i know darius rucker made it ultra famous, but i first heard “wagon wheel” by old crow medicine show, who finished and recorded the incomplete, original version written by bob dylan.  this song has many memories of mine tied to it, and i cannot help but smile whenever i hear it on the radio.  i recently declared “wagon wheel” my go-to karaoke song, so if you find me at the bar with a microphone in my hand, be prepared.

headed down south to the land of the pines

i’m thumbin’ my way into north caroline

starin’ up the road

and pray to God i see headlights

i made it down the coast in seventeen hours

pickin’ me a bouquet of dogwood flowers

and i’m a hopin’ for raleigh

i can see my baby tonight

so rock me mama like a wagon wheel

rock me mama any way you feel

hey mama rock me

rock me mama like the wind and the rain

rock me mama like a south-bound train

hey mama rock me

runnin’ from the cold up in new england

i was born to be a fiddler in an old-time string band

my baby plays the guitar

i pick a banjo now

oh, the north country winters keep a gettin’ me now

lost my money playin’ poker so i had to leave town

but i ain’t a turnin’ back

to livin’ that old life no more

so rock me mama like a wagon wheel

rock me mama any way you feel

hey mama rock me

rock me mama like the wind and the rain

rock me mama like a south-bound train

hey mama rock me

walkin’ to the south out of roanoke

i caught a trucker out of philly

had a nice long toke

but he’s a headed west from the cumberland gap

to johnson city, tennessee

and i gotta get a move on fit for the sun

i hear my baby callin’ my name

and i know that she’s the only one

and if i die in Raleigh

at least i will die free

so rock me mama like a wagon wheel

rock me mama any way you feel

hey mama rock me

rock me mama like the wind and the rain

rock me mama like a south-bound train

hey mama rock me