Story Behind The Song

a big fan of woody guthrie since i was a child, this song, for me, represents the essence of what guthrie was about.

Song Description

one of Woody Guthrie's "Dustbowl Ballads & Blues" series relating tales from the 1930's when the farmers affected were driven to desperate measures to keep their families together. The Great Depression, drought, poor farming practices and the subsequent killer duststorms drove many farmers to seek a life elsewhere, mainly in California, where they had heard that the living was easy...many of their hopes were dashed when they found that there were so many migrating so-called "Okies" that camps had to be set-up to accommodate them. This song warns these families of the unwelcome situation in California.

Lyrics

Lots of folks back east they say is leaving home every day
Beating the hot old dusty way to the California line
'Cross the desert sands they roll getting out of that old dustbowl
They think they're going to a sugar bowl but here's what they find
'Cause the police at the port of entry say you're number fourteen thousand for today oh

If you ain't got the do-re-mi boys you ain't got the do- re-mi
Then you'd better go back to beautiful Texas Oklahoma Kansas Georgia Tennessee
California is a garden of Eden a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not you won't find it so hot if you ain't got the do-re-mi

You want to buy a home or farm that can't do nobody harm
Or take your vacation by the mountains or sea
Don't swap your old cow for a car you' better stay right where you are
You'd better take this little tip from me
'Cause I look through the want-ads every day but the headlines on the paper always say oh

If you ain't got the do-re-mi boys you ain't got the do- re-mi
Then you'd better go back to Texas Oklahoma Kansas Georgia Tennessee
California is a garden of Eden a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not you won't find it so hot if you ain't got the do-re-mi