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"I've Been Everywhere" is a song written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, and popularised by Lucky Starr. A version of the song with different lyrics was popularised by Hank Snow in 1962.
The song's lyrics as originally written comprise mainly the place names (toponyms) of various Australian towns visited by the singer. It was later adapted by Australian singer Rolf Harris with British place names (1963), [1] and by John Hore (later known as John Grenell) with New Zealand place names (1966). In 1962, the song was a number-one US country hit for Hank Snow, [2] and number 68 on the Hot 100. [3] The song was also recorded by Lynn Anderson (US 1970), Asleep at the Wheel (US 1973), Stompin’ Tom Connors (Canada 1971), [4] Johnny Cash (US 1996), Ted Egan, the "Farrelly Brothers" from the television series The Aunty Jack Show (Australia 1974, a parody version, on the album Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong ), [5] John Grenell (NZ 1966), Mike Ford (Canada, 2005), The Sunny Cowgirls and the Statler Brothers. Harvey Reid also included the song in his Dreamer or Believer album. In 2021, supergroup L.A. Rats, which consists of Rob Zombie, Nikki Sixx, John 5, and Tommy Clufetos, covered the song for Netflix film, The Ice Road . [6]
Original singer Lucky Starr released an EP called Lucky's Been Everywhere, which contained four different versions, relating to the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
The Australian version starts: "Well, I was humpin' my bluey [nb 1] on the dusty Oodnadatta road, When along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load, 'If you're goin' to Oodnadatta, mate, um, with me you can ride,' so I climbed in the cabin, and I settled down inside, He asked me if I'd seen a road with so much dust and sand, I said, 'Listen, mate, I've travelled every road in this here land.' Cause..." The towns listed are:
For some of the above, more than one place in Australia has the same name (e.g., Coolangatta, Gin Gin, and Fingal). The links given above are the most famous locations with those names.
In 2005, Athol Wightman wrote the Western Australian version, keeping Geoff Mack's original tune but using places throughout the state of Western Australia. It was produced at the EMI Belinda Music Australia Pty Ltd studios.
Wightman included towns such as Gingin, which was also included in the Australian version, Kellerberrin, Meekatharra, Collie and Busselton.
Comedian Kevin Bloody Wilson did a parody of the song which limited his destinations to Meekatharra, hospital and jail.
"I've Been Everywhere" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Hank Snow | ||||
from the album I've Been Everywhere | ||||
B-side | "Ancient History" | |||
Released | September 1962 | |||
Recorded | 27 June 1962 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:45 | |||
Label | RCA Victor 47-8072 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Geoff Mack | |||
Producer(s) | Chet Atkins | |||
Hank Snow singles chronology | ||||
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Geoff Mack's music publisher offered the song to Canadian-born country musician Hank Snow in 1962. Snow thought the song had the potential for the Canadian and American markets, but only if the toponyms were adapted to North America. At his publisher's urging, Geoff Mack consequently rewrote the song using a North American atlas supplied to him by the publisher. In 1970, from the album Cure For The Blues , Snow also recorded a second song to this called "I Ain't Been Anywhere". The North American version starts: "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road". Below are the places mentioned in this version of the song, most of which are in the continent of North America, while six are in South America: Salvador, Barranquilla, Tocopilla, Argentina, Padilla, and Diamantina:
The New Zealand version, recorded in 1966 by John Grenell, starts: Well I was hitching a ride on a winding Hokitika road, when along came a lorry....
Lucky Starr's Great Britain and Ireland version starts: "I was peddlin' me bike on a narrow road near Brightlingsea, When along came a lorry and pulled up alongside o' me, 'Ere chuck your bike up on the back cop and with me you can ride, So I climbed up in the cabin and I settled down inside, He told me of the towns he'd seen and bashed me ear for several miles, I said 'ere, mug it cop, I've been to every town in these 'ere isles."
Covers of this version were also recorded by the British group The Mudlarks and by Australian singer Rolf Harris, who added a few tongue-twisting Welsh placenames but (humorously) referred to them as Scottish, found them so hard to pronounce he said, "Better get back to the English version," and concluded with the final verse above. [1]
Texas country singer Brian Burns released his version of the song in 2002, featuring numerous locations throughout Texas. This version was also featured in the movie Grand Champion. [8] The Texas version starts: "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Amarillo road when along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load." [9]
Kris Kristofferson did an abbreviated version in the 1973 film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid during his escape scene. In 1996, country singer Johnny Cash recorded and released his version on his second American Recordings album, Unchained . Cash's version of "I've Been Everywhere" was featured in Citgo commercials in 1999, featuring the tagline "You know me". The song was also featured in season 2 of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and in Choice Hotels commercials from 2003 to 2009. In 2004, the Chicago Transit Authority used a version of the song, listing neighbourhoods and stops along the transit lines in two 30-second spots. In 2010, The Sports Network used a version of the song, listing cities and regions in the National Hockey League, to promote its coverage of trade deadline day.
In October 2003, the publisher Rightsong Music BMI granted permission to Frank Loconto to write new lyrics and title for the 2004 presidential campaign of Bob Graham. Titled "I've Done Every Job, Man", it commemorated the more than 300 'workdays' performed by Graham during his 30 plus years of public service to the people of Florida. The song, recorded by Loconto for FXL Records, was included on a promotional CD, Bob Graham Charisma Album 2004.
Comic actor Rick Moranis wrote and recorded a parody version of the song, titled "I Never Go Nowhere" on his 2005 album, The Agoraphobic Cowboy.
Australian Peter Harris visited all the locations in the Australian version of "I've Been Everywhere" between December 2009 and July 2011. A record of his trip is online. [15]
Nebraska native Brett Anderson rode his motorcycle, Annie, to all the locations in the North American version of "I've Been Everywhere" between 6 June 2017 and 31 October 2019. During this time, he visited all 92 song places, including 16 countries and 49 states. The record of his 73,000 mile trip can be found online. [16]
In 2010, the Swedish band Movits! used the track for one of the episodes of their US tour movie, First We Take Manhattan. [17]
Bruce Springsteen used the song as a snippet for "Light of Day" during his 1999-2000 Reunion tour.
John Finnemore did a version listing places in Dorset for an episode of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue recorded in Poole. [18]
Johnny Cash's 1996 version was used in the Family Guy episode "The Most Interesting Man in the World", the seventeenth episode of the twelfth season, episode 227 overall, which originally aired on 13 April 2014.
Rihanna interpolated the main verse from the song to her 2011 song "Where Have You Been". [19]
In early 2022, the United States Postal Service began using the Johnny Cash (US) version in advertisements. [20]
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He recorded 140 albums and charted more than 85 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980. His notable songs include "I'm Moving On", "The Golden Rocket", "The Rhumba Boogie", "I Don't Hurt Anymore", "Let Me Go, Lover!", "I've Been Everywhere", and "Hello Love", as well as others.
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Leslie William Morrison, known professionally as Lucky Starr, is an Australian pioneer rock and roll, pop and country music singer, guitarist and television presenter. His most popular single, "I've Been Everywhere", appeared in early 1962, which peaked at number one in Sydney. Starr became well known through his many TV appearances on shows such as Bandstand and Six O'Clock Rock, in which he briefly hosted taking over from Johnny O'Keefe, he was the first star to entertain troops in Vietnam.
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