Words and Music by Tom Paxton

Originating page:  There are rules for the road …even for this long and dusty road

It’s a long and dusty road, It’s a hot and a heavy load
and the folks I meet ain’t always kind.
Some are bad and some are good.
Some have done the best they could.
Some have tried to ease my troublin’ mind.

And I can’t help but wonder
where I’m bound, where I’m bound.
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound.

I have wandered through this land just a-doin’ the best I can,
Tryin’ to find what I was meant to do.
And the people that I see look as worried as can be
And it looks like they are wonderin’ too.

And I can’t help but wonder
where I’m bound, where I’m bound.
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound.

Oh, I had a little girl one time, she had lips like sherry wine
And she loved me till my head went plumb insane.
But I was too blind to see she was driftin’ away from me
And my good gal went off on the morning train.

And I can’t help but wonder
where I’m bound, where I’m bound.
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound.

And I had a buddy back home but he started out to roam
And I hear he’s out by ‘Frisco Bay.
And sometimes when I’ve had a few, his old voice comes singin’ through
And I’m goin’ out to see him some old day.

And I can’t help but wonder
where I’m bound, where I’m bound.
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound.

If you see me passing by and you sit and you wonder why,
and you wish that you were a rambler too;
Nail your shoes to the kitchen floor, lace ’em up and bar the door,
Thank your stars for the roof that’s over you.

And I can’t help but wonder
where I’m bound, where I’m bound.
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound.