Merle Haggard：Meaning of Narration #4 Songmeaning

Merle Haggard's song "Narration #4" is a spoken-word piece that provides historical context for the theme of hoboing in Jimmie Rodgers' music. The narrator explains that hobos were common during the Great Depression, as they provided an inexpensive way for migrant workers and unemployed individuals to travel and seek new opportunities. The narrator notes that even respectable men sometimes hopped trains, and that many hobos died anonymous and identified only as "railroad bums." The song implies that the protagonist of the previous song, "Hobo Bill," may have been one of these anonymous individuals. Overall, the song serves to contextualize the theme of hoboing within its historical and cultural context for the listener.