I lived in a place called Okfuskee
And I had a little girl in a holler tree
I said, "little girl, it's plain to see
Ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me"

She said, "it's hard for me to see
How one little boy got so ugly"
Yes, my little girly, that might be
But there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that can sing like me

We walked down by the Buckeye Creek
To see the frog eat the goggle-eye bee
To hear the west wind whistle to the east
There ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Oh, my little girly, will you let me see
Way over yonder where the wind blows free?
Nobody can see in our holler tree

And there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that can sing like me

Her mama cut a switch from a cherry tree
And laid it on the she and me
It stung lots worse than a hive of bees
But there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Now I've walked a long long ways
Still look back to my Tanglewood days
I've led lots of girls since then to stray
Saying ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Ain't nobody that can sing like me


Lyrics submitted by andland

Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key Lyrics as written by Woody Guthrie Stephen William Bragg

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    how can you say billy bragg doesn't rock!??? he's an amazing AMAZING singer and lyricist. obviously you haven't done your research to learn about his importance within music history!

    and i agree this IS a kick-ass song and Woody Guthrie rocks!.

    XmisfitXgirlXon April 30, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Talk about a self-fullfilling prophecy. With the lyrics and the chord progression, the hair on my freshly shaven face stands on end right on cue. Really so simple and so perfect.

    twollamaloveon June 18, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    taking a biographical approach, i would say this song is about woody gutherie's mother (gutherie being the writer of all mermaid avenue songs)

    woodys mom had huntingtons disease and ended up being placed in a mental institution. growing up, the disease would cause her erratic and violent behavior. she accidently killed one of his sisters by burning her and she badly burned his father.

    however, she was woodys introduction to music. in the book "this land was made for you and me" by elizabeth partridge she quotes woody as saying "she began to gaze out our window and follow her songs out and up and over and away from it all, away over yonder in the minor keys"

    the actual town he lived in was called okemah, but you can see the connection. the speaker is blaming himself somehow (the ugly boy), talking about the beatings he got from his mother (the tree part), yet still drawn to her. he loved her and was crushed that she reached the point where she couldnt even recognize him. yes, she was crazy, and abused him, but no one can sing like her...

    fascinating. by the way, read about woody gutheries life, he lived an amazing one.

    raaaaaaaaghibon December 30, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    When I saw Billy Bragg a few years ago he played this and mentioned before hand that he felt there was a double meaning to it, with singing 'way over yonder in the minor key' kinda implying going down on a the little girly of the song...

    He may just have been joking around, but it does make me laugh when I read the lyrics.

    parabolicaon September 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    so true as well, male self-confidence vs female naivety

    dan105on September 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Thank you to raaaaaaaaaaghib for the explination, I've always loved this song and now its taken on a mich more profound meaning. Thank you. I will have to catch up on my Woody Guthrie. I thought I knew a thing or two....

    Propaganda78on August 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think he says Ofuskee because he lived in Okemah in Ofuskee county

    poplobsteron May 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's a wonderful song, except there's one really annoying aspect that really bugs me. It's not sung in a minor key! He and Natalie are singing in major fifths! When I sing along, I always tune it down to fit. Not hard to do.

    SpasticMinnowon November 14, 2020   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    I can't believe nobody has commented on such a kick-ass song. Woody Guthrie rocks and so does wilco. Not so much Billy Bragg. I do have to wonder how this song would have sounded like if Bob Dylan had found this song instead of Billy Bragg.

    adam1986on March 29, 2006   Link

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