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.
The Race Horse Song 'Molly and Tenbrooks'
Bill Monroe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tenbrooks gonna beat you to the bright shinin' sun.
To the bright shinin' sun O Lord to the bright shinin' sun
Tenbrooks was a big bay horse he wore that shaggy mane
He run all around Memphis he beat the Memphis train
Beat the Memphis train O Lord beat the Memphis train
See old Tenbrooks runnin' he's strainin' every nerve
Strainin' every nerve O Lord strainin' every nerve
Tenbrooks said to Molly what makes your head so red?
Runnin' in the hot sun puts fever in my head
Fever in my head O Lord fever in my head
Molly said to Tenbrooks you're lookin' mighty squirrel
Tenbrooks said to Molly I'm a-leavin' this old world
Leavin' this old world O Lord leavin' this old world
Out in California where Molly done as she pleased
Come back to old Kentucky got beat with all ease
Beat with all ease O Lord beat with all ease
The women all a-laughin' the child'n all a cryin'
The men all a-hollerin' old Tenbrooks a-flyin'
Old Tenbrooks a-flyin' O Lord old Tenbrooks a-flyin'
Kyper Kyper you're not A-ridin' right
Molly's beatin' old Tenbrooks clear out sight
Clear out of sight O Lord clear out of sight
Kyper Kyper Kyper my son
Give old Tenbrooks the bridle let old Tenbrooks run
Let old Tenbrooks run O Lord let old Tenbrooks run
Go and catch old Tenbrooks and hitch him in the shade
We're gonna bury old Molly in a coffin ready made
Coffin ready made O Lord coffin ready made
The song "Molly and Tenbrooks" is a classic bluegrass song that tells the story of a legendary horse race between two horses, Molly and Tenbrooks. The song has a rhythmic and fast-paced melody, which is typical of bluegrass music. The lyrics describe the race between Molly and Tenbrooks, where Tenbrooks is expected to beat Molly to the "bright shinin' sun." The song also makes references to the physical strain both horses feel during the race, and Molly's exhaustion and eventual defeat.
The song's lyrics are steeped in folklore and mythology, as it tells the tale of a famous horse race between two horses. The race is said to have taken place in the 1870s, and while it is unclear whether the race ever actually occurred, it has become a part of American folklore. The song uses the horse race as a backdrop to talk about themes of competition, hard work, and perseverance. The lyrics also provide insight into the hard lives of those living in rural America during the 19th century, where horse racing was a popular pastime and a means of entertainment.
Line by Line Meaning
Run O Molly run, run O Molly run
Come on, Molly, hurry up and run as fast as you can
Tenbrooks gonna beat you to the bright shinin' sun.
Tenbrooks is going to win the race and reach the finish line before you do
To the bright shinin' sun O Lord to the bright shinin' sun
Everyone is excited to see the horses race and reach the finish line under the bright sun
Tenbrooks was a big bay horse he wore that shaggy mane
Tenbrooks is a strong and majestic horse that has a long and shaggy mane
He run all around Memphis he beat the Memphis train
Tenbrooks is so fast that he was able to outrun the train in Memphis
Beat the Memphis train O Lord beat the Memphis train
Tenbrooks is so fast that he can beat even the fastest train in Memphis
See that train a-comin' it's comin' round the curve
Everyone can see the train coming around the curve of the track
See old Tenbrooks runnin' he's strainin' every nerve
Tenbrooks is running as fast as he can and is putting all his efforts into the race
Strainin' every nerve O Lord strainin' every nerve
Tenbrooks is putting all of his strength and energy into winning the race
Tenbrooks said to Molly what makes your head so red?
Tenbrooks asks Molly why she looks flushed and overheated
Runnin' in the hot sun puts fever in my head
Molly explains that running in the hot sun is giving her a fever and making her feel sick
Fever in my head O Lord fever in my head
Molly is feeling unwell due to the heat and is struggling to keep up with Tenbrooks
Molly said to Tenbrooks you're lookin' mighty squirrel
Molly teases Tenbrooks and tells him he looks skittish and nervous
Tenbrooks said to Molly I'm a-leavin' this old world
Tenbrooks is confident that he will win the race and will outlive Molly
Leavin' this old world O Lord leavin' this old world
Tenbrooks is not afraid of anything and is ready to face whatever comes his way
Out in California where Molly done as she pleased
Molly was free to do whatever she wanted when she was in California
Come back to old Kentucky got beat with all ease
Molly returned to Kentucky and was easily beaten in the race by Tenbrooks
Beat with all ease O Lord beat with all ease
Everyone is amazed by how easily Tenbrooks won the race against Molly
The women all a-laughin' the child'n all a cryin'
The women are laughing and the children are crying because of the excitement and tension of the race
The men all a-hollerin' old Tenbrooks a-flyin'
The men are cheering and shouting because they can see that Tenbrooks is winning the race
Old Tenbrooks a-flyin' O Lord old Tenbrooks a-flyin'
Tenbrooks is running faster than ever before and it seems like he is flying towards the finish line
Kyper Kyper you're not A-ridin' right
Kyper, the rider of Molly, is being criticized for not riding his horse properly
Molly's beatin' old Tenbrooks clear out sight
Molly has managed to overtake Tenbrooks and is now ahead in the race
Clear out of sight O Lord clear out of sight
No one can see Molly anymore because she is so far ahead of Tenbrooks
Kyper Kyper Kyper my son
The rider of Tenbrooks is addressing Kyper, the rider of Molly
Give old Tenbrooks the bridle let old Tenbrooks run
The rider of Tenbrooks is urging Kyper to let Tenbrooks run as fast as he can
Let old Tenbrooks run O Lord let old Tenbrooks run
Everyone is cheering for Tenbrooks and wants him to win the race
Go and catch old Tenbrooks and hitch him in the shade
Now that the race is over, Tenbrooks needs to rest in the shade and cool down
We're gonna bury old Molly in a coffin ready made
Molly has lost the race and is no longer valuable as a racehorse, so she will be sold, and the buyer will need to get a coffin ready for her
Coffin ready made O Lord coffin ready made
Everyone is sad that Molly lost the race, but they know that this is a common outcome in the world of horse racing
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BILL MONROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind