King of the Road

Roger Miller's best-known song was probably "King of the Road," about a hobo who knows how to live cheap and how to get around the country free. Legend has it he was inspired by an actual sign he saw on a barn while he was driving through the midwest: "Trailers for Sale or Rent."

Back when Miller was unknown outside of Country circles, Dean Martin's producer thought the song's laid back tone would fit Dino's style, and it did - making one of Dino's biggest hits. Eventually Miller came to be better known with other tunes. But he had his own hit with "King of the Road," and it's one of the two songs he's best remembered for. ("Little Green Apples" being the other one)

A lot of other folks have had hits with it as well, including Randy Travis, whose rough, throaty voice seems perfectly suited for it.

Some Miller fans seem to resent the fact that other people had hits with Roger's song, but Miller made money every time it was played on the radio, so he didn't mind at all.

Here are Miller's lyrics:

Trailers for sale or rent
Rooms to let...fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets
I ain't got no cigarettes
Ah, but..two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I'm a man of means by no means
King of the road.

Third boxcar, midnight train
Destination...Bangor, Maine.
Old worn out suits 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 of their children, and all of their names
And every handout in every town
And every lock that ain't locked
When no one'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
Ah, but, two hours of pushin' broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I'm a man of means by no means
King of the road.

You-Tube Videos of This Song

• Roger Miller - on the Texaco Country Showdown television show.

• Roger Miller and Johnny Cash - goofing around and jamming on the Johnny Cash show

• Randy Travis and Josh Turner - live performance

• Dean Martin - original studio recording.

• Boxcar Willie studio recording.

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