King of the Road (song)
Encyclopedia
"King of the Road" is a 1964 song written and originally recorded by country singer Roger Miller
.
The lyrics tell of a hobo
who despite being poor (a "man of means by no means") revels in his freedom, describing himself humorously as the "king of the road". It was Miller's fifth single for Smash Records.
states that the song was written at the Idanha Hotel in Boise, Idaho
. In an interview with disk jockey Robert W. Morgan
in the early 70's, Miller mentioned writing it while in the Chicago area, however in an introduction to the song on the 1981 live recording "Roger Miller Live! Silver Eagle Cross Country," Miller said the song was written in Boise. The highly popular crossover
record hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100
, and #1 on their Country and Easy Listening surveys. It was also #1 in UK and Norway.
The King Family Show
was a TV variety show
broadcast from 1965 to 1969. Each week, the King Family would run through a medley of the popular tunes of the week. The family-oriented show producers were uncomfortable with the line "I ain't got no cigarettes", and replaced it with "no regrets". The kids music compilation Sugar Beats changes the line to "I don't want what I can't get". It also changes "worn out suits and shoes" to "clothes and shoes".
The song has been covered by several other artists, including George Jones
, Dean Martin
, King
(an Elvis Presley
impersonation), Jack Jones
, The Fabulous Echoes, Boney M., R.E.M. (a shambolic, drunken offhand cover about which guitarist Peter Buck later commented, "If there was any justice in the world, Roger Miller should be able to sue for what we did to this song."), Johnny Paycheck
, The Chipmunks
, Boxcar Willie
, Randy Travis
, Rangers
, James Kilbane
, John Stevens
, the Statler Brothers, Rufus Wainwright
& Teddy Thompson
, Giant Sand
, Peligro, The Proclaimers
, Ray Conniff Singers and The Reverend Horton Heat
, Jerry Lee Lewis, and
Joe Strummer during live performances.
The song is featured in Wim Wenders
' 1976 film, Im Lauf der Zeit (In the Course of Time; English title Kings of the Road
). It is also featured at the beginning of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
, Brokeback Mountain
, Into the Wild
and in Swingers. Miller performs it in the concert film The Big T.N.T. Show
. The recording by The Proclaimers
featured in the film "The Crossing
" (1990). Towards the end of their official music video, the pair are shown reading a newspaper whose headline is 'Roger Miller, King of Plugs'.
After the major success achieved by "King of the Road
" , Dean Martin
recorded the 1965 tune "Houston", which is similar in both lyrics and feel.
singer Jody Miller
answered
"King of the Road" with "Queen of the House". The song used Roger Miller's music while changing the lyrics to describe the day-to-day life of a housewife
. The words were written by Mary Taylor. Singer Connie Francis
later recorded the song on her 1966 album "Live at the Sahara".
Roger Miller
Roger Dean Miller was an American singer, songwriter, musician and actor, best known for his honky tonk-influenced novelty songs...
.
The lyrics tell of a hobo
Hobo
A hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
who despite being poor (a "man of means by no means") revels in his freedom, describing himself humorously as the "king of the road". It was Miller's fifth single for Smash Records.
History
Belgian recording artist Helmut LottiHelmut Lotti
Helmut Lotti , is a Flemish Belgian tenor and singer-songwriter. Lotti performs in several styles and languages: Once an Elvis impersonator, he has sung African and Latino hit records, and he crossed over into classical music in the 1990s.-Life and music:The son of Luc Lotigiers and Rita Lagrou,...
states that the song was written at the Idanha Hotel in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. In an interview with disk jockey Robert W. Morgan
Robert W. Morgan
Robert Wilbur Morgan was an award-winning morning radio personality best known for his work at several stations in Los Angeles, California, in particular KHJ-AM....
in the early 70's, Miller mentioned writing it while in the Chicago area, however in an introduction to the song on the 1981 live recording "Roger Miller Live! Silver Eagle Cross Country," Miller said the song was written in Boise. The highly popular crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
record hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and #1 on their Country and Easy Listening surveys. It was also #1 in UK and Norway.
The King Family Show
The King Family Show
The King Family Show was an American musical variety series that featured The King Sisters and their extended musical family. The series first aired on ABC from January 1965 to January 1966...
was a TV variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
broadcast from 1965 to 1969. Each week, the King Family would run through a medley of the popular tunes of the week. The family-oriented show producers were uncomfortable with the line "I ain't got no cigarettes", and replaced it with "no regrets". The kids music compilation Sugar Beats changes the line to "I don't want what I can't get". It also changes "worn out suits and shoes" to "clothes and shoes".
The song has been covered by several other artists, including George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, King
King (band)
King were a British New Wave pop band of the mid 1980s, from Coventry. Their name comes from the surname of lead singer Paul King. The band recorded two albums for CBS Records ; both were produced by Richard James Burgess and certified gold.-Overview:The band was formed from the remnants of...
(an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
impersonation), Jack Jones
Jack Jones (singer)
John Allan "Jack" Jones is an American jazz and pop singer. He was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1960s.-Overview:...
, The Fabulous Echoes, Boney M., R.E.M. (a shambolic, drunken offhand cover about which guitarist Peter Buck later commented, "If there was any justice in the world, Roger Miller should be able to sue for what we did to this song."), Johnny Paycheck
Johnny Paycheck
Johnny Paycheck was the legal name of Donald Eugene Lytle , a country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member most famous for recording the David Allan Coe song "Take This Job and Shove It"...
, The Chipmunks
The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
, Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie
Boxcar Willie, born as Lecil Travis Martin was an American country music singer, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat...
, Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Rangers
Rangers (band)
The Rangers is a Czech pop folk band formed in 1964 by Milan Dufek and Antonín Hájek, playing country music as well. Its classical ensemble consisted of Milan Dufek , Antonín Hájek , Miroslav Řihošek, Jan Vančura , Jiří Veisser, and Radek Tomášek...
, James Kilbane
James Kilbane
James Patrick Kilbane is a Gospel, Irish, Country and Easy Listening singer from Achill Island, County Mayo, Ireland. James Kilbane was the runner up in Ireland's talent TV show You're A Star in 2004. Since then he has established his career with his mix of Gospel, Country and Irish music...
, John Stevens
John Stevens
John Stevens may refer to:In politics, law and public service:*John H. Stevens , built the first house west of the Mississippi in what is now Minneapolis, Minnesota*John L. Stevens , U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Hawai'i...
, the Statler Brothers, Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter. He has recorded six albums of original music, EPs, and tracks on compilations and film soundtracks.-Early years:...
& Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson
Teddy Thompson is a British folk and rock musician. He is the son of folk-rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother of singer Kamila Thompson...
, Giant Sand
Giant Sand
Giant Sand is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The name is shortened from the original Giant Sandworms, a reference to the creatures in the Dune books. Overseen by singer-songwriter Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years—at times with each album...
, Peligro, The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
, Ray Conniff Singers and The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, Jerry Lee Lewis, and
Joe Strummer during live performances.
The song is featured in Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
' 1976 film, Im Lauf der Zeit (In the Course of Time; English title Kings of the Road
Kings of the Road
Kings of the Road is a 1976 German road movie directed by Wim Wenders. It was the third part of Wenders' "Road Movie Trilogy" which included Alice in the Cities and The Wrong Move...
). It is also featured at the beginning of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is a 2006 American comedy film, directed by Adam McKay and starring Will Ferrell. The film also features John C. Reilly, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Amy Adams, Gary Cole, Jane Lynch, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Various Saturday Night Live alumni also...
, Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee. It is a film adaptation of the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx with the screenplay written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry...
, Into the Wild
Into the Wild (film)
Into the Wild is a 2007 American biographical drama film directed by Sean Penn. It is an adaptation of 1996 non-fiction book of the same name by Jon Krakauer based on the travels of Christopher McCandless across North America in the early 1990s. The film stars Emile Hirsch as McCandless with...
and in Swingers. Miller performs it in the concert film The Big T.N.T. Show
The Big T.N.T. Show
The Big T.N.T. Show is a 1966 concert film. Directed by Larry Peerce and distributed by American International Pictures, it includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England....
. The recording by The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
featured in the film "The Crossing
The Crossing (1990 film)
The Crossing is a 1990 Australian drama film directed by George Ogilvie and starring Russell Crowe, Robert Mammone and Danielle Spencer, which was filmed in the towns of Junee and Condobolin in New South Wales.-Box office:...
" (1990). Towards the end of their official music video, the pair are shown reading a newspaper whose headline is 'Roger Miller, King of Plugs'.
After the major success achieved by "King of the Road
King of the Road
- Music :* "King of the Road" , a 1965 song by Roger Miller* King of the Road , an album by Fu Manchu* King of the Road, an EP by The Proclaimers- Other uses :* King of the Road , a contest sponsored by Thrasher magazine...
" , Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
recorded the 1965 tune "Houston", which is similar in both lyrics and feel.
Roger Miller
| Chart (1965) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.K. Singles Chart | 1 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 10 |
Randy Travis
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 51 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 74 |
Queen of the House
1965 country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer Jody Miller
Jody Miller
Jody Brooks is an American country music singer. Born as Myrna Joy Miller, she was born in Phoenix, Arizona and raised in Oklahoma.-Career:...
answered
Answer song
An answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
"King of the Road" with "Queen of the House". The song used Roger Miller's music while changing the lyrics to describe the day-to-day life of a housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
. The words were written by Mary Taylor. Singer Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
later recorded the song on her 1966 album "Live at the Sahara".