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
     12 Apr 1978 Friend Of The Devils: April 1978
     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

 


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