Southbound
Flatt And Scruggs · Other Songs - Flatt And Scruggs
Folks that have to call this home, they the ones I pity Lord I'm homesick
and blues are the only tunes I ever seem to pick
I go out and walk the streets 'til I get blisters on my feet
I'm southbound
[ banjo - dobro ]I'm all right 'til late at night sittin' by my window
I count sheep but I can't sleep list'nin to that train blow I begin to pine
When I hear that great big engine rollin' down the line
I'm goin' back to spend some time where I can't fall
when I ain't got a dime
I'm southbound
[ ac.guitar - harmonica ]Southbound's burnin' the ground
Lord I don't mean maybe
Sure am glad I caught this train; gonna see my baby Lord I'm lonesome
and I long to see those hills where I come from
Listen the engine's rattle 'n roar,
carryin' me back home once more I'm southbound
Southbound - Flatt and Scruggs
Flatt and Scruggs' "Southbound" stands as a definitive example of the bluegrass revival movement that swept the United States in the late 1960s. Recorded during a pivotal era when traditional Appalachian folk music was being reimagined with modern electric instrumentation, the track showcases the duo's mastery of the banjo and guitar. The song captures the spirit of rural migration and the longing for home, themes central to the American folk tradition. Its driving rhythm and intricate interplay between Bill Flatt's guitar and Earl Scruggs' banjo set a standard for the genre, influencing countless subsequent artists who sought to blend acoustic authenticity with contemporary energy. This recording remains a cornerstone of the bluegrass canon, celebrated for its technical proficiency and emotional resonance.