A list of “New Years Rulin’s” from Woody Guthrie, 1941
December 20, 2011 - By Bobby Solomon - Category: Life & Music
Every year, I strive to improve myself. The right way to say it might be that I strive every day to be better than the day before. Only be learning and improving ourselves can we really become something better. It took me about the last 6 years or so to realize this, and Woody Guthrie knew this back in 1941. The list you see below is something Guthrie wrote up on the eve of 1942, 33 things he would improve in the year to come. The list, in my opinion, is pretty bad ass. My favorite numbers are 1, 6, 15, 18, 20, 23 and 33. Wake up and fight, everyday.
Which numbers apply to you?
1. WORK MORE AND BETTER
2. WORK BY A SCHEDULE
3. WASH TEETH IF ANY
4. SHAVE
5. TAKE BATH
6. EAT GOOD – FRUIT – VEGETABLES – MILK
7. DRINK VERY SCANT IF ANY
8. WRITE A SONG A DAY
9. WEAR CLEAN CLOTHES – LOOK GOOD
10. SHINE SHOES
11. CHANGE SOCKS
12. CHANGE BED CLOTHES OFTEN
13. READ LOTS GOOD BOOKS
14. LISTEN TO RADIO A LOT
15. LEARN PEOPLE BETTER
16. KEEP RANCHO CLEAN
17. DON’T GET LONESOME
18. STAY GLAD
19. KEEP HOPING MACHINE RUNNING
20. DREAM GOOD
21. BANK ALL EXTRA MONEY
22. SAVE DOUGH
23. HAVE COMPANY BUT DON’T WASTE TIME
24. SEND MARY AND KIDS MONEY
25. PLAY AND SING GOOD
26. DANCE BETTER
27. HELP WIN WAR – BEAT FASCISM
28. LOVE MAMA
29. LOVE PAPA
30. LOVE PETE
31. LOVE EVERYBODY
32. MAKE UP YOUR MIND
33. WAKE UP AND FIGHT
Comments
If you've got something to say, keep it positive.loved loved loved this.
loved loved loved LOVED, i love it when Woody does all my work FOR me. personal favorites, #17 and 26. thanks for this, thanks for ALL of it. you are rad and may you continue to get grow radder in the year ahead.
I like them all, but specifically like #27: Help win War- Beat Fascism. Lots of people disliked Woody during the 30′s for trying to unionize people, and called him a communist (as well as Pete Seeger) yet, they fail to realize he (and Pete) served the country in WWII and did help beat Fascism! Woody’s guitar and Pete’s banjo never lied Woody killed Fascism, and Pete surrounds hate and forces it to surrender!