441
I'm CioiNc; Down the Road Feeling Bad
B. A. Botkin, editor of A Treasury of American Folklore, in-
cludes in that volume (p. 876) a version of this song, the words of
which, he notes, were written by Woody Guthrie. There are sliglit
verbal differences between the two versions, and the original does
not include stanza six given below. Davis FSV 279 lists the title.
From the John liurcli Blaylock Collection.
1 I'm going down the road feeling bad.
I'm going down the road feeling l)ad,
I'm going down the road feeling bad,
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
2 I'm down in the jail on my knees,
I'm down in the jail on my knees,
I'm down in the jail on my knees,
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
3 Oh, it's nothing but cornbread and peas,
Oh, it's nothing but cornbread and peas,
Oh, it's nothing but cornbread and peas.
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
4 I'm going where the climate suits my clothes,
I'm going where the climate suits my clothes,
I'm going where the climate suits my clothes.
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
5 These five dollar shoes hurt my feet.
Oh, these five dollar shoes hurt my feet,
Oh, these five dollar shoes hurt my feet,
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
6 I'm leaving if I never come back.
Oh, I'm leaving if I never come back.
Oh, I'm leaving if I never come back.
And I ain't gonna be treated this-a way.
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441
I'm Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
'I'm Going Down the Road Feeling Bad.' Sung by Bonnie Wiseman, Upper
Hinson Creek, Avery county, August 26, 1939. Throughout there is strong
evidence of Negro influence in the manner of singing : flattening the a in the
primitive slur from a to g and again in measure 6 the noticeable 'below pitch'
of the a.
F-408
Go - ing down the road feel - ing bad, I'm go - mg down
the road feel - ing bad. Go - ing down the road feel - ing
bad, And I ain't gon - na be treat - ed this - a way.
For melodic relationship cf. ***PSB 9; **FSUSA 242; BTFLS iv, 80,
No. 3 ; *TAFL 876.
Scale: Hexachordal, plagal. Tonal Center: f. Structure: abed (2,2,2,2).
There is a slight melodic relationship between a and b. The rhythmical
similarity of the first five measures is evident.