“You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” creates a brain twister with the double-negative “ain’t”/”nowhere.” Imagine the degrading comment “You Ain’t Goin Anywhere” or worse “You Are Goin Nowhere.” So “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere” is actually a positive message because it means you are going somewhere or at least nowhere is where you won’t be going.

This is an easy-breezy front porch singing kind of song. Relax, enjoy life, don’t have a care in the world.  And the “went” rhyme made with “sent” and stretched into “tent” in the second of four verses helps that tone:

I don’t care
How many letters they sent
Morning came and morning went
Pick up your money
And pack up your tent
You ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow’s the day
My bride’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!