King of the Road ( song ) - wikipedia King of the Road ( song ) `` King of the Road '' Single by Roger Miller from the album The Return of Roger Miller B - side `` Atta Boy Girl '' Released January 1965 Recorded November 1964 Genre Country Length 2 : 28 Label Smash Songwriter ( s ) Roger Miller Producer ( s ) Jerry Kennedy Roger Miller singles chronology `` Do - Wacka - Do '' ( 1965 ) `` King of the Road '' ( 1965 ) `` Engine Engine # 9 '' ( 1965 ) `` Do - Wacka - Do '' ( 1965 ) `` King of the Road '' ( 1965 ) `` Engine Engine # 9 '' ( 1965 ) `` King of the Road '' is a song written and originally recorded in November 1964 by country singer Roger Miller. The lyrics tell of the day - to - day life of a vagabond hobo who, despite being poor ( a `` man of means by no means '' ), revels in his freedom, describing himself humorously as the `` king of the road ''. It was Miller 's fifth single for Smash Records. Contents 1 History 2 Chart performance 2.1 Roger Miller 2.2 The Proclaimers 2.3 Randy Travis 3 Related songs 3.1 Houston 3.2 `` Queen of the House '' 4 References 5 External links History The popular crossover record hit No. 1 on the US Country chart, No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on the Easy Listening surveys. It was also No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart, and in Norway. Miller recalled that the song was inspired when he was driving and saw a sign on the side of a barn that read, `` Trailers for sale or rent ''. This would become the opening line of the song. The song has been covered by many other artists, including George Jones, Dean Martin, Val Doonican, Jack Jones, James Booker, The Fabulous Echoes, Boney M., R.E.M., Johnny Paycheck, Glen Campbell, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Boxcar Willie, Randy Travis, Rangers, James Kilbane, John Stevens, the Statler Brothers, Rufus Wainwright & Teddy Thompson, Giant Sand, Peligro, The Proclaimers, Ray Conniff Singers, The Reverend Horton Heat, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jim White, and Joe Strummer during live performances. James `` The King '' Brown ( an Elvis impersonator ) performed the song for a 2001 Audi commercial on German TV. Of R.E.M. 's version, a shambolic, drunken, offhand rendering, guitarist Peter Buck would later comment, `` If there was any justice in the world, Roger Miller should be able to sue for what we did to this song. '' The song was performed live by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Dwight Yoakam and Dolly Parton during Miller 's posthumous induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame at the 1995 CMA Awards ceremony. The song is featured in Wim Wenders ' 1976 film Im Lauf der Zeit ( In the Course of Time ; English title Kings of the Road ). It is also played at the beginning of Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Brokeback Mountain, Into the Wild ( 2007 ), Traveller ( 1997 ), and Swingers ( 1998 ). Miller performs it in the concert film The Big T.N.T. Show. The recording by The Proclaimers is included in the film The Crossing ( 1990 ). Near the end of their official music video, the pair are shown reading a newspaper whose headline is `` Roger Miller, King of Plugs ''. After the major success achieved by `` King of the Road '', Dean Martin recorded the tune `` Houston '' ( 1965 ), which is similar in both lyrics and feel. A send - up version by English entertainer Billy Howard was a British chart hit in 1976. A German version by the band Wise Guys exists. In both the English and German versions of Animals United, Billy the Meerkat sings the short rendition of this song, while walking past the other animals and carrying the gourd. This song is featured in Mafia 3. Chart performance Roger Miller Chart ( 1965 ) Peak position UK Singles Chart Norwegian Singles Chart U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles U.S. Billboard Easy Listening U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Irish Singles Chart 5 Canadian RPM Top Singles 10 The Proclaimers Chart ( 1990 ) Peak position Australian Singles Chart 78 Irish Singles Chart 8 UK Singles Chart 9 Randy Travis Chart ( 1997 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 74 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) 51 Related songs Houston After the major success achieved by `` King of the Road '', Dean Martin recorded the tune `` Houston '' ( 1965 ), which is similar in both lyrics and feel. `` Queen of the House '' Country music singer Jody Miller ( no relation ) answered `` King of the Road '' with `` Queen of the House '' ( 1965 ). The song used Roger Miller 's music while changing the lyrics to describe the day - to - day life of a stay - at - home mom. The words were written by Mary Taylor. Singer Connie Francis later recorded the song on her 1966 album Live at the Sahara ( 1966 ). The Supremes performed the song in their nightclub act. It can be heard on their The Supremes at the Copa ( 1965 ) album and I Hear A Symphony remastered CD, which includes their September 1966 appearance at the Roostertail in Detroit, on the second disc... References ^ Jump up to : Rice, Jo ( 1982 ). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits ( 1st ed. ). Enfield, Middlesex : Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 92. ISBN 0 - 85112 - 250 - 7. Jump up ^ Mike Callahan ; David Edwards ; Patrice Eyries ; Randy Watts. `` Smash Records Story ''. www.bsnpubs.com. Retrieved December 20, 2009. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits : 1944 - 2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 231. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 - 2001. Record Research. p. 171. Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 178. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Roger Miller interviewed on the Pop Chronicles ( 1969 ) Jump up ^ `` King of the road : der Hit aus der Audi Werbung '' ( in German ). German National Library. Retrieved 2014 - 07 - 17. Jump up ^ Wethington, Kari ( January 24, 2009 ). `` Cowboy Junkies ''. Elle. Jump up ^ `` 45cat ''. Retrieved 8 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` wise guys '' ( in German ). Retrieved 8 June 2016. ^ Jump up to : Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 440. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Ryan, Gavin ( 2011 ). Australia 's Music Charts 1988 - 2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia : Moonlight Publishing. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 3235. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 16, 1997. Retrieved July 17, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Randy Travis Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) '' Billboard. Jump up ^ `` MusicMatch guide, `` Jody Miller '' ``. Mmguide.musicmatch.com. Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Digital Tradition Mirror, `` Queen of the House '' ``. Sniff.numachi.com. Retrieved 2014 - 04 - 05. External links sample from Roger Miller official site Preceded by `` Have You Looked into Your Heart '' by Jerry Vale Billboard Middle - Road Singles number - one single February 10 -- April 17, 1965 Succeeded by `` The Race Is On '' by Jack Jones Preceded by `` I 've Got a Tiger By the Tail '' by Buck Owens Billboard Hot Country Singles number - one single March 27 -- April 24, 1965 Succeeded by `` This Is It '' by Jim Reeves Preceded by `` Ticket to Ride '' by The Beatles UK Singles Chart number - one single May 13, 1965 Succeeded by `` Where Are You Now My Love '' by Jackie Trent Roger Miller Studio albums Roger and Out The Return of Roger Miller The 3rd Time Around Words and Music Walkin ' in the Sunshine Waterhole # 3 ( Code of the West ) A Tender Look at Love Roger Miller Roger Miller Featuring Dang Me ! Roger Miller 1970 A Trip in the Country Dear Folks, Sorry I Have n't Written Lately Celebration Painted Poetry Off the Wall Making a Name for Myself Old Friends with Willie Nelson Roger Miller The Country Side of Roger Miller Green Green Grass of Home Live albums Roger Miller Live ! Live Hits You Remember : Live Singles 1950s -- 1960s `` Poor Little John '' `` You 're Forgettin ' Me '' `` On This Mountain Top '' `` Mine is a Lonely Life '' `` Wrong Kind of Girl '' `` Jason Fleming '' `` You Do n't Want My Love '' `` When Two Worlds Collide '' `` Fair Swiss Maiden '' `` Sorry Willie '' `` Hey Little Star '' `` Lock, Stock and Teardrops '' `` Dang Me '' `` Chug - a-Lug '' `` Do - Wacka - Do '' `` King of the Road '' `` Engine Engine # 9 '' `` One Dyin ' and a-Buryin ' '' `` It Happened Just That Way '' `` Kansas City Star '' `` England Swings '' `` Husbands and Wives '' `` I 've Been a Long Time Leaving ( But I 'll Be a Long Time Gone ) '' `` You Ca n't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd '' `` My Uncle Used to Love Me But She Died '' `` Heartbreak Hotel '' `` Walkin ' in the Sunshine '' `` The Ballad of Waterhole # 3 ( Code of the West ) '' `` Old Toy Trains '' `` Little Green Apples '' `` Tolivar '' `` Vance '' `` Me and Bobby McGee '' `` Where Have All the Average People Gone '' 1970s -- 1980s `` The Tom Green County Fair '' `` South '' `` Tomorrow Night in Baltimore '' `` Lovin ' Her Was Easier ( Than Anything I 'll Ever Do Again ) '' `` We Found It in Each Other 's Arms '' `` Sunny Side of My Life '' `` Rings for Sale '' `` Hoppy 's Gone '' `` Open Up Your Heart '' `` I Believe in the Sunshine '' `` Whistle Stop '' `` Our Love '' `` I Love a Rodeo '' `` Baby Me Baby '' `` Oklahoma Woman '' `` The Hat '' `` Everyone Gets Crazy Now and Then '' `` Old Friends '' with Willie Nelson and Ray Price `` River in the Rain '' `` Some Hearts Get All the Breaks '' Compilations Golden Hits The Best of Roger Miller, Volume One : Country Tunesmith The Best of Roger Miller, Volume Two : King of the Road King of the Road 20th Century Masters : The Millennium Collection All Time Greatest Hits A Man Like Me Related articles Discography Robin Hood Dean Miller The Proclaimers Charlie Reid Craig Reid Studio albums This Is the Story Sunshine on Leith Hit the Highway Persevere Born Innocent Restless Soul Life with You Notes & Rhymes Like Comedy Compilations The Best of The Proclaimers Finest Singles `` Throw the ' R ' Away '' `` Letter from America '' `` Make My Heart Fly '' `` I 'm Gonna Be ( 500 Miles ) '' `` Sunshine on Leith '' `` I 'm on My Way '' `` King of the Road '' `` Let 's Get Married '' `` What Makes You Cry ? '' `` These Arms of Mine '' `` There 's a Touch '' `` Life with You '' `` Whole Wide World '' `` Love Can Move Mountains '' `` Spinning Around in the Air '' Related articles Hibernian F.C. Sunshine on Leith ( musical ) Sunshine on Leith ( film ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_of_the_Road_(song)&oldid=806119686 '' Categories : 1965 songs Roger Miller songs The Proclaimers songs Randy Travis songs Glen Campbell songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Norway Songs written by Roger Miller Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Song recordings produced by Jerry Kennedy Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use mdy dates from November 2013 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from March 2017 Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Italiano Nederlands Norsk Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 19 October 2017, at 20 : 43. 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Question: who sang the original king of the road
Answer: Roger Miller