Traveling Man
I have seen the Great White Nile from its source down to the sea
I have swum in the Zambezi Neath the bridge of liberty
I have crossed the mighty Congo, seen the Hippos in their pools
Floated down the Amazon, seen piranha in their schools.
I have fished the Mississippi seen the Orinoco flow
But of all these mighty rivers there is only one I know,
Will bring me back once again to the place that I call home
The sweet Missouri river is the one I love to roam.
I have crossed the Serengeti heard the lion roar at night
Seen the Kalahari and the Bushmen hunt and fight
I have lived in the Sahara with its sand and dust and flies
And wondered in the outback seen the Southern Cross at night
But across these mighty tundra’s I will never roam again
For I would rather see Missouri with its gentle rolling plains
Of cotton, corn and sweet gum trees glistening in the rain
And that sweet Missouri homestead which causes me much pain
When it’s time for me to leave it and hit the road again
I have climbed the giant Andes seen the Condor soar on high
And driven up the Drakensburg heard Hyenas hue and cry
I have wondered in the Alpine vales picked Edelweiss touched with dew
And now I wish I had the chance to pick one just for you
But for all these mighty mountains I’d rather be at home
And stroll about the Ozarks with their sweetly smelling loam
For in all my worldly travels, I have never been
To a land quite like Missouri with its majestic scenes.
I have travelled our great nation from sea to shining sea
Crossed the Golden Gate and seen the Maid of Liberty
I have ridden all the highways and byways far and near
But of all these winding ribbons there’s only one that I hold dear
66 I’ve travelled from Chicago to LA
But 44s the one that brings me closer every day
To that sweet Missouri homestead and the place I want to lay,
Back home in Missouri is the place I want to stay.
And when they lay me down to rest after my time is done
They will say although of English birth to Mo he was a son
He came and saw and wondered at a beauty so serene
And that in all his worldly travels he had never seen
A land quite like Missouri and the places that he loved
He died a happy rolling stone blessed by God above