I was on the road for a bit recently when I heard one of the all-time great road songs, ‘Six Days on the Road,’ a tune not actually recounting the short-term travels of touring rock and rollers but about the decidedly less glamorous life of long-haul truckers. The original release was by a guy named Dave Dudley in 1963, but the version that played was a live one by the legendary Flying Burrito Brothers, a band that was never commercially popular during their brief turn-of-the-‘60’s run yet whose pioneering amalgamation of country, soul and psychedelic rock – a hybrid bandleader Gram Parsons described as “Cosmic American Music” – could rightfully be considered the platform upon which much of the succeeding genres of Country-Rock and Alt-Country became established.

The Burritos lineup fluctuated constantly but is best remembered for including Chris Hillman (formerly of The Byrds), Bernie Leadon (later a founding member of The Eagles), and of course Parsons, someone described by AllMusic as “enormously influential for country and rock, blending the two together to the point that they became indistinguishable from each other.” Looking back at Gram Parsons, whose posthumous solo album, Grievous Angel, became his best-known, one can only conjure that saddest of phrases: he was a man ahead of his time. And sadder still he was gone way before he could’ve possibly experienced it, dying in 1973 at the ghastly age of just 26, from what was described as a toxic combination of morphine and alcohol.

‘Six Days on the Road’ as done by the Flying Burrito Brothers would complement its overtired truckers’ laments with interjections of jaunty fiddle and sinuous pedal-steel guitar. But the song itself is such an alluring and adaptable melodic template that it’s also been recorded by scores of other artists – among them are blues great Taj Mahal, Mudcrutch (Tom Petty’s original band), country crooner George Jones, and slide guitar samurai George Thorogood. So while the Burrito Brothers version may rightfully roll on down the line as 18-wheeler winner, I had to work some to whittle down a suitable ‘Six Days on the Road’ playlist to a manageable number.

To wit, please enjoy first the Flying Burrito Brothers tune – their recorded version, part of the Hot Burritos Anthology with some twangy electric guitar inserted, and accompanied by some terrific archival photos of Gram and the band. Followed by the brand new So Much Great Music playlist “Six Days, Twelve Ways,” an even dozen swings at this classic trucker tale: led off by the live Burritos recording I most recently heard on my trip (I was only away four days, but close enough); closed by their recording; and with ten totally tasty takes in between.

Six days on the road – my fellow musical road trippers – and as the song promises, you’re gonna make it home tonight.

Well, I pulled outta Pittsburgh
A-rollin’ down that eastern seaboard
I got my diesel wound up, and she’s a-runnin’ like a-never before
There’s a speed zone ahead, well, alright
I don’t see a cop in sight
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight

I got me ten forward gears and a Georgia overdrive
I’m takin’ little white pills, and my eyes are open wide
I just passed a Jimmy and a White
I been a-passin’ everything in sight
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight

Well, it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye
I could have a lotta women, but I’m a-not a-like a-some of the guys
I could find one to hold me tight
But I could never make believe it’s all right
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight

ICC is checkin’ on down the line
Well, I’m a little overweight, and my log book’s way behind
But nothin’ bothers me tonight
I can dodge all the scales alright
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight

Well, my rig’s a little old but that don’t mean she’s slow
That’s a flame from my stack and that smoke’s a-blowin’ black as coal
My hometown’s a-comin’ in sight
If you think I’m a-happy, you’re right
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight

Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight
Six days on the road and I’m a-gonna make it home tonight