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
	3 Jul 1966	30 Trips Around The Sun
	29 Jul 1966	The Grateful Dead: 50th Anniversary Edition
	studio 1967	Grateful Dead (first album)
	22 Oct 1967	Anthem Of The Sun (2018 bonus disc)
	10 Nov 1967	30 Trips Around The Sun
	23 Jan 1968	Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2
	2 May 1970	Dick's Picks Vol 8
	15 May 1970	Road Trips Vol 3 No 3 (late show)
	21 Feb 1971	Workingman's Dead (50th Anniversary Edition)
	25 Apr 1971	Ladies And Gentlemen ... The Grateful Dead
	24 Aug 1971	Dick's Picks Vol 35
	22 Oct 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 3
	15 Nov 1971	Road Trips Number 3, Volume 2
	17 Nov 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 26
	20 Nov 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 48
	7 Dec 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 22
	9 Dec 1971	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	10 Dec 1971	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	14 Dec 1971	Dave's Picks Volume 26
	7 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	8 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	11 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	14 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	16 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	21 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	24 Apr 1972	Rockin' The Rhein (note 2)
	26 Apr 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	3 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	4 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	7 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	10 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	11 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	13 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	16 May 1972	Europe '72: Vol. 2 (note 2)
	18 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	24 May 1972	Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings
	21 Jul 1972	Download Series Vol 10
	25 Aug 1972	Dave's Picks Volume 24
	21 Sep 1972	Dick's Picks Vol 36
	24 Sep 1972	30 Trips Around The Sun
	27 Sep 1972	Dick's Picks Vol 11
	17 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	18 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	19 Oct 1972	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	17 Nov 1972	Dave's Picks Volume 11
	28 Feb 1973	Dick's Picks Vol 28
	24 Mar 1973	Dave's Picks Volume 32
	28 Mar 1973	Dave's Picks Volume 16
	2 Apr 1973	Dave's Picks Volume 21
	13 May 1973	Here Comes Sunshine
	20 May 1973	Here Comes Sunshine
	26 May 1973	Here Comes Sunshine
	9 Jun 1973	Here Comes Sunshine
	10 Jun 1973	Here Comes Sunshine
	22 Jun 1973	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	24 Jun 1973	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	26 Jun 1973	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	8 Sep 1973	Dave's Picks Volume 38
	29 Oct 1973	Listen To The River: St Louis '71 '72 73
	10 Nov 1973	Winterland 1973 - The Complete Recordings
	14 Nov 1973	30 Trips Around The Sun
	2 Dec 1973	Dick's Picks Vol 14
	24 Feb 1974	Dave's Picks Volume 13
	23 Mar 1974	Dick's Picks Vol 24
	23 Feb 1974	Dave's Picks Volume 42
	12 May 1974	From The Mars Hotel (50th anniversary bonus disc)
	17 May 1974	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	19 May 1974	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	21 May 1974	Pacific Northwest '73-'74
	23 Jun 1974	Dave's Picks Volume 34
	19 Jul 1974	Dave's Picks Volume 17
	31 Jul 1974	Dave's Picks Volume 2
	11 Sep 1974	Dick's Picks Vol 7
	18 Sep 1974	30 Trips Around The Sun
	18 Oct 1974	Steal Your Face
	28 Sep 1975	30 Trips Around The Sun
	11 May 1978	Dick's Picks Vol 25
	5 Jul 1978	July 1978: The Complete Recordings
	7 Jul 1978	July 1978: The Complete Recordings
	9 Mar 1981	In And Out Of The Garden
	7 Aug 1982	Dick's Picks Vol 32
	21 Sep 1982	In And Out Of The Garden
	20 Apr 1984	Dave's Picks Volume 35
	3 May 1986	30 Trips Around The Sun
	27 Mar 1987	Dave's Picks Volume 36
	22 Mar 1990	Spring 1990 (note 2)

Notes
(2) also on the box set Europe '72 - The Complete Recordings


Other Related Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	1989	Doorway To The Angels	Juggling Suns
	2016	Songs To Fill The Air (WFMU Pledge Drive)	Wooden Wand
	2017	Dead Songs Vol 1	Barton Hills Choir

Notes
(2) also on the compilation So Glad You Made It

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

Further 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