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Hot Tuna — Keep on Truckin'
Album: Burgers
Avg rating:
6.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 643









Released: 1972
Length: 3:38
Plays (last 30 days): 2
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Well now keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away
Keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away
Here you come mama big as sin,
tell what you been doin'
by the shape you're in

So keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away

If you been doin' what I think you been doin' baby,
can't do that 'round here
You been doin' what I think you been doin' baby,
can't do that 'round here
Here you come mam big as hell,
tell what you been doin' by way you smell

So keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away

What's that smell like fish pretty baby,
I really would like to know
Tell me What's that smell like fish oh mama,
I really would like to know
That ain't puddin' baby ain't no pie,
it's the stuff that I got you by

So keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away

Now yes you gotta leave this mornin',
get your yas yas outta my door

Now yes you gotta leave this mornin',
get your yas yas outta my door
Ashes to ashes mama,
dust to dust,
what-cha gonna do when that damn thing rusts

So keep on truckin' mama,
truckin' my blues away
Comments (64)add comment
Thanks for this. We all need to truck away our blues right now.
Posted 3 days ago by bcstorm    [ Reply ]
Keep on trucking Tuna Caught a whole bunch of their shows since the 70s Good memory’s Jack And Jorma Cool and Friendly
Posted 5 years ago by stephen.king12101    [ Reply ]
Posted 5 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Jorma  : )   fab-you-lowsa fingers man
Posted 7 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
 Proclivities wrote:

Yes, it is a pretty standard "rag" chord progression - the sort that was around long before Arlo Guthrie was born, and there are probably thousands of songs before and since with very similar progressions.  

 
And that's what makes it a good jam. I can imagine them sitting around playing this for themselves.

Yeah, it's raunchy but, remember, we all were kids once.


Posted 7 years ago by haresfur    [ Reply ]
Always a pleasure to hear, any time...anywhere.

And about Jack's custom acoustic bass: https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2014/06/26/bass-of-the-week-jack-casadys-ribbecke-guitars-diana-bass/
Posted 7 years ago by chinaski    [ Reply ]
Jack Casady is still truckin. Saw him with Peter Rowan last Saturday night. He plays a rather odd looking bass that looks like a cross between a standup and a more typical electric bass, while sitting in a chair. From his appearance, he could be an old bluegrass bassist, oddly enough, from his appearance. Still can get into some driving runs.
Posted 7 years ago by bam23    [ Reply ]
 capandjudy wrote:

It is a pretty standard rag but I agree that there are better tunes on this LP. 

 
Yes, it is a pretty standard "rag" chord progression - the sort that was around long before Arlo Guthrie was born, and there are probably thousands of songs before and since with very similar progressions.  
Posted 8 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Catchy!!
Posted 8 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
Very funny , Hot Tuna , after a discussion about radioactive tuna on the last song thread.......
Posted 8 years ago by Kaisersosay    [ Reply ]
 Canlistener wrote:
crap
 

 
Are you completely unintelligent ... I thought it was only the Uk where people are unable to read and write ... presumably Muddy Waters would be reviewed in a similar fashion ...
Posted 8 years ago by stonemenigel    [ Reply ]
crap
 
Posted 8 years ago by Canlistener    [ Reply ]
Very nice number! 
Posted 8 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
Jorrrrmaaaaa! My all time favorite album!  https://jormakaukonen.com/tour.php

Hey drictor, I was checking out your Burgers LP and when I opened it to admire the photos of the band inside there was all this dry dusty vegetative matter in the crease. Whats up with that?
Posted 8 years ago by chinaski    [ Reply ]
What a great album that was/is.  Wore the grooves off back in the day...
Posted 8 years ago by drictor    [ Reply ]
Classic Tuna - THANKS RP!
Posted 8 years ago by bobcanna1    [ Reply ]
 inbagt wrote:
This song is gross, old, and terrible.

 

You're not wrong
Posted 8 years ago by pilgrim    [ Reply ]
This song is gross, old, and terrible.
Posted 8 years ago by inbagt    [ Reply ]
Phlebo is in Ephes Dammim, . peergeois..
Posted 8 years ago by twoplain2sea    [ Reply ]
Is she a MILTT?
Posted 8 years ago by MJMJ    [ Reply ]
 capandjudy wrote:

It is a pretty standard rag but I agree that there are better tunes on this LP. 
 

 
Hardly a rip-off of Alice's Restaurant. Someone's been smokin' skunk. 
Posted 9 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tuna-basquaise {#Hungry}{#Chef}
Posted 9 years ago by eveliko    [ Reply ]
 danmaiullo wrote:
Alice's Restaurant rip-off. Someone's been at the Jimmy Page school of composition.

 
It is a pretty standard rag but I agree that there are better tunes on this LP. 
 
Posted 9 years ago by capandjudy    [ Reply ]
 danmaiullo wrote:
Alice's Restaurant rip-off. Someone's been at the Jimmy Page school of composition.

 
Beat me to it! Love the Jimmy Page bit though.
Posted 9 years ago by leathepea    [ Reply ]
haha I get it. très sophistiqué
Posted 9 years ago by MJMJ    [ Reply ]
Alice's Restaurant rip-off. Someone's been at the Jimmy Page school of composition.
Posted 9 years ago by danmaiullo    [ Reply ]
Papa John Creach on violin for you sports fans.
Posted 9 years ago by mgoldman    [ Reply ]
Yeehaw, I just gotta love that distinctive twang, funk n drawl of Jorma and Jack on this one in particular...Saw 'em jam way back when! 
Posted 9 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
 dirtbagpook wrote:
Chewy licks, tasty bass line equals a yummy HT Song.
I see R. Crumb's Keep On Truckin floating by...
 
Pretty fun tune, though I prefer Eddie Kendricks' song of the same name.  As to Robert Crumb's opinion of the phrase:

"Was I now a "spokesman" for the hippies or what? I had no idea how to handle my new position in society! ... Take Keep on Truckin'... for example. Keep on Truckin'... is the curse of my life. This stupid little cartoon caught on hugely. There was a D.J. on the radio in the seventies who would yell out every ten minutes: "And don't forget to KEEP ON TR-R-RUCKIN'!" Boy, was that obnoxious! Big feet equals collective optimism. You're a walkin' boy! You're movin' on down the line! It's proletarian. It's populist."
Posted 9 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Thought this was "Alice's Kitchen" at first.
Posted 9 years ago by pkimbrel    [ Reply ]

just saw them a couple weeks ago at the capitol theatre in port chester, ny.  larry campbell sat in the entire show.
hot damn did they tear it up!!  the bowlegged woman was so good'n'dirty {#Cowboy}


Posted 10 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
Another first for me on RP! 
Great lyrics!
Keep on truckin' is right! I hope the Grateful Dead took notes. 
Posted 10 years ago by kingart    [ Reply ]
 Suddenly I'm 12 years old listening to my buddy's older brothers records! Wow! More fun than humans deserve!
Posted 10 years ago by Lindo525    [ Reply ]
Just saw them in Kyoto a few weeks ago, still got it!
{#Guitarist} 
Posted 10 years ago by hakuindude    [ Reply ]
I'm in my trailer and shakin ma ass out the window
Posted 10 years ago by arserocket    [ Reply ]
 Eight to Nine Mama!! {#Dancingbanana}
Posted 10 years ago by dirtbagpook    [ Reply ]
Fun and glad to hear it here on RP. I could almost hear Ringo Starr covering this with his All Starr Band.
Posted 10 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
More Hot Tuna!
Posted 10 years ago by doktorpsilo    [ Reply ]
HOT DAMN, sounds like home made music......
Posted 10 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
Chewy licks, tasty bass line equals a yummy HT Song.
I see R. Crumb's Keep On Truckin floating by...
Posted 11 years ago by dirtbagpook    [ Reply ]
It's pretty much obligatory to post the image below. I'm surprised nobody's done it yet...

Keep on truckin poster
Posted 11 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
He said "truck."
Posted 11 years ago by Grammarcop    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
"...You can have anything you want at Alice's restaurant..."

 
It's a pretty standard ragtime/folk chord progression, probably well over 100 years old.
Posted 11 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
"...You can have anything you want at Alice's restaurant..."

 
"Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track..."



Posted 11 years ago by MusiqueMusique    [ Reply ]
According to an interview w/ Jorma, the name of the band came from that exact line.

 
Walrus_Gumbo wrote:
What's that smell of fish, oh baby? Really would like to know.
 


Posted 11 years ago by z11355    [ Reply ]
 talibanismurder wrote:
Hot F$%king Tuna!!!!
  bump


Posted 11 years ago by justin_cook    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
"...You can have anything you want at Alice's restaurant..."

 
Yes, but that is a familiar melody, chunky blues was the Hot Tuna recipe and they did it really well!!!{#Jump}
Posted 11 years ago by dew34    [ Reply ]
 iam_overlord wrote:
Sounds like a lot of fun to play. Not so much fun to listen to.
 
Listen to the "Water Song" Then get back to us.
Posted 11 years ago by DD gypsyman    [ Reply ]
Ahhh! Memories! I saw Hot tuna at the Altamont Speedway on December 6th, 1969. Spectacular show.
Posted 11 years ago by jadewahoo    [ Reply ]
"...You can have anything you want at Alice's restaurant..."
Posted 12 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
GORGEOUS!
Posted 12 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
 TerryS wrote:
Years ago I was given a rather tasty grey Hot Tuna T-shirt and wore it from time to time, never guessing that it had provenance.
Still got it. come to think of it.
 
Are you sure it relates to the band?  Hot Tuna was also a small surf clothing brand in Australia that was eventually bought out by K-Mart I think.  I gotta say I don't know that I would particularly want to be associated with either the clothing or this song. 
Posted 12 years ago by Sloggydog    [ Reply ]
Years ago I was given a rather tasty grey Hot Tuna T-shirt and wore it from time to time, never guessing that it had provenance.
Still got it. come to think of it.
Posted 12 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Sounds like a lot of fun to play. Not so much fun to listen to.
Posted 12 years ago by iam_overlord    [ Reply ]
 vandal wrote:
lame
 
That good?

Posted 12 years ago by aelfheld    [ Reply ]

I've been listening to this on the CD and I think I have the lyrics deciphered:

Now keep on truckin' mama,
truck my blues away.
I said, keep on truckin' mama,
truck my blues away.
Here you come baby big as sin.
Tell what you been doin' by the shape you're in.
So keep on truckin' mama,
now truck my blues away.

You been doin' like I think you been doin',
can't do that ‘round here,
I said you been doin' like I think you been doin',
can't do that round here.
Here you come mama big as hell.
Tell what you been doin' by the way you smell.
So keep on truckin' mama,
truck my blues away.

Now what's that smell like fish oh babe,
I really would like to know.
Tell me what's that smell like fish pretty mama,
I really would like to know.
That ain't puddin' baby that ain't pie.
It's the stuff that I got you by.
So keep on truckin' mama,
truck my blues away.

Yes you gotta leave my house this mornin',
get your yes yes out of my door.
I said yes you gotta leave my house this mornin',
get your yes yes out of my door.
Ashes to ash, baby, dust to dust.
What you gonna do when that damn thing rusts?
So keep on truckin' mama,
truck my blues away.


Posted 13 years ago by Otomi    [ Reply ]
What's that smell of fish, oh baby? Really would like to know.
Posted 17 years ago by Walrus_Gumbo    [ Reply ]
Hot Tuna? And Burgers?
Posted 17 years ago by Verpeiler    [ Reply ]
tell what you've been doin' by the way you smell!
Posted 17 years ago by rtkmusic    [ Reply ]
eastcoast wrote:
I think not
A little drunk last night I'm afraid, hence may harsh comments. It was not directed at this ditty in particular, but to it and the four tunes preceeding it!!!
Posted 17 years ago by MrCaps    [ Reply ]
I think not MrCaps wrote:
What is this, crap hill billy night?
Posted 17 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
What is this, crap hill billy night.
Posted 17 years ago by MrCaps    [ Reply ]
fish!
Posted 17 years ago by enidualc    [ Reply ]
Hot F$%king Tuna!!!!
Posted 17 years ago by talibanismurder    [ Reply ]