Woody Guthrie's New Year Resolutions

By Jack Brummet, Music Ed. 


Woody Guthrie wrote and illustrated these rulins' a/k/a resolutions in either 1941, 1942, or 1943, depending on who is writing or talking.  The "official" Woody Guthrie website says they appear in one of his journals dated January 1, 1943 (at the very centerfold of the notebook).   

click to enlarge

Whenever he wrote them, he was 30-32 years old and this list is, like most of his work, a fascinating amalgam of innocent, funny, and wise.  

If you're a psychology student, it's kind of fascinating how these  map onto Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs (although many fall into the cracks between the levels).

Text of the journal entry:

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 cloths 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

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