Meaning of "Wanderin'" by Dave Van Ronk

The lyrics of "Wanderin'" reflect a sense of restlessness and perpetual motion in the narrator's life. The repetition of the lines "And it looks like ain't never gonna cease my wanderin'" emphasizes a feeling of inevitability and resignation towards this way of life. The mention of family members engaged in ordinary jobs like engineering or laundry work contrasts with the narrator's own journey of constant movement and lack of settled occupation. The various experiences described, such as train and shipwrecks, symbolize the challenges and obstacles faced along the way, contributing to the narrator's sense of being adrift and constantly searching. Overall, the song captures the essence of a nomadic life, where the only constant is the act of wandering itself.