If you ever wonder about the writing of country music check this . . a perennial favourite always wort checking out what Kris Kristofferson thought about it! Pure poetry essentially
Johnny Cash: Big River
I think I first heard this on the Letterman show by Kris, and Lyle Lovett amongst others and have adored it as a story telling masterpiece of western music without equal!
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry,
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I’m gonna sit right here until I die.
I met her accidentally in St. Paul (Minnesota).
And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl, Southern drawl.
Then I heard my dream was back Downstream cavortin’ in Davenport,
And I followed you, Big River, when you called.
Then you took me to St. Louis later on (down the river).
A freighter said she’s been here but she’s gone, boy, she’s gone.
I found her trail in Memphis, but she just walked up the block.
She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone.
Now, won’t you batter down by Baton Rouge, River Queen, roll it on.
Take that woman on down to New Orleans, New Orleans.
Go on, I’ve had enough, dump my blues down in the gulf.
She loves you, Big River, more than me.
Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, cry, cry
And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky.
And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River.
Then I’m gonna sit right here until I die.
As Sealyman dropped by to comment upon the lyrics and appreciating this masterpiece I also found this”
When Johnny Cash performed the song in 1985 with The Highwaymen (Cash, Kris Krisofferson, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson) a new verse was addded - not on the original Cash recording nor in Bob Weir's versions (thanks to Jon Krulish for pointing this out):
Well, I pulled into Natchez next day down river
But there wasn't much there to make the rounders stay very long
When I left it was raining so nobody saw me cry
Big river, why she doing me this way
4 comments:
Well. This is, of course, PERFECT. Perfect anyway but definitively so in its own idiom.
(Pedant's question....Did she walk up the "block" or is it the "bluff" (hill by a river?)
Great versions by Bob (in the Basement) and a favourite band of mine The Beat Farmers.....
Now this is really interesting! Should put the discussion on the body of the post but it’ll have to do here. I agree but got the lyrics from the John Cash website!!?! I think bluff and not block . . . but there’s more Grateful Dead thought so highly of it they posted thusly : "Well I followed her down to Memphis, but she just walked off the bus, She raised a few eyebrows and she went on down alone. Well I've gotten on down to Baton Rouge, River Queen roll on, Take that woman down to New Orleans, New Orleans. I give up, I've had enough, followed my blues on down to the gulf, She loves you big river more than me. She raised a few eyebrows and she went on down alone. Well I've gotten on down to Baton Rouge, River Queen roll on”!!!? then Rockabilly music posted “ And I heard my dream went back down stream To Borden and Davenport And I followed you big river when you called (Oh. guitar!)
Then you took me to St.Louis, later on down the river A freighter said she's been here, but she's gone, boy she's gone I found her trail back in Memphis But she just walked up the bluff She raised a few eyebrows and then she went on down alone Now won't you betten (SIC!) down by Baton Rouge “ What fresh Hell is THIS!? I guess its a Chinese Whispers deal (Can you still day that?! Prolly not!) I give up . . . . . . . Anyone else?
Dylan sings "bluff"
That’ll do fer me! 😉
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