In 1969, Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC.[1] A year later, they moved to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine by Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, Comin' Right At Ya was released by United Artists. At the request of Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been presented numerous awards throughout their career. Most recently, the 16th Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for the making of "A Ride With Bob", recognition by Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, Texas, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award by The Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognized Asleep at the Wheel for Band of the Year, Best Country Band, and into their Hall of Fame. Benson was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, was given The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and recognized as an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He has also been given numerous Citations of Achievement by Broadcast Music, Inc. for his work in the country music field. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been one of the strongest names in Country Music for the last forty years.
Red Stick
Asleep At The Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The land where the sugarcane grow
In the country of magnolia blossoms
And the sweet sounds are flowing bayou
The one who won my heart, she was lovely
She promised we never would part
In French Baton Rouge might mean "red stick"
I crossed over from Texas
One night in the dark
I drove until my eyes were red
I was looking to win me
A cajun girl's heart
But the cajun girl won mine instead
She took it and broke it to pieces
She laughed as she tore it apart
In French Baton Rouge might mean "red stick"
But to me it means broken heart
I crossed over from Texas
One night in the dark
And drove until my eyes were red
I was looking to win me
A cajun girl's heart
But the cajun girl won mine instead
She took it and broke it to pieces
She laughed as she tore it apart
In French Baton Rouge might mean "red stick"
But to me it means broken heart
Yeah
In French Baton Rouge might mean "red stick"
But to me it means broken heart
The song "Red Stick" by Asleep at the Wheel portrays a story of heartbreak and longing in Louisiana. The singer leaves his heart in Louisiana, a land marked by the growth of sugarcane and magnolia blossoms and the melodies of the bayou. The song's title references Baton Rouge, which in French means "red stick," but for the singer, it represents the place where his heart was broken.
The song's narrative is portrayed through the use of vivid imagery and metaphors. The lyrics suggest that the singer was in pursuit of winning the affection of a Cajun girl. However, the singer ultimately finds himself on the losing end of the relationship, as the Cajun girl breaks his heart. The singer's sufferings are phrased in a style that the listener may feel, such as "In French Baton Rouge might mean 'red stick' But to me it means a broken heart."
The song is not just a heartbreak ballad, but also represents the beauty and aesthetics of Louisiana. It is a reminder of the significance of love and how it can be devastatingly painful. From the use of traditional instruments to the heartfelt lyrics, "Red Stick" is a classic representation of the unique musical culture of Louisiana.
Line by Line Meaning
I left my heart down in old Louisiana
Louisiana stole my heart, and I left it there.
The land where the sugarcane grow
Louisiana is known for its sugarcane crops.
In the country of magnolia blossoms
Louisiana is known for magnolia blossoms.
And the sweet sounds are flowing bayou
The bayou in Louisiana is known for its sweet sounds.
The one who won my heart, she was lovely
I fell in love with a lovely woman in Louisiana.
She promised we never would part
She promised we would never break up.
In French Baton Rouge might mean 'red stick'
Baton Rouge means 'red stick' in French.
But to me it means broken heart
To me, Baton Rouge represents a broken heart because of what happened there.
I crossed over from Texas
I drove from Texas to Louisiana.
One night in the dark
It was dark out when I made the journey.
I drove until my eyes were red
I drove for a long time and got tired.
I was looking to win me a cajun girl's heart
I wanted to win the heart of a Cajun girl in Louisiana.
But the cajun girl won mine instead
Instead, she won my heart.
She took it and broke it to pieces
She broke my heart into pieces.
She laughed as she tore it apart
She found it amusing to break my heart.
In French Baton Rouge might mean 'red stick'
Baton Rouge means 'red stick' in French.
But to me it means broken heart
To me, Baton Rouge represents a broken heart because of what happened there.
Yeah
An expression of agreement or acknowledgement.
In French Baton Rouge might mean 'red stick'
Baton Rouge means 'red stick' in French.
But to me it means broken heart
To me, Baton Rouge represents a broken heart because of what happened there.
Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ben - Moderator
The issue with search on Firefox is now resolved.
Ben - Moderator
Sorry about that Eddie - we will resolve this very soon. In the meantime you should still be able to paste a search into the search box. I'll update you here.
Eddie
With the new setup my firefox browser will not allow typing in the search area.