What’s that word in “On the Road Again”?

Today we’ll address a commonly misunderstood word used by Alan Wilson in his lyrics. Louise R. wrote in with the following question:

“Do you know if Alan sings 'fairo' or 'payroll' in his song ‘On the Road Again’? …I believe he uses the word [fairo] in that song as well as in "An Owl Song", but some disagree.”

“On the Road Again” is composed using a number of traditional blues lines and phrases. It is based in part on a 1952 record called “Dark Road” or “Dark Road Blues” by Floyd Jones. The term “fairo”, however, can be traced back further than this in blues history. One example is Tommy Johnson, whose influence on Canned Heat was so significant that the band named itself after one of his songs. He used “fairo” on the 1928 record “Cool Drink of Water Blues”; it can be heard online here.

In blues tradition, “fairo” can be interpreted as lover. In his classic work of musicological scholarship, Big Road Blues, ethnomusicologist Dr. David Evans gives “sweetheart” as a meaning and cites several possible etymological derivations. Those interested in learning more about traditional blues lyrics and composition are strongly encouraged to read Dr. Evans' book.

In his “On the Road Again”, Alan sings: “…the first time I traveled out in the rain and snow… I didn’t have no fairo, not even no place to go.” To those who are unfamiliar with the blues tradition from whence “fairo” sprang, and who are also unfamiliar with “An Owl Song”, the interpretation of this word as “payroll” might have particular appeal. If you have never heard of a fairo, the ear may attempt to process this sound into a word that does make sense. Replace fairo with payroll in “On the Road Again”, and you’ll still get a lyric that makes sense.

Listening to “An Owl Song”, however, this hypothesis breaks down quickly. Here, Alan sings, “I want to thank you fairo, just for what you promise me… you know I trust you fairo and I tell the world I do.” Insert the word payroll here, and you get something completely nonsensical.

In summary, sources citing this word as “payroll” are likely to be uneducated about blues vocabulary. Newcomers to Alan’s music, or to blues, may be confused by this kind of language and the misunderstanding of other listeners. Therefore it is important for Alanologists and Canned Heat scholars to study the blues, particularly the early rural blues of the 1920s, and examine the roots of Alan’s music before attempting lyric analysis.

The Importance of Blues Roots to Alanology

In order to understand the music of Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson, we must look to the roots of his work with Canned Heat. Songs such as “Going Up the Country” and “On the Road Again” were based in early rural blues, and Wilson’s harmonica work was inspired by the work of Chicago master Little Walter, whose sound graced much of Muddy Waters’ classic-era work.

Wilson biographer Rebecca Davis Winters says, “All serious Alanologists will want to hear the artists Alan liked best. These include Charley Patton, Son House, Skip James, Geechie Wiley, and on harmonica Little Walter and Junior Wells (though Alan was critical of Junior’s singing, he liked his harp playing).”

Specific Canned Heat songs can be traced to rural blues recordings. “Bullfrog Blues”, for example, was first recorded by William Harris in 1928. “Big Road Blues” was associated with Tommy Johnson, Sterno addict whose 1928 work also gave Canned Heat their name. “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” was based on a 1929 Hambone Willie Newbern record. “Going Up the Country”, of course, was based on a 1929 Henry “Ragtime Texas” Thomas record in which Thomas accompanied himself on guitar and panpipes. The list goes on, and on, throughout Canned Heat’s catalog. They stood out from their contemporaries with their skilled incorporation of these early blues influences – and thorough understanding of their sources.

Where does one start an exploration of early blues? Rebecca Davis Winters recommends certain books such as Deep Blues by Robert Palmer, and for those who are really fascinated, Big Road Blues by David Evans (an old friend and musical colleague of Alan) is one of the ultimate blues scholarship works.

In terms of listening, the Document record label is a great resource to help build a pre-WWII blues collection. Yazoo has also released a number of excellent items. There is also a specific collection that Rebecca Davis Winters now recommends: The Roots of Canned Heat, released by the UK label Catfish.

To learn about some of the most significant influences on Canned Heat’s extant classic-era work, Roots of Canned Heat is an excellent starting point. It provides an overview of specific songs used as sources by the band. To dig deeper, you can then seek out more works by the individual artists represented here. These include all the luminaries such as Charley Patton, Skip James, Tommy Johnson, and even the obscure such as Barefoot Bill.

A little web research left Alanologists uncertain whether Catfish Records is still in business. However, the CD is still available through Amazon.com. Rebecca Davis Winters says, “Thanks to Alanologist Sean Kaye-Smith, who sent me this excellent CD; his kindness and constant Alanological diligence is deeply appreciated.”

Sarod Master Ali Akbar Khan , Favorite of Blind Owl Wilson, Dies at 87.

It is a sad day for Alanologists and fans of sarod music everywhere. Ali Akbar Khan, master of the sarod, has died of kidney failure.

Click here for the San Fransisco Chronicle story.

Here's one of the Ali Akbar Khan LPs from Blind Owl Wilson's collection:

And another from Alan's collection, this one a collaboration with Ravi Shankar: