green • montgomery
It's been called "the best truck-driving song ever written" ... so, who really wrote it? The song is credited Carlin Lavon Montgomery (1933-1974) and Earl Green, but very little information is available about them. They were both former truck drivers from Alabama who migrated into music business: Montgomery is listed as "Muscle Shoals Sound Studio songwriter" and is credited a few songs with his sister Melba and brother Earl, and Green - real name "Greene" I've read - wrote a few songs together with his brother John William. Who did what with this special song is unacquainted, but the melody is a mix of various standards in country, folk and blues. The lyrics are interesting: far more advanced than other working- and truck driving songs up to that date it was released.
First release was by some Paul Davis (NOT Paul Lavon Davis), September 1961. In May -63 Dave Dudley recorded it, and things started to really happen. Since this; Dudley was almost exclusively attended with truck driving songs, and the song has been covered way past 100 times.
Tips:
Don't try clever finger-picking with this one. Beat like Hell. And if You've got a solo guitar with You, make sure it gives the Bakersfield sound. Some things shouldn't be messed around with. Well, some spice dropped in by the solo guitar won't fuck it up, but I haven't bothered noting it down, except added 2 sevenths to the original.
Abouts:
"Georgia overdrive" : neutral; freewheeling downhill. Prohibited, of course.
"little white pills" : Benzedrine, I suppose - the first amphetamine pharmaceutical.
"Jimmy" : Nick for GMC, General Motors Company.
"White" : The brand "White Motor Company".
"ICC" : "The Interstate Commerce Commission" intended for transport regulation; now defunct.
"dodge all them scales" : cheating like using double log was still possible in the sixties.
I pulled out of Pittsburgh rolling down the eastern seaboard
I've got my diesel wound up and she's running like never before
there's a speed zone ahead all right
but I ain't seen a cop all night
six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
I got me ten forward gears and a Georgia overdrive
I take little white pills and my eyes are open wide
I just passed a "Jimmy" and a "White"
I've been smokin' everything in sight
six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
well it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye
and I can have a lot of women but I'm not like some other guys
I can find one to hold me tight
but I could never make believe it's alright
six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
now the ICC's been a-checkin' on down the line
I'm a little overweight and my log book's way behind
nothing bothers me tonight
I can dodge all them scales all right
six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
well my rig's a little low, but that don't mean she's slow
got the stacks blowin' fire and the smoke's blowing black as coal
my hometown's coming in sight
if you think I'm happy, you're right
six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
E B7 E I pulled out of Pittsburgh rolling down the eastern seaboard E E7 F#7 B7 I've got my diesel wound up and she's running like never before A B7 ...A7 there's a speed zone ahead all right E E7 A ...A7 but I ain't seen a cop all night E B7 E six days on the road and now I'm gonna make it home tonight
