Wagon Wheel; Behind the music
Wagon wheel is composed of two different parts. The chorus and melody for the song comes from a demo recorded by Bob Dylan that was never officially released. The Dylan song was available on a bootleg, it was entitled "Rock me mamma". Although Dylan left the song an unfinished sketch, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show wrote verses for the song around Dylan's original chorus. Secor's additional lyrics transformed "Rock Me, Mama" into "Wagon Wheel".
Use the calypso strum from the Play Ukulele NOW Method and Songbook for this song.
Wagon Wheel
Written by Bob Dylan & Jay Secor Recorded by Darius Rucker Album: True Believers (2013) (Capo on 2)
(G)Headin' down south to the (D)land of the pines, I'm (Em)thumbin' my way into (C)North Caroline (G)Starin' up the road and (D)pray to God I see (C)headlights I (G)made it down the coast in (D)seventeen hours, (Em)pickin' me a bouquet of (C)dogwood flowers And I'm a-(G)hopin' for Raleigh, I can (D)see my baby tonight (C)
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(G)Runnin' from the cold (D)up in New England, I was (Em)born to be a fiddler in an (C)old time string band My (G)baby plays a guitar, (D) I pick a banjo (C)now Oh, (G)north country winters keep a-(D)gettin' me down Lost my (Em)money playin' poker so I (C)had to leave town But I (G)ain't a-turnin' back to livin' that (D)old life (C)no more
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(G)Walkin' to the south (D)out of Roanoke, I caught a (Em)trucker out of Philly had a (C)nice long toke But (G)he's a headin' west from the (D)Cumberland gap to (C)Johnson City, Tennessee I (G)gotta get a move on (D)before the sun I hear my (Em)baby callin' my name and I (C)know that she's the only one And (G)if I died in Raleigh at (D)least I will die (C) free
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D) wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me Oh, (G)rock me momma like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(Chorus) Oh, (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock, momma rock me, momma rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)I wanna roll like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey yea (D)yeah, momma, (C) you gonna rock me, rock me
Written by Bob Dylan & Jay Secor Recorded by Darius Rucker Album: True Believers (2013) (Capo on 2)
(G)Headin' down south to the (D)land of the pines, I'm (Em)thumbin' my way into (C)North Caroline (G)Starin' up the road and (D)pray to God I see (C)headlights I (G)made it down the coast in (D)seventeen hours, (Em)pickin' me a bouquet of (C)dogwood flowers And I'm a-(G)hopin' for Raleigh, I can (D)see my baby tonight (C)
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(G)Runnin' from the cold (D)up in New England, I was (Em)born to be a fiddler in an (C)old time string band My (G)baby plays a guitar, (D) I pick a banjo (C)now Oh, (G)north country winters keep a-(D)gettin' me down Lost my (Em)money playin' poker so I (C)had to leave town But I (G)ain't a-turnin' back to livin' that (D)old life (C)no more
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(G)Walkin' to the south (D)out of Roanoke, I caught a (Em)trucker out of Philly had a (C)nice long toke But (G)he's a headin' west from the (D)Cumberland gap to (C)Johnson City, Tennessee I (G)gotta get a move on (D)before the sun I hear my (Em)baby callin' my name and I (C)know that she's the only one And (G)if I died in Raleigh at (D)least I will die (C) free
(Chorus) So (G)rock me, momma, like a (D) wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me Oh, (G)rock me momma like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)rock me, momma, like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock me
(Chorus) Oh, (G)rock me, momma, like a (D)wagon wheel, (Em)rock me, momma, any (C)way you feel (G)Hey (D) momma, (C)rock, momma rock me, momma rock me (G)Rock me, momma, like the (D)wind and the rain, (Em)I wanna roll like a (C)south bound train (G)Hey yea (D)yeah, momma, (C) you gonna rock me, rock me
Take a listen if you are unfamiliar with the song