Although often attributed to Woody Guthrie, "Going Down the Road Feeling Bad" is actually a traditional song of unknown authorship. Sometimes called "Lonesome Road Blues" or "Blowin' Down the Road," it was first recorded by Henry Whitter in 1924. According to one story, Guthrie first heard the song in John Ford's film adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath, performed by Eddie Quillen. That seems unlikely, but it is possible. The film was released in January 1940 and Guthrie recorded it in April of the same year (he also copyrighted it, with the Weavers' and Almanac Singers' Lee Hays as coauthor). Needless to say, the song has been included in many repertoires ever since:
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