King of the Road - Song Lyrics

  • Written & originally performed by Roger Miller (born 1/2/36 in Ft Worth Texas, died of lung cancer 10/25/92)
  • The song reached #4 on the top 40 charts in 1965
  • It was also a #1 Adult Contemporary hit for 10 weeks, & a #1 Country hit for 5 weeks 
  • It was the highest charting single of Miller's career that included 12 top 40 hits between '64 and '68
  • Miller was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1995
  • King of the Road was remade in 1990 by The Proclaimers (identical twin brothers Craig & Charlie Reid born on 3/5/62), and although it saw some commercial success for them in the United Kingdom, their version never reached the Top 40 charts
A sample of this song as performed by Oracle is available by clicking on either of the links below.  The RealAudio file will stream to your computer rather quickly assuming you have the RealAudio player installed.  The MP3 file must download completely first, but is of a higher audio quality.
   
Streaming RealAudio Download MP3

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 clothes 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.

Note that the lyrics posted here are those as interpreted and performed by The Oracle Band. In a few cases we have taken some liberties with the lyrics to make them more appropriate for tasteful gatherings. Their use here is intended as an aid for people in selecting music for their wedding reception or private party, and may not be reproduced for any commercial, for-profit use.

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Oracle Band
19359 Keymar Way
Gaithersburg, MD 20886-5003
(800) 470-0711
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