Subdeacon Joe Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 I got two questions about that song. Was there anything in there about fighting Indians? When he and the Mexican gambler had a difference of opinion about Tennessee, do you think the Mexican spoke slightingly of the state, or the Mexican insisted that the singer has lost the Tennessee stud in a horse race? I was just reading the wiki article, because when I was listening to that I was thinking "that's not the voice I remember". I went to wiki trying to find out who sung it originally. Apparently the brain has gone to lunch because I've positive that it was Tennessee Ernie Ford's voice I was hearing in my mind, but apparently he never covered it. Anywho, wiki explains the song is about a guy who leaves Arkansas because of his girlfriend's family, goes out west where he fights Indians, crosses the border where he gambles, has a gunfight with a man who disrespected Tennessee... I'm sitting there reading that thinking, "did we listen to the same song?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Tennessee Stud as sung by Johnny Cash Back about eighteen and twenty-five I left Tennessee very much alive I never would have made it through the Arkansas mud If I hadn't been riding on the Tennessee Stud Had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa One of her brothers was a bad outlaw I wrote a letter to my Uncle Fud And I rode away on the Tennessee Stud The Tennessee Stud was long and lean The color of the sun and his eyes were green He had the nerve and he had the blood There never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud Drifted on down into no man's land I crossed the river called the Rio Grande I raced my horse with the Spaniards bold 'Til I got me a skinful of silver and gold Me and a gambler, we couldn't agree We got in a fight over Tennessee We pulled our guns, he fell with a thud And I rode away on the Tennessee Stud The Tennessee Stud was long and lean The color of the sun and his eyes were green He had the nerve and he had the blood There never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud I rode right back across Arkansas And I whipped her brother and I whipped her pa I found that girl with the golden hair And she was riding on a Tennessee mare Pretty little baby on the cabin floor A little horse colt playing 'round the door I love the girl with the golden hair And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare The Tennessee Stud was long and lean The color of the sun and his eyes were green He had the nerve and he had the blood There never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 These are the original lyrics as written by Jimmy Driftwood Along about eighteen twenty-five, I left Tennessee very much alive. I never would have got through the Arkansas mud If I hadn't been a-ridin' on the Tennessee Stud. I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa, And one of her brothers was a bad outlaw. I sent her a letter by my Uncle Bud, And I rode away on the Tennessee Stud. The Tennessee Stud was long and lean, The color of the sun, and his eyes were green. He had the nerve and he had the blood, And there never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud. One day I was riding in a beautiful land I run smack into an Indian band They jumped their nags with a whoop and a yell And away we rode like a bat out of hell. I circled their camp for a time or two, Just to show what a Tennessee horse can do. The redskin boys couldn't get my blood, 'Cause I was a-riding on the Tennessee Stud. We drifted on down into no man's land, We crossed that river called the Rio Grande. I raced my horse with the Spaniard's foal 'Til I got me a skin full of silver and gold. Me and a gambler, we couldn't agree, We got in a fight over Tennessee. We jerked our guns, and he fell with a thud, And I got away on the Tennessee Stud. I got just as lonesome as a man can be, Dreamin' of my girl in Tennessee. The Tennessee Stud's green eyes turned blue 'Cause he was a-dreamin' of a sweetheart, too, We loped right back across Arkansas; I whupped her brother and I whupped her pa. I found that girl with the golden hair, And she was a-riding on the Tennessee Mare. Stirrup to stirrup and side by side, We crossed the mountains and the valleys wide. We came to Big Muddy, then we forded the flood On the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud. A pretty little baby on the cabin floor, A little horse colt playing 'round the door, I love that girl with the golden hair, And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 https://www.lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/t/tennesseestud.html Quote TENNESSEE STUD (Jimmie Driftwood) Jimmy Driftwood - 1959 Eddy Arnold - 1959 Ramblin' Jack Elliott - 1962 Doc Watson - 1966 Porter Wagoner - 1969 Jake & The Family Jewels - 1970 Country Joe McDonald - 1970 Chet Atkins & Jerry Reed - 1971 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Doc Watson - 1972 Chris LeDoux - 1978 Arlo Guthrie - 1978 Hank Williams Jr. - 1981 Rattlesnake Annie - 1993 Johnny Cash - 1994 Sherwin & Pam Linton - 1996 Michael Martin Murphey - 1997 Paul & Margie - 1998 Rancho DeLuxe - 2000 Joe Ross - 2000 David Holt & Doc Watson - 2001 The Chieftains & Jeff White - 2002 Krüger Brothers - 2002 The Little Willies - 2005 Chris Jones - 2007 Emily Rose - 2009 Also recorded by: Osborne Brothers; Roy Rogers; Del Barden; Red Steagall; Terry Woods; Art Thieme; Mike Auldridge; Ralph Stanley; The Spotnicks; Tennessee Ernie Ford.........and others. Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded it as part of his 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Then apparently, in the original song, there were Indians. Just in the three versions I listened to, they deleted that verse. I still think he and the gambler were fighting over the horse, not over the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 2 hours ago, Alpo said: I still think he and the gambler were fighting over the horse, not over the state. So do I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Hangtree Posted November 10, 2020 Share Posted November 10, 2020 "The Circle Album" is my favorite album of all time. Tons of great musicians and singers on that album, most of whom have left us. I've owned this album on vinyl, 8 track, cassette, CD, and now digital. You might recognize the gentleman on the album cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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