Welcome to Tune Talk!
Liner Notes
| Artist | Rusted Root |
| Song | Send Me On My Way |
| Album | When I Woke |
| Year | 1994 |
If you close your eyes, you can hear it in your head, can’t you? I’m, of course, talking about the first 10 seconds of “Send Me On My Way.” It’s nothing but a simple acoustic guitar riff that immediately sets you up for the fun and bouncy song that’s about to unfold over the four minutes to come.
If you were a fan of the innovative sound of Peter Gabriel’s 1986 smash album So, you were not alone! It was an absolute masterclass in blending a massive pop sound with raw and powerful percussion. As it turns out, Michael Glabicki—frontman for the rising acoustic jam band called Rusted Root—was also a huge fan obsessed with So. It moved him so much that he became consumed by one mission: to recreate that same kind of sound using nothing but raw, acoustic instruments.
His mission was accomplished in 1994 with a penny whistle (not a flute, piccolo, or recorder!), an acoustic guitar, and a groove that is pure fun to sing along to. They called it “Send Me on My Way.”
But if we are being completely honest, singing along to the tune proved to be a bit of a challenge when the track first hit the airwaves. While we all wondered if parts of the song were actually sung in a different language, it didn’t stop us from using our own gibberish lyrics to fill in the blanks!
Over time, fans of the song began to compare those lyrics, delivered in a syncopated, rhythmic staccato fashion, to something that was written in “a doctor’s handwriting.” The lyrics quickly became the ultimate ’90s guessing game, but the mystery only added to the charm.
“Ommany say oh, ommanay say ah to run…” Oh… it’s really “I may see you, I may tell you to run”?? But it’s definitely “bubbity say bubbity um,” right? No? It’s “You know what they say about the young”?!? Even though we know the actual lyrics now, it’s hard not to sing the ones we made up when we didn’t know!
“Send Me On My Way” is also a song with incredible staying power. It never changes, and yet it seems to somehow reinvent itself and reintroduce itself to generation after generation via TV shows and movies on the big screen.
First came Gen X. In 1996, the song was prominently featured on the platinum-selling soundtrack for the TV show Party Of Five, cementing it as the ultimate windows-down driving anthem for the Salinger family during their era of angst.
Right on their heels were the Millennials, who can’t hear that signature penny whistle sound without instantly picturing a very smart little girl making her own pancakes, thanks to Danny DeVito’s iconic 1996 film adaptation of Matilda.
Finally, Gen Z claimed the track for themselves in 2002, when a mammoth, a sloth, and a saber-toothed tiger trekked across the prehistoric tundra in the animated mega-hit Ice Age.
Gen Alpha – it’s your turn! Where will the “Send Me On My Way” journey take you?
From the influence of Peter Gabriel’s So, through the hilarious maze of misheard lyrics, to a triple-generation cultural legacy, “Send Me on My Way” proved that a truly great groove doesn’t just age—it travels.
This one is very much enjoyed and highly rated in our home, with the highest rating coming from yours truly. For me, it conjures up visions of hitting the open road on a warm and sunny day. Every road trip adventure needs a great soundtrack, and “Send Me On My Way” is always on mine.
Ratings From The Road
| Ray | 10 |
| Lori | 7 |
| Max | 8 |
| Average Rating From The Road | 8.33 |
How would you rate this song? Does it send you on your way, or do you send it on its way? Do you have a favorite line in the lyrics – made up or real? Drop a comment and let us know!