Ever feel like you’re just not "enough" of anything to actually fit in? Like you're too rural for the city slickers but way too polished for the folks back in the holler?
Roger Miller got it. He really did.
In 1969, the man most people knew as the "King of the Road"—the guy who made a career out of goofy scat-singing and quirky rhymes—released a song that felt like a punch to the gut. Roger Miller Where Have All the Average People Gone isn't a joke. It’s not "Dang Me" or "Chug-a-Lug." It’s a weary, mid-tempo observation about a world that had suddenly decided being "average" was a sin.
Honestly, it’s a weirdly prophetic track. We’re living in an era of extreme LinkedIn hustling and "main character energy," yet here’s a song from over 50 years ago asking why nobody is allowed to just be anymore.
The Story Behind the Song
Most people assume Roger wrote it himself. He was a songwriting machine, after all. He’d scribble lyrics on his Cadillac’s dashboard while flying down the highway at 90 miles per hour. But this one was different.
Dennis Linde wrote it.
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If that name sounds familiar, it should. Linde is the same guy who penned "Burning Love" for Elvis and "Goodbye Earl" for The Chicks. He was young and relatively unknown when Miller grabbed this track. Miller’s producer, Jerry Kennedy, helped craft that signature 1969 sound—sort of a bridge between the polished Nashville Sound and the grit that was starting to seep into the scene.
It reached Number 14 on the Billboard Country charts. Not a massive #1 hit, but it stuck. It lingered.
Why the Lyrics Actually Matter
The song opens with a line that basically sums up every identity crisis ever: “The people in the city think I’m country / But the country folks all say I’m citified.”
It’s about being caught in the "in-between." Miller sings about how he doesn't fit the radical molds of the late 60s. He’s not a hippie, but he’s not a "square" either. He’s just a guy. And in 1969—with the Vietnam War raging and the counter-culture exploding—being "just a guy" felt like a disappearing act.
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- The "Average" Identity: The song argues that everyone is trying to be a "rebel" or a "leader," leaving no room for the folks who just want to live a quiet life.
- The Geography of Belonging: It highlights that weird alienation where you're a stranger in your hometown and a tourist in the city.
- The Sound: It’s got this rolling, slightly melancholic beat. It’s not a funeral march, but it’s definitely not a party tune.
Roger Miller Wasn't Just a "Funny Guy"
People boxed Roger Miller in. They saw the Grammy wins—he won 11 in just two years (1964-1965)—and thought he was just a novelty act. They heard "Oo-De-Lally" from Disney’s Robin Hood and figured he was the happy-go-lucky minstrel.
But Where Have All the Average People Gone shows the "Court Jester" had some serious scars. Miller struggled. He had a notoriously "wild" streak, battled pill addictions, and suffered from deep bouts of depression. When he sings about not fitting in, he isn't playing a character.
He was a man who grew up dirt poor in Oklahoma, picking cotton. He then became a massive star in Hollywood and Nashville. He lived in that "in-between" space his whole life.
The 1969 Context
You have to remember what was happening when this single dropped. The Summer of Love was over. The Manson murders happened in August '69. The world felt like it was splitting at the seams.
This song was a plea for the middle ground. It was a reaction to the "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" sentiment of the folk era. Instead of mourning lost innocence, Miller (via Linde) was mourning the loss of the common man.
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Why We’re Still Searching for Average People
Look at social media today. It’s all "optimized" lives and "extreme" takes. You’re either a "hustler" or a "quiet quitter." You’re "left" or "right."
The "average person" Miller was looking for has been replaced by the "algorithmic person."
That’s why this song is trending again in folk and "alt-country" circles. Artists like Sturgill Simpson or Tyler Childers thrive in this same space—music for people who don't fit the Nashville mold but find the pop-country stuff too fake.
Wait, did you know? R.E.M. actually covered "King of the Road," but Michael Stipe and company clearly respected Miller’s weirder, more poetic side. There’s a direct line from Roger Miller’s 1969 disillusionment to the "outlaw" movement of the 70s with Waylon and Willie.
How to Actually Appreciate This Track Today
If you really want to get into the headspace of this song, don't just stream it on a tinny phone speaker while you're doing dishes.
- Listen to the 1969 "Roger Miller" Self-Titled Album: This track is the centerpiece. It sits alongside his cover of "Me and Bobby McGee," which many critics (including songwriter Kris Kristofferson himself) thought was one of the best versions ever recorded.
- Watch the 1969 TV Performance: There’s a clip of Roger performing this solo. You can see the weariness in his eyes. He’s not doing the "funny faces" he usually did for the cameras.
- Check out the Dennis Linde Catalog: If you like the writing style, look into Linde’s deeper cuts. He had a knack for writing about the "everyman" without being condescending.
Roger Miller Where Have All the Average People Gone is a reminder that being "normal" is actually a pretty rare thing. It’s a song for the outsiders who are tired of pretending they’ve got it all figured out.
Next time you feel like you're failing because you aren't a "disruptor" or a "visionary," put this record on. It’s okay to just be average. Roger Miller said so, and he was the smartest guy in the room.
Actionable Insights for the Music Fan:
- Hunt for Vinyl: The 1969 Roger Miller LP (Smash Records) is often found in bargain bins for under $10. It sounds infinitely warmer on a turntable.
- Playlist Context: Add this to a "Quiet Country" playlist alongside Guy Clark’s "Desperados Waiting for a Train" and John Prine’s "Hello in There."
- Deepen the Knowledge: Read Roger Miller: Dang Him! by his son, Dean Miller, to understand the man behind the "citified" mask.