Intro / Ole Slew-Foot )
Bill Monroe Lyrics


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High on the mountain, tell me what do you see
Beartracks beartracks looking back at me
Better get your rifles before its too late
The bear's got a little pig and headed for the gate

He's big around the middle and broad across the rump
Running ninety miles an hour taking thirty feet a jump
Ain't never been caught he ain't never been treed
And some folks say he looks a lot like me

Saved up my money and bought me some bees
Started making honey way up in the trees
Cut down the trees but the honey's all gone
Ole slew foot has done made himself at home

Winter's coming on and its forty below
River's froze over so where can he go




I'll chase him up the gulley and run him in the well
Shoot him the bottom just to listen to him yell

Overall Meaning

In "Intro/Ole Slew-Foot," Bill Monroe describes a character known as "Ole Slew-Foot," who is a bear that lives in the mountains. The lyrics detail the bear's antics, including stealing a little pig and making himself at home in a honey tree. However, the most notable part of the song is the comparison between the bear and the singer, who people claim looks like the bear.


Overall, the song seems to be a lighthearted and fun story about a mischievous bear and the singer's connection to him. The lyrics paint a picture of the wild and rugged mountain lifestyle, complete with hunting rifles, frozen rivers, and challenging terrain.


Interestingly, "Ole Slew-Foot" was actually a real-life bear that lived in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It was said to be a legendary creature that was incredibly smart and difficult to catch. The bear was eventually trapped by a game warden and transferred to a zoo in Washington, D.C.


Line by Line Meaning

High on the mountain, tell me what do you see
From a high altitude, what is your line of sight on the mountain?


Beartracks beartracks looking back at me
I see the tracks of a bear looking right at me.


Better get your rifles before its too late
It is recommended that you obtain a rifle before it is too late.


The bear's got a little pig and headed for the gate
The bear has captured a small pig and is making its way towards the exit.


He's big around the middle and broad across the rump
The bear has a large circumference in the abdominal area and a wide posterior.


Running ninety miles an hour taking thirty feet a jump
The bear is running at a speed of ninety miles per hour and is taking steps of thirty feet in length.


Ain't never been caught he ain't never been treed
The bear has never been captured or trapped in a tree.


And some folks say he looks a lot like me
There are some people who claim that the bear has a resemblance to me.


Saved up my money and bought me some bees
I have accumulated my earnings and have invested in purchasing bees.


Started making honey way up in the trees
The process of producing honey began at a high altitude in the trees.


Cut down the trees but the honey's all gone
Although the trees have been felled, the honey produced in them is now depleted.


Ole slew foot has done made himself at home
A creature named 'Ole slew foot' has settled in the area.


Winter's coming on and its forty below
We are approaching the winter season and the temperature has dropped to forty degrees below freezing.


River's froze over so where can he go
The river has solidified with the drop in temperature, and the bear has to find a new route.


I'll chase him up the gulley and run him in the well
I intend to pursue the bear to the gully and then trap it in a well.


Shoot him the bottom just to listen to him yell
I will shoot the bear at the bottom of the well, primarily to hear its agonized cries.




Lyrics © CLARKJAY PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Written by: CHARLIE DANIELS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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