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.
Out in the Cold World
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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Some mother's boy is wanderin' all alone.
No one to guide him or keep his footsteps right
Some mother's boy is homeless tonight.
Bring back to me my wandering boy
For there is no other who's left to give me joy
Tell him that his mother with faded cheeks and hair
Out in the hallway then stands a vacant chair
And an old pair of shoes he used to wear
Empty is the cradle he used to love so well
Oh how I miss him no tongue can tell.
Well I remember those parting words he said
Well meet up yonder where tears are never shed
In that land of sunshine, away from toil and care
When life is over, I'll meet you up there
The lyrics of the song "Out In The Cold World" by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys tell the story of a mother who is missing her son who has left home and is wandering alone in the cold world. The mother's love for her son is evident in the lyrics as she longs for his return. The first two lines of the song paint a picture of a lost and lonely child wandering aimlessly without any guidance or direction. The phrase "some mother's boy" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea that every child belongs to someone and that these wandering children are loved and missed by their families.
The second stanza of the song offers a glimpse into the mother's life without her son, as she reminisces about the empty spaces that were once filled with his presence. The vacant chair, the old pair of shoes, and the empty cradle all serve as reminders of the son she has lost. The last stanza of the song is both hopeful and bittersweet, as it suggests that the mother and son will be reunited in the afterlife. The idea of meeting in a place "where tears are never shed" offers a sense of peace and comfort to a mother who has been left behind, alone in the cold world.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in the cold world and far away from home
A boy is away from his home and out in a cold world
Some mother's boy is wanderin' all alone.
A boy without a mother wanders alone
No one to guide him or keep his footsteps right
There is no one to guide the boy on the right path
Some mother's boy is homeless tonight.
A motherless boy is homeless tonight
Bring back to me my wandering boy
The mother wants her wandering son back
For there is no other who's left to give me joy
The boy is the only one who can bring joy to his mother
Tell him that his mother with faded cheeks and hair
The mother wants her son to know she is waiting for him despite her age and appearance
Is at the old home place awaiting him there
The mother is waiting for her son at their old home
Out in the hallway then stands a vacant chair
The boy's absence is felt in the empty chair in the hallway
And an old pair of shoes he used to wear
The mother keeps the boy's old shoes as a memory
Empty is the cradle he used to love so well
The cradle that the boy used to love is empty
Oh how I miss him no tongue can tell.
The mother deeply misses her son
Well I remember those parting words he said
The mother remembers the last words her son said before he left
Well meet up yonder where tears are never shed
Both the mother and son will reunite in a place where there is no sorrow
In that land of sunshine, away from toil and care
The place they'll meet is a shining land free of effort and struggles
When life is over, I'll meet you up there
They'll reunite after life ends
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOE AHR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Harry Toyoda
Great mandolin work by Bill...plus golden tone from Don Stover banjo.
steven blalock
I'm currently teaching my 12 year old son to sing and play this.
Nuken ridge
Dam I like it 👌
greg toney
Carter family has a song called Bring Back To ME My Wondering Boy which is the same song.
The Inhumane Society
Not really