Small excerpt from 1940 recording by Woody Guthrie and Burl Ives and some others:
…
("WIND" SOUND EFFECTS)
WOODY GUTHRIE:I knowed then that the WHOLE world wasn't gone...
but I knowed that OUR world had done run out...
I's ready to go... an' I's sayin' goodbye to Pa...
BURL IVES (?): Well, are you leavin', son?
WOODY GUTHRIE: Hell... I guess so...
BURL IVES (?): Which way do you think you be goin'? West?
WOODY GUTHRIE: S'pose so...
BURL IVES (?): Well, I think you better stay...
WOODY GUTHRIE: This whole country is blowin' away...
the lands an' the houses an'... people...
I'm a-goin', too...
Well, why don't you come...?
BURL IVES (?): NO... I guess I'll stay.
This is my place, here...
I don't know, but... I think I'll stay...
WOODY GUTHRIE: Well... I have to go...
The whole country is movin' out...
(SOUND EFFECT "CAR ENGINE STARTING")
...in ol' rattle-trap cars... an' trucks...
whole counties o’ people's packin' up an' leavin'...
an' a whole big, long caravan of 'em on the road...
They's all goin' West an' singin':
CHORUS:
So long, it's been good to know ya,
So long, it's been good to know ya,
So long, it's been good to know ya,
This dusty ol' dust is a-gettin' my home,
An' I got to be driftin' along,
I got to be driftin' along...
...
Thanks for the memories and the friendships and I hope to see you someday again, if you're not already with me in Middle Earth.
To me, the lights have already gone out in Istaria, but I may check back from time to time, just in case.
*hugs*