Do Re Mi (Woody Guthrie song)

"Do Re Mi" is a folk song by American songwriter Woody Guthrie. The song deals with the experiences and reception of Dust Bowl migrants when they arrive in California.[1] It is known for having two guitar parts, both recorded by Guthrie.

For other uses, see Do Re Mi (disambiguation).

Background

Written by Woody Guthrie, the song is included on his 1940 folk album Dust Bowl Ballads. It takes the form of a warning to would-be migrants to stay where they are (places of origin mentioned include Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, and Tennessee). The argument is made on the basis that there are already too many migrants, and not enough money or work available to make the hardships and expense of the trip worthwhile.

The message of the song parallels a theme of John Steinbeck's seminal novel The Grapes of Wrath, wherein the Joad family makes a dangerous, expensive trip from their home in Oklahoma to California. They encounter a fellow Dust Bowl migrant at a roadside rest-stop who tells them to turn back, echoing the cautionary tone of the song. He cites his own loss and misfortune (he mentions the trials of his dead wife and his underfed children 'moaning like pups') as a warning to others to avoid the same fate. Continuing on in spite of this, the Joads arrive in California nearly penniless, and having buried the two oldest members of the family. There they find there is indeed not enough work or pay to make ends meet.

Notable recordings

After first appearing on Dust Bowl Ballads, it was later released on the compilation Bound for Glory (1956).

Selected cover versions

It is also heavily referenced in AJJ's "Survival Song."

References
  1. Coombs, Karen Mueller (2003). Woody Guthrie: America's Folksinger. Minneapolis, Minn.: Lerner Publishing Group. p. 45. ISBN 0-8225-3750-8. OCLC 51271179. "One song, 'Do Re Mi,' told about illegal roadblocks the Los Angeles police set up at the California border. The police refused entry to out-of-state travelers who didn't have jobs or enough 'do re mi' (money) to live on."
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