Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) developed the style of… Read Full Bio ↴Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) developed the style of country music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for his home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader. He is often referred to as "the father of bluegrass."

In the rock (and roll) community, Bill Monroe may be best known via one of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings at Sun Records, that of Monroe's 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'. Patsy Cline also made a highly regarded version of this song.

I'm Going
Bill Monroe Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm going back to old Kentucky
There to see my Linda Lou
I'm going back to old Kentucky
Where the skies are always blue

When I left old Kentucky
Linda kissed me and she cried
Told her that I would not linger

I'd be back by and by

I'm going back to old Kentucky
There to see my Linda Lou
I'm going back to old Kentucky
Where the skies are always blue

Linda Lou, she is a beauty
Those pretty brown eyes, I loved so well
I'm going back to old Kentucky
Never more to say farewell

I'm going back to old Kentucky
There to see my Linda Lou
I'm going back to old Kentucky
Where the skies are always blue

Linda Lou, you know I love you
I long for you each night and day
When the roses bloom in old Kentucky
I'll be coming back to stay

I'm going back to old Kentucky
There to see my Linda Lou

I'm going back to old Kentucky
Where the skies are always blue

Overall Meaning

Bill Monroe's song "I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky" is an ode to a man's love for his home state, and more specifically, for his sweetheart Linda Lou who resides there. The song contains a sense of longing and nostalgia as the singer describes his separation from Linda Lou and his plans to return to Kentucky. The song opens with the singer declaring his intention to return to Kentucky and see Linda Lou. He reminisces about the last time he left Kentucky, with Linda kissing him goodbye and begging him to come back soon.

The second verse describes Linda Lou, emphasizing her beauty and captivating brown eyes that the singer loved so well. Throughout the song, the singer reaffirms his love for Linda Lou and his desire to be with her again. He longs for the time when the roses bloom in old Kentucky so that he can come back and stay with her. The chorus is a repetitive reminder of the singer's plan, showing his determination to return to his home state and reunite with Linda Lou.

Overall, Bill Monroe's "I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky" is a sentimental and romantic song about the singer's love for both his state and his sweetheart. The song's melody is upbeat and catchy, reflecting the joy and excitement the singer feels about returning to Kentucky and reuniting with his love.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm going back to old Kentucky
I am returning to my home state, Kentucky

There to see my Linda Lou
I am returning to Kentucky to reunite with my lover, Linda Lou

Where the skies are always blue
Kentucky is known for its clear and sunny skies

When I left old Kentucky
I had previously left Kentucky

Linda kissed me and she cried
Linda expressed sadness and emotion upon my departure

Told her that I would not linger
I promised Linda that I would return soon

I'd be back by and by
I assured Linda of my imminent return

Linda Lou, she is a beauty
Linda Lou is an attractive person

Those pretty brown eyes, I loved so well
I have a strong affection for Linda's beautiful brown eyes

Never more to say farewell
I do not want to say goodbye to Linda again

Linda Lou, you know I love you
I want Linda to know that I have deep feelings of love for her

I long for you each night and day
I constantly think about Linda and miss her

When the roses bloom in old Kentucky
I will return to Kentucky when it is the season for roses to bloom

I'll be coming back to stay
I plan on returning to Kentucky permanently

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL MONROE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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TRACKS

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01My Long Journey Home2:29

02What Is a Home Without Love2:59

03What Would You Give In Exchange

04Little Red Shoes2:59

05Nine Pound Hammer Is Too Heavy2:12

06On Some Foggy Mountain Top2:16

07Drifting Too Far from the Shore

08In My Dear Old Southern Home2:27

09New River Train3:38

10This World Is Not My Home2:30

11Watermelon Hangin' On That Vine2:14

12On The Banks Of The Ohio3:28

13Do You Call That Religion2:19

14God Holds The Future In His Hands2:36

15You've Got to Walk That Lonesome Valley2:11

16Six Months Ain't Long3:13

17Just a Song of Old Kentucky2:18

18Don't Forget Me2:38

19I'm Going2:07

PT2M7S

Bill Monroe

20Darling Corey1:58

21My Saviour's Train2:55

22I Am Thinking Tonight Of The Old Folks2:28

23Dreamed I Searched Heaven for You2:50

24The Old Cross Road2:42

25The Forgotten Soldier Boy2:42

26We Read Of A Place That's Called Heaven2:39

27Will the Circle Be Unbroken

28The Saints Go Marching In2:52

29Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms2:38

30Where Is My Sailor Boy?2:45

31I Am Ready To Go2:44

32What Would The Profit Be?2:27

33Some Glad Day2:37

34I Have Found The Way2:19

35I Am Going That Way2:24

36Kate Cline2:17

37Roll On, Buddy2:56

38Weeping Willow Tree3:12

39I'll Live On2:14

40Oh, Hide You In The Blood2:52

41What Would You Give In Exchange, Part 22:56

42On That Gospel Ship2:41

43What Would You Give In Exchange, Part 32:54

44Let Us Be Lovers Again2:52

45All The Good Times Are Past And Gone2:36

46What Would You Give In Exchange, Part 42:51

47On My Way to Glory2:04

48My Last Moving Day2:57

49He Will Set Your Fields On Fire2:38

50Sinner, You Better Get Ready2:34

51Have a Feast Here Tonight2:17

52Goodbye, Maggie3:01

53Rollin' On1:57

54The Old Man's Story2:31

55I've Still Got Ninety-Nine3:09

56Little Joe2:56

57A Beautiful Life2:29

58Pearly Gates2:35

59On My Way Back Home2:01

60When Our Lord Shall Come Again2:15

61Mule Skinner Blues2:44

62No Letter in the Mail2:43

63Cryin' Holy Unto The Lord0:01

64Six White Horses3:03

65Dog House Blues3:09

66I Wonder If You Feel the Way I Do2:52

67Katy Hill2:29

68Tennessee Blues2:54

69Shake My Mother's Hand For Me3:06

70Were You There2:47

71Blue Yodel No. 72:54

72The Coupon Song2:57

73Orange Blossom Special2:55

74Honky Tonk Swing2:31

75In The Pines3:24

76Back Up And Push2:48

77Rocky Road Blues2:36

78Kentucky Waltz2:44

79True Life Blues2:50

80Nobody Loves Me2:39

81Goodbye Old Pal2:39

82Footprints In The Snow2:40

83I'll Have A New Life2:01

84Blue Grass Special

85Come Back To Me In My Dreams2:22

86Heavy Traffic Ahead2:51

87Why Did You Wander2:36

88Blue Moon of Kentucky3:45

89Blue Moon of Kentucky3:45

90Toy Heart

91Summertime Is Past And Gone

92Mansions For Me3:16

93Mother's Only Sleeping3:18

94Blue Yodel #42:42

95Will You Be Loving Another Man2:33

96How Will I Explain About You2:55

97Shining Path2:26

98Wicked Path Of Sin2:39

99I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky3:10

100It's Mighty Dark To Travel2:53

101I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling4:27

102Little Cabin Home on the Hill3:08

103My Rose of Old Kentucky

104Bluegrass Breakdown2:19

105Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong3:20

106The Old Cross Road2:42

107That Home Above2:54

108Remember The Cross3:05

109Little Community Church2:47

110Along About Daybreak3:06

111When You Are Lonely2:46

112Molly And Tenbrooks2:33

113Shine, Hallelujah, Shine2:33

114I'm Travelin' On And On2:36

115Can't You Hear Me Callin'3:17

116Travelin' This Lonesome Road3:12

117Blue Grass Stomp2:59

118The Girl in the Blue Velvet Band

119Kentucky Waltz (Take 2)2:43

120True Life Blues (Take 4)2:44

121True Life Blues (Take 3)2:49

122True Life Blues (Take 2)2:50

123Nobody Loves Me (Take BD)1:18

124Nobody Loves Me (Take 3)2:53

125Nobody Loves Me (Take 1)2:38

126Goodbye Old Pal (Take 2)2:27

127Footprints In The Snow (Take 2)2:34

128Blue Grass Special (take 2)2:26

129Blue Grass Special (Take 3)2:26

130Heavy Traffic Ahead (Take 2)2:23

131Why Did You Wander (Take 2)2:36

132Summertime is Past and Gone (take BD1)1:03

133Summertime is Past and Gone (take BD2)1:48

134Summertime Is Past And Gone (Take 2)2:57

135Summertime is Past and Gone (take BD3)1:27

136Blue Yodel, No.4 (take 2)3:29

137Will You Be Loving Another Man (Take 2)2:57

138How Will I Explain About You (Take 2)3:01

139How Will I Explain About You (Take 3)2:59

140Wicked Path Of Sin (Take 2)2:59

141It's Mighty Dark To Travel (Take 2)2:54

142I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky (Take BD)0:20

143I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky (Take 2)2:57

144It's Mighty Dark To Travel (Take 3)2:55

145Little Cabin Home On The Hill (Take 2)3:10

146My Rose Of Old Kentucky (Take 2)3:04

147Blue Grass Breakdown (take 2)2:42

148Blue Grass Breakdown (Take 3)2:39

149Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong (Take 2)3:21

150Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong (take BD1)0:17

151Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong (take BD2)1:11

152Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong (take 3)2:59

153The Old Cross Road (Take 2)2:45

154The Old Cross Road (Take BD2)1:48

155The Old Cross Road (take BD3)1:43

156The Old Cross Road (Take 3)2:39

157The Old Cross Road (take BD1)0:58

158That Home Above (Take BD)1:00

159Remember The Cross (Take 2)3:05

160Along About Daybreak (Take 2)3:10

161Little Community Church (Take 2)2:54

162Little Community Church (Take BD)1:59

163Along About Daybreak (Take BD)1:52

164Molly and Tenbrooks (take 2)2:24

165Shine, Hallelujah, Shine (take 2)2:33

166I'm Travelin' On And On (Take 2)2:34

167Can't You Hear Me Callin' (Take 4)3:23

168Can't You Hear Me Callin' (Take 3)3:14

169Can't You Hear Me Callin' (Take BD)0:31

170Can't You Hear Me Callin' (Take 2)3:20

171Travelin' This Lonesome Road (Take 2)3:25

172Blue Grass Stomp (take 3)2:27

173Blue Grass Stomp (Take BD)0:43

174Blue Grass Stomp (Take 2)3:17

175The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band (Take 3)3:09

176The Girl in the Blue Velvet Band (take 2)3:12

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Comments from YouTube:

@mathewfines8727

2y↑2

I LOVE this old original Bluegrass Music!

@Bascomblodge

13y↑2

CNS2, I miss him too. He was a man you could really respect and he was arguably America's greatest musician. Mr. Monroe was a great songwriter, instrumentalist, vocalist (lead and harmony), and band leader as well as a visionary and innovator.

@BPMM0925

12y↑7

Everyone has said that Heavy Traffic Ahead was the first "real" bluegrass song ever recorded, but in my opinion this is the one recording that really defined the sound of bluegrass as we know it.

@jimferris9447

I Love Heavy Traffic Ahead! It had a jazz swing and a blues swagger. A fun song. There were some others like it before Scruggs, Flatt, et al with something of the same feel. Wish Mr. Monroe would have done more like it.

@jayzillapowerfull4292

2y↑2

im from kentucky and i love this song

@sirsadistic

12y↑3

one of 2 people to single handidly invent a new style of music bill monroe and tony iommi

@poolpoolification

10y↑2

EVEN TODAY 2014 ... NO ONE COMES CLOSE BILL1

@poolpoolification

10y↑1

RIP BILL, YOU ARE MISSED

@jaimejaimeChannel

9y↑1

ZEKE! I didn't know you were a bluegrass fan - not til recently anyhow... Look forward to savoring this whole collection. -Jim Terr

@CNS2

13y

Lord knows I miss you Bill Monroe... ♪♫ Singin' for Jesus † now...

@simonphoenix6118

11y↑1

Wish I met him I'm only 11 so did not have a chance

@Master100Mind

11y↑1

Forget my last comment, I should've listened all the way! :D

@Master100Mind

11y↑1

Is that Lester Flatts singing lead along with Bill? Anyways I love this!

@stacyblue1980

I dont know but Earl Scruggs is on banjo here! :) Good brother Scruggs. Amazing recording. This stuff never gets old.

@iragitlin7549

Yes, that's Lester Flatt singing lead and playing guitar.

@tpp5151

9y↑1

It makes me sad that this was not the version they put on the Anthology record

@jamiej14544

This version is on the first of the five Bear Records box sets.

@ivankelsall2939

8y↑8

Bill Monroe is rightly revered as ''The Father of Bluegrass Music'',but it's arguable that it was the sound of Earl Scruggs's banjo playing that made Bluegrass music ''at that time'' such an instant success. Bill Monroe had been around a good while before he employed Earl as his banjo player & without a great deal of real success. When Earl joined him,the audiences were totally blown away by the sound. That was when Bluegrass music as we know today it really ''arrived'' !. There are folk who'll argue that the music is ''still Bluegrass'' without a banjo in the band - but not to this picker it ain't !!!.

@bluegrassmovie12

7y↑1

Bill Monroe always knew there was a place for the banjo in the sound he envisaged. In 1945, their banjo player Stringbean quit, and the Bluegrass Boys lead singer at the time, Lester Flatt, did not share Monroe's view of the banjo and did not want to replace him. When he heard Monroe intended to audition Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt famously (and prophetically) said, "that Scruggs fella can keep his banjo in the case". Scruggs completed the sound Monroe envisaged and the rest is now history.

@stevequizodlibumpbumpbump3575

Ja, das ist ganz richtig.

@iragitlin7549

49w

I agree. It takes nothing away from Monroe's stature to point out that before 1947 or so nobody was copying his band sound. After 1947 there was a flood of copying (led off by the Stanley Brothers). Also. Monroe's instrumentation and general sound changed in various ways from 1939 to 1945. After Flatt and Scruggs left his band in early 1948, he retained the same instrumentation for the rest of his career (48 years!), with only superficial changes in the overall sound.

@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee

30w

Must have been after
Earl Scruggs left ,, I didn’t hear one banjo note

@rockwelllewis1664

This was in 1947 or 1946 and probably was out in 1948

@James_Dowdy

So that's not Jimmy playing guitar?

@dukeofearlbanjo

this was definitely not from 1949. Lester and Earl were long gone by then

@jamiej14544

8y↑1

Lester Flatt is the lead singer on this original version, from October, 1947 and it is in the key of A. Bill subsequently rerecorded it in November 1961 and sang it himself, and changed the key to A, which was better for his voice. He also begins with the chorus on that rearranged version. However, this is the original, with the mandolin solo.

@iragitlin7549

It's true that this cut was recorded in 1947 and that Flatt and Scruggs left the band early in 1948, but it may well be that Columbia did not release the record until 1949. I know that's the case with other Monroe singles from that period.

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