Milk Cow Blues
Alan Jackson George Strait & Jimmy Buffett Lyrics
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Looked outdoors
I can tell my milk cow
I can tell by the way she lows
If you see my milk cow
Please drive her on home
Cause I ain't had no milk and butter
Since that cows been gone
Well you gotta treat me right honey
Day by day
Get out your little prayer book
Get down upon your knees and pray
Cause you're gonna need me
You're gonna need my help someday
Lord you're gonna be sorry
You, you treated me this a way
Aw, now take it away boys
Sail on, sail on, sail on little gal, sail on
Sail on, sail on, sail on little gal, sail on
You're gonna keep right on sailing
Till you lose your happy home
Well good evening
Don't that sun look good going down
I said well good evening
Don't that sun look good going down
Don't that ol' army cot look lonely
When your lover ain't no place around
Well I tried everything baby
To get along with you
Now I'm gonna tell you
What I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stop my cryin'
Gonna leave you alone
And if you don't think I'm leavin' big momma
Just count the days I'm gone
You ain't gonna see me
You ain't gonna see my sweet face no more
Lord you gonna be wondering honey
Where in this world I've gone
Milk cow blues
The song "Milk Cow Blues" is a blues standard that has been covered by numerous artists, including Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Jimmy Buffett. The lyrics describe the singer's search for his milk cow, who has left him without milk and butter. He implores anyone who sees the cow to drive her home. This may seem like a simple song about a lost cow, however, the singer's tone and the imagery he uses suggest a deeper meaning.
The opening lines suggest that the singer is in tune with nature and his animals to the point that he can tell by the way his milk cow lows that there is something wrong. This connection to nature is a common theme in the blues genre, symbolizing a connection to the earth and the simpler things in life. The later verses suggest that the singer's relationship with his lover has gone sour. He pleads with her to treat him right and warns her that she will need his help one day. The repetition of the phrase "sail on" at the end of the second verse and the beginning of the third verse suggest that the singer has resigned himself to his fate and is willing to let his lover go. The final verse suggests that he has given up on the relationship and is leaving his lover.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I woke up this mornin'
I woke up this morning at the beginning of a new day
Looked outdoors
Peeked outside my window
I can tell my milk cow
I can identify my milk cow by the way she sounds
I can tell by the way she lows
Her lowing sound gives away her identity
If you see my milk cow
If you happen to come across my milk cow
Please drive her on home
Kindly help me take her back home
Cause I ain't had no milk and butter
I haven't had any milk or butter since she's been gone
Since that cows been gone
Ever since my milk cow left
Well you gotta treat me right honey
You need to treat me with kindness
Day by day
Every single day
Get out your little prayer book
Take out your prayer book
Get down upon your knees and pray
Kneel down and pray
Cause you're gonna need me
You will need my help
You're gonna need my help someday
You will require my assistance one day
Lord you're gonna be sorry
You will regret your actions
You, you treated me this a way
This is how you treated me
Aw, now take it away boys
Let's hear some more music, boys
Sail on, sail on, sail on little gal, sail on
Keep sailing, little girl, just keep moving forward
You're gonna keep right on sailing
You will continue to sail
Till you lose your happy home
Until you lose your sanctuary of happiness
Well good evening
Greetings, good evening to all
Don't that sun look good going down
Isn't that sunset a beautiful sight?
Don't that ol' army cot look lonely
Doesn't that old army cot look empty without someone in it
When your lover ain't no place around
When your significant other is absent
Well I tried everything baby
I tried everything, darling
To get along with you
To get on good terms with you
Now I'm gonna tell you
I will now reveal my intentions
What I'm gonna do
What I'm about to do
I'm gonna stop my cryin'
I will cease my sobbing
Gonna leave you alone
I am going to leave you alone
And if you don't think I'm leavin' big momma
And if you don't believe I'm actually leaving
Just count the days I'm gone
Just keep track of the days while I'm away
You ain't gonna see me
You won't see me
You ain't gonna see my sweet face no more
You won't see my adorable face again
Lord you gonna be wondering honey
You will be curious, my dear
Where in this world I've gone
Where I have gone to in this world
Milk cow blues
A lamentation for my missing milk cow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KOKOMO ARNOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind