SIX DAYS ON THE ROAD - chords and comments

At the bottom you'll find a link to the complete lyrics.

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.

Terms:
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 # & b's dropped in by the solo guitar won't fuck it up, but I haven't bothered noting it down, except added 2 (rejectable) 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.

E                           B7                          E
I pulled out of Pittsburgh rolling down the eastern seaboard
E                                      E7                   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