I've Been Everywhere
"I've Been Everywhere" is a song written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, and popularized by Lucky Starr and Hank Snow in 1962. The song as originally written listed Australian towns. It was later adapted by Australian singer Rolf Harris with British toponyms (1963), and by John Hore (later known as John Grenell) with New Zealand toponyms (1966). In 1962, the song was a number-one US country hit for Hank Snow, and #68 on the Hot 100. The song was also recorded by Lynn Anderson (US 1970), Asleep at the Wheel (US  1973), Stompin’ Tom Connors (Canada 1971), Johnny Cash (US 1996), Ted Egan, the "Farrelly Brothers" from the television series "The Aunty Jack Show" (Australia 1974, a parody version, on the album "Aunty Jack Sings Wollongong"), John Grenell (NZ 1966), Mike Ford (Canada, 2005), The Sunny Cowgirls and the Statler Brothers. Harvey Reid also included the song in his "Dreamer or Believer" album. In 2021, supergroup L.A. Rats, which consists of Rob Zombie, Nikki Sixx, John 5, and Tommy Clufetos, covered the song for Netflix film, "The Ice Road". Original singer Lucky Starr released an EP called "Lucky's Been Everywhere , which contained four different versions: United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Australian version. The Australian version starts: Well, I was humpin' my bluey on the dusty Oodnadatta road, When along came a semi with a high and canvas-covered load, 'If you're goin' to Oodnadatta, mate, um, with me you can ride,' so I climbed in the cabin, and I settled down inside, He asked me if i'd seen a road with so much dust and sand, I said listen mate, I've travelled every road in this here land. 'Cause..." No state capitals are mentioned  or any major cities at all except for Darwin, the capital of Northern Territory, and Canberra, the capital of the nation. The toponyms listed are: For some of the above, more than one place in Australia has the same name (e.g. Coolangatta, Gin Gin, and Fingal). The links given above are the most famous locations with those names. Western Australian version. In 2005, Athol Wightman wrote the Western Australian Version, keeping Geoff Mack's original tune but using places throughout the state of Western Australia. It was produced at the EMI Belinda Music Australia Pty Ltd studios. Wightman included towns  such as Gingin, which was also included in the Australian version; Kellerberrin; Meekatharra; Collie and Busselton. Comedian Kevin Bloody Wilson did a parody of the song which limited his destinations to Meekatharra, hospital and jail. North American version. Geoff Mack's music publisher offered the song to Canadian-born country musician Hank Snow in 1962. Snow thought the song had potential for the Canadian and American markets, but only if the toponyms were adapted to North America. At his publisher's urging, Geoff Mack consequently rewrote the song using a North American atlas supplied to him by the publisher. The  North American version starts: "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Winnemucca road". Below are the places mentioned in this version of the song, most of which are in the continent of North America, while seven are in Central and South America (Panama, Salvador, Costa Rica, Barranquilla, Tocopilla, Argentina, and Diamantina.): <mapframe latitude="30.751278" longitude="-98.964844" zoom="2" height="416" frame="frame" text="A map of all locations named in the North American version"> </mapframe> New Zealand version. The New Zealand version starts: "Well I was hitching a ride on a winding Hokitika road, when along came a lorry..." Great Britain  and Ireland version. Lucky Starr's Great Britain and Ireland version starts: "I was peddlin' me bike on a narrow road near Brightlingsea, When along came a lorry and pulled up alongside o' me, 'Ere chuck your bike up on the back cop and with me you can ride, So I climbed up in the cabin and I settled down inside, He told me of the towns he'd seen and bashed me ear for several miles, I said 'ere, mug it cop, I've been to every town in these 'ere isles." Covers of this version were also recorded  by the British group The Mudlarks and by Australian singer Rolf Harris, who added a few tongue-twisting Welsh placenames but (humorously) referred to them as Scottish, found them so hard to pronounce he said, "Better get back to the English version," and concluded with the final verse above. Texas version. Texas country singer Brian Burns released his version of the song in 2002, featuring numerous locations throughout Texas. This version was also featured in the movie Grand Champion. The Texas version starts: "I was totin' my pack along the dusty Amarillo road, when along came a semi with a  high and canvas-covered load." Other uses. Kris Kristofferson also did an abbreviated version in the 1973 film "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" during his escape scene. In 1996, country singer Johnny Cash recorded and released his version on his second American Recordings album, "Unchained". Cash's version of I’ve Been Everywhere was featured in Citgo commercials in 1999, featuring the tagline "You know me". The song was also featured in season 2 of The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and in Choice Hotels commercials from 2003 to 2009. In 2004, the Chicago Transit Authority used a version  of the song, listing neighborhoods and stops along the transit lines in two 30-second spots. In 2010, The Sports Network used a version of the song, listing cities and regions in the National Hockey League, to promote its coverage of trade deadline day. In October 2003, the publisher Rightsong Music BMI granted permission to Frank Loconto to write new lyrics and title for the 2004 presidential campaign of Bob Graham. Title: "I've Done Every Job, Man" commemorating the more than 300 'workdays' performed by Graham during his 30 plus years of public service to the people of Florida . The song recorded by Frank Loconto FXL Records was included in a promotional CD "Bob Graham Charisma Album 2004". Comic actor Rick Moranis wrote and recorded a parody version of the song, titled "I Never Go Nowhere" in his 2005 album, "The Agoraphobic Cowboy". Australian Peter Harris visited all the locations in the Australian version of "I've Been Everywhere" between December 2009 and July 2011. A record of his trip is located here. Nebraska native, Brett Anderson, rode his motorcycle, Annie, to all the locations in the North American version of "I've Been Everywhere" between June 6, 2017  and October 31, 2019. During this time, he visited all 92 song places, including 16 countries and 49 states. The record of his 73,000 mile trip can be found here. In 2010, the Swedish band Movits! used the track for one of the episodes of their US tour movie, "First We Take Manhattan". Bruce Springsteen used the song as a snippet for "Light of Day" during his 1999-2000 Reunion tour. John Finnemore did a version listing places in Dorset for an episode of "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" recorded in Poole. Australian singer and pro-gun  activist Steve Lee recorded a version called "I've shot every gun". In verses, he sings about gun brands, e.g. "Winchester, Sako, Bruno, Remington, Colt, Glock, Stirling, Smith & Wesson...", weapon calibers or action types of firearms. Johnny Cash's 1996 version was used in the Family Guy episode “The Most Interesting Man in the World”, the seventeenth episode of the twelfth season, episode 227 overall, which originally aired on April 13, 2014. Rihanna interpolated the main verse from the song to her 2011 song "Where Have You Been". In early 2022, the United States Postal Service began using the Johnny  Cash (US) version in advertisements.