Favorite witticisms by Woody Guthrie

earthtones.org

Aside from being an accomplished musician, Woody Guthrie was a writer (Bound for Glory) and commentator. Here are some of my favorite witticisms from him found in the book entitled, Ramblin’ Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie. Enjoy!

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“You hate to just sleep all nite and not get anywhere.” (pg. 90)

“A drunk man don’t like his own vomit. And a dizzy Profet System don’t like its own filth.” (pg. 135)

“Lots of folks say we don’t want no european idees over here to help us thrash out our problems — well ain’t the bible from over there?” (pg. 148)

“Oklahoma is a very rich state. You want oil in Oklahoma, jus’ go down a hole and get it. If you want coal, why, we’ve got coal in Oklahoma. Jus’ go down a hole and get it. You want lead, we’ve got lead mines. Go down a hole and get you some lead. If you want food, groceries, just go in a hole…and stay there.” (pg. 168)

“We love singing in toilets. Good acoustics.” (pg. 279)

“The average elections were about as useful as a slop jar without a bottom in it.” (pg. 283)

“I write like a Montgomery Ward catalog, and sell very little material.” (pg. 286)

“No man should be this lonesome nor this lone.” (pg. 302)

“Life is pretty tough. You’re lucky to live through it.” (pg. 314)

“I’d rather have one song which is sung by a whole lot of people than a book which is printed and sits on the shelf most of the time.” (pg. 317)

“Some people say I’m Communist. That ain’t necessarily so, but it is true that I’ve always been in the red.” (pg. 323)

“I want to lay my head tonight on a bed of Oklahoma clouds.” (pg. 336)

“I was born to be a reddical and the life and death of a reddical is the only kind of a life and death I’d sign up with.”  (pg. 345)

“My name is Woody ‘adversity’ Guthrie. Adversity, adversity, I’ve held ye too close. I knew ye and knew ye too well.” (pg. 371)