\"Truckin'\" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album American Beauty. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure. Written by band members Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and lyricist Robert Hunter, \"Truckin'\" molds classic Grateful Dead rhythms and instrumentation. The lyrics refer to a drug raid of the band's hotel lodgings in New Orleans during a concert tour earlier in 1970. The song's climactic refrain, \"What a long, strange trip it's been\", has achieved widespread cultural use in the years since the song's release.
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Truckin'
[E]Truckin' / got my chips cashed in,
keep [A]truckin'/ like the doo-dah man
To[B]gether / more or or less in line
[A]just keep truckin' on. [E][E7] [E][E7]
E E7 (all the time)
Arrow of neon and flashing marquees out on Main Street
Chicago, New York, Detroit and it's all on the same streeet.
Your typical city involved in a typical daydream
- Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.
[E]Dallas / got a soft machine /
[A]Houston, / too close to New Orleans;
[B]New York / got the ways and means,
But [A]just won't let you be. [E][E7] [E][E7]
[E]Most of the cats that you meet on the streets speak of true love
Most of the time they're sittin' and cryin' at home.
One of these days THEY know they gotta get goin'
Out of the door and down on the streets all alone.
[E]Truckin' / like the do-dah man.
[A]Once !told !me / \"You got to play your hand\"
[B]Sometimes / your cards ain't worth a dime,
[A]If you don't lay'em do__wn [E][E7] [E][E7]
[A]Sometimes the lights all shinin' on me [G,D,A]
[A]Other times I can [G]barely [A]see.[G,D,A]
[D]Latel__y it o[Bm]ccurs to [F#]me,[B,F#]
What a [Amaj7]lo____ng strange trip it's been.[E] [E7]
[E]What_in_the wo_rld ever became of SWEET Jane?
She lost her sparkle_you KNOW she isn't the same.
Livin' on reds, vitamin C and cocaine,
- all_a FRIEND can say is \"Ain't it a shame.\"
[E]Truckin' / up to Buffalo,
been [A]thinkin' / you got to mellow slow.
[B]Takes time / you_pick_a_place to go_o_o,
[A]just keep truckin' on. [E] [E7]
[E]Sittin' and starin' out of the hotel window.
GOT a tip THEY gonna kick_the_door IN again
I'd LIKE to get some SLEEP before I TRAVEL
But_if YOU got a warrant, !I guess you're GONNA come in.
[E]Busted / down on Bourbon Street.
[A]Set up / like a bowlin' pin.
[B]Knocked down / it gets to wearin' thin,
they [A]just won't let you be. [E] [E7]
[E]You're sick of hangin' around and you'd like to travel;
Get tired of travelin' and you want to settle down.
I guess they can't revoke your soul for tryin'
Get out of the door and light out and look all around.
[A]Sometimes the lights all shinin' on me [G,D,A]
[A]Other times I can barely see.[G,D,A]
[D]Lately it o[Bm]ccurs to [F#]me,
What a [Amaj7]long strange trip it's been.[E] [E7]
[E]Truckin' / I'm a-goin' home,
[A]whoa, whoa, baby back where I belong.
[B]Back home / sit down and patch my bones
And [A]get back truckin' on. [E] [E7]
