Topic: Other Musical Interests on YouTube

[Parlor Picker]

Mandolin Orange recently changed their name to "Watchhouse".

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I remember when this song was a hit when I was a kid, I had no clue what it was about, but I couldn't get over that line, "I ain't got no cigarettes.". Over time I've come to appreciate what a gifted lyricist Roger Miller was--a great lyricist like Chuck Berry or David McCarn or Frank Loesser whose lyrics just happened to be perfectly in the vernacular, perfectly rhythmic and all with a relaxed falling-off-a-log quality. Here's "King of the Road":



Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes, I'm a-
Two hours pushing broom buys a, eight by twelve full bedroom, I'm a
Man of means, by no means, king of the road

Third boxcar, midnight train, destination: Bangor, Maine
Old worn-out suit and shoes, I don't pay no union dues, I smoke
Old stogies I have found, short, but not too big around, I'm a
Man of means, by no means, king of the road, I know

Every engineer on every train, all their children, all of their names
Every hand-out in every town, ever locked, it ain't locked when noone's around, I sing

Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes, I've a-
Two hours of pushing broom buys a, eight by twelve full bedroom, I'm a
Man of means, by no means, king of the road 

Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents
No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes, I've a-
Two hours of pushing broom buys a, eight by twelve full bedroom, I'm a
Man of means (FADE)

All best,
Johnm

[MarkC]

That’s such a great song. My father had the album “The Return of Roger Miller,” which included “King of the Road”, when I was a kid. I listened to it all the time. John Prine put out a great collection of Miller’s music.

Here’s another one of my favorites from that album, “Hard Headed Me”:

[lindy]

From his cowboy look days, doing a song he wrote that really caught people's attention. With Ray Price in the lead.

[Lignite]

Roger Miller was a really deep guy. Besides all his funny, frivolous songs (My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died) he could come out with something like this song. It really knocked me out the first time that I heard it.

[bnemerov]

And does anyone else remember watching his (short-lived) TV show? A summer replacement for
Miller was at peak amphetamine energy and had the incomparable Thumbs Carlisle as featured guitarist.
Don't remember title of program, but it had a train-themed opening.
best,
bruce

[Stuart]

I vaguely remember it, Bruce. According to IMDb, it ran from September 12, 1966 through December 26, 1966, 17 episodes in all. There are quite a few videos with Roger Miller on YT, but I didn't see any of the original show.

I remember him being quite the conversationalist and raconteur. I recall him on The Tonight Show. When he and Johnny Carson would get going, it was hilarious.

Thanks for the initial post, John, and also to Mark, Lindy and Lightnin'.

He was best known for his novelty songs, but of course he was much more than that and lived a full life.

[Lignite]

Jeez he was a wild man! Check him out here on an early morning Nashville tv show with Ralph Emery. You can tell that he had been up all night speeding while guest star Charlie Louvin had had to wake himself up at 4:00 in the morning or so to make the show. He even farts at 3:35 and Ralph has to sit there and stand it. Thumbs Carlisle plays guitar for the band and is great!

[Slack]

Lol!  I've seen this but forgotten about it - thanks for posting Lightnin'! 

These early live shows are hilarious.  Speed kills!  ... and Thumbs Carlisle is fantastic!

[eric]

Hahaha live TV indeed. Heroic effort by Ralph trying to keep everything under control.

[lindy]

Bunch of Brits getting down to their bad selves . . .