Trav'lin' with the Sun

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: March 16, 1936

Trav'ling' with the Sun - Version 1

Some folks long for the busy throng and the noise as they hurry by,
But all I want is somewhere to go and a sun in the clear blue sky.

Refrain:
For he makes the shady nooks where I can lie and dream
He dances on the ripples of a lazy little stream.
He’s a vagabond at heart, may our friendship never part
For I’m happy when I’m traveling with the sun.
When evening comes I know he isn’t far from here.
He’s just beyond the other side of somewhere near
But he’ll be back at dawn and together we’ll roll on
For I’m happy when I’m traveling with the sun.
Give me the open road, a song to sing,
The sun above and everything is happy in this world of mine.
Where he goes I’m right behind him for he beckons me
To follow where he leads me to the open sea.
He’s a king and so am I—I own the earth, he owns the sky
And I’m happy when I’m traveling with the sun.

Trav'ling' with the Sun - Version 2

Some folks long for the busy throng and the noise as they hurry by,
But all I want is somewhere to go and a sun in the clear blue sky.

Refrain:
For he makes the shady nooks where I can lie and dream
Of you, my dear, and watch him dance along a lazy stream.
He’s a vagabond at heart, may our friendship never part
For I’m happy when I’m trav’ling with the sun.
When evenin’ comes I know he isn’t far from here.
He’s just beyond the other side of somewhere near
But he’ll be back at dawn and together we’ll roll on
For I’m happy when I’m trav’lin’ with the sun.
Give me the open road, a song to sing,
The sun above and you to bring the joy of living to this world of mine.
Where he goes I’m right behind him for he beckons me
To follow where he leads me to the open sea.
He’s a king and so am I—I own the earth, he owns the sky
And I’m happy when I’m traveling with the sun.

In the two renditions of then song, Nolan worked with his favorite theme – traveling, always moving on. No sweetheart was necessary for the first but she had a prominent place in the second.

The first rendition was the one the Sons of the Pioneers recorded for the May, 1935 Standard Radio Transcriptions in March, 1935. He was still drawing on his own preferred lifestyle and his songs were from the heart, not made for the movies. A year later, he changed the words slightly for the sheet music that was included in the Sons of the Pioneers' first songbook, The Sons of the Pioneers Song Folio No. 1, 1936,© by American Music, Inc. the song was registered for copyright on March 16, 1936. The only recording by the Sons of the Pioneers was a transcription made for Standard Radio.

Trav'lin' with the Sun (American Music, Inc.)

15 years later, Bob expanded his phrase, "the other side of somewhere" (at the end of the 6th line of the chorus), into a song of the same name. Also note that Bob refers to the sun as "he". To him, all the elements of nature were masculine because he believed that nature was God and believed God to be masculine.

In the first three images below, we see how Bob drew on the help of friends to write his lyrics down for him. He was always embarrassed by his lack of spelling ability.