Jumping on slow-moving freights, they moved across the country following the different harvest seasons or working in mining or lumber camps. The Panic of 1873 and the depression that followed led men to climb aboard the freight trains in search of work. The laborers moved west with the track that they laid.

Between 18, 35,000 miles of new track was laid across the country, much of it as part of the Transcontinental Railroad. Many Civil War veterans couldn't, or didn't want to, return home and took jobs with the expanding railroads. Most modern hobos, however, trace their lineage to the building of the railroads and the end of the Civil War. Though not called hobos, but frequently referred to merely as tramps, men had long been traveling around picking up work. But the history of hobos began decades earlier. However the term 'Hobo' originated, it came into common usage by the end of the 19th century. Few, if any, of these explanations seem adequate. There are even those who say it comes from the Latin Homo Bonus, meaning good man, or the French haut beaux, the highest of the handsome. Others claim it came from the soldiers returning from the Civil War, who were 'Homeward Bound.' Some suggest it is from the congenial greeting 'Hello boy' that changed to 'Lo boy' and 'Lo bo' and finally to 'Ho bo.' Others think it came from the word hoosier, meaning a rustic individual, a frontiersman. Some say it comes from 'Hoe Boy' because many migrant workers traveled with a hoe or other farming tool. “It follows Guy from birth to death in a unique, inimitable and downright intriguing manner.The origins of the term 'Hobo' cannot be traced. ‘Handsome Hobo’ is one of the tasters of the upcoming album ‘The Life Of Guy’, a concept album that tells the story of a man balancing struggles we can all relate to, dealing with purpose and identity. However, the euphoria is broken for a passing moment when a wiser figure asks “What if she left today?” and asserts that she will be forgotten in due time while he moves on.” They plan to stay together forever and they hope to ride off into the sunset. As they ignore their parents to hang out without any worries, they throw around the word “love” and think they have their lives all figured out. It’s a controlled chaos and a regulated experiment that, even though not truly inventive, is very effective in its simple catchiness.įuse indie pop with guitar rock and you get a sound similar to that of Night Beats and TOLEDO, By George bring their story of teenage experiences in a loving and simply understandable way! “Written from the perspective of a teenager having his first experience with a girl that he is romantically into, maybe even infatuated with, all else seems to melt away when they are together. Mix an overall tranquil sound with psychedelic rock and scuzzy compositions and you have exactly what the four piece represents. ‘Handsome Hobo’ is for lovers of filthy guitar riffs and rough vocals.

North Carolina-based alt rock outfit By George have released another new and anthemic single, ‘Handsome Hobo’ is their latest offering and it plays upon the success formula many indie bands have used and are currently using.

Handsome hobo