scotland, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, and so many more!
ReplyDeleteThe Australian towns, with many Aboriginal placenames, can be tongue-twisters to English-speakers even before you try to rhyme them! The only one I notice Lucky twists a bit is pronouncing "Canbra" as "Can-berra" but I'll give him a pass on that one. I think I've been to a lot of these myself... off to check the lyrics and work out where I'll be heading on my next holiday :D
Enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpRvAnhHfmc
Interesting aside: The guitarist in this clip is Brian Henderson, who went on to become our nation's longest-serving newsreader (45 yrs), and one of the most trusted, in the days before the newsdesk's opinion was part of the news.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Been_Everywhere
https://alldownunder.com/australian-music-songs/ive-been-everywhere.htm
–QQ