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.
foggy mountain top
Bill Monroe Lyrics
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I would not have been here today;
Wishing for things I'll never have,
And weeping my sweet life away.
cho: If I was on some foggy mountain top,
I'd sail away to the West
I'd sail all around this old wide world
2. You caused me to weep, you caused me to mourn,
You caused me to leave my home;
Oh, that lonesome pine and those good old times,
I'm on my way back home.
cho....
3. Oh, when you see that two-faced blonde,
There's somethin' you can tell 'er;
She need not fool her time away,
A-tryin' to steal a feller.
cho....
4. Oh, when you come to courtin' now,
Put on you navy blue;
That long tail "roust-a-bout" you wear,
Don't do a thing for you.
cho....
The lyrics to "Foggy Mountain Top" by Bill Monroe & Doc Watson are about a lover who wishes to be with someone they truly love. The song begins with regretful thoughts about not listening to their mother's advice, which lead them to yearn for things they will never have and cry a lot. The chorus emphasizes the singer's longing to sail away to the west on a foggy mountain top and finding their true love. In the second verse, the singer attributes their tears, mourning and leaving their home to the person they love. However, they are also thinking of the past memories spent in their hometown, which become the motivation behind their return.
In the third verse, the singer explicitly mentions a two-faced blonde who tries to steal a feller. The use of the word “feller” is not only specific to the Southern dialect but also a nod to Doc Watson’s roots in the Appalachian region. The verse warns the audience not to trust someone who has two faces, and nothing good comes out of pursuing such untrustworthy individuals. Finally, in the last verse, the singer tells the person they want to court to put on navy blue clothes as opposed to the long-tail "roust-a-bout," which doesn't do anything for them. The use of such specific attire implies that the singer wants them to look good when they meet.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had listened t'what Mama said,
If only I paid heed to my mother's advice,
I would not have been here today;
Perhaps, I wouldn't have met with this outcome either,
Wishing for things I'll never have,
All my desires that cannot come to fruition,
And weeping my sweet life away.
It seems like a melancholic trap that I cannot escape.
cho: If I was on some foggy mountain top,
Imagine it were possible to be in another place, far away,
I'd sail away to the West
I would travel to the far reaches of the earth,
I'd sail all around this old wide world
Covering every corner of the planet,
To the one I love the best.
In the hope of finding the person I am deeply attached to.
You caused me to weep, you caused me to mourn,
It's merely a reflection of the heartache that you made me experience,
You caused me to leave my home;
You're the reason I had to bid goodbye to my beloved abode,
Oh, that lonesome pine and those good old times,
My heart yearns for those serene times and the comforting old pine tree,
I'm on my way back home.
My present journey is that of returning to the place that fills me with warmth.
Oh, when you see that two-faced blonde,
That woman who has a dual demeanor and a tendency to manipulate men,
There's somethin' you can tell 'er;
It would help if you conveyed to her a message,
She need not fool her time away,
That she must not waste her precious hours in vain efforts,
A-tryin' to steal a feller.
And futilely trying to snatch a partner from someone else.
Oh, when you come to courtin' now,
And when it comes to wooing a lady...
Put on you navy blue;
...dressing up in your finest attire...
That long tail 'roust-a-bout' you wear,
...abandoning the laborer's jumpsuit with the elongated tail...
Don't do a thing for you.
...as that doesn't do you any good in such contexts.
cho....
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, TRADITIONAL, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
microflex22
It's magic hearing these kings of bluegrass playing together.
Gene Wallacker
I'm going on a foggy mountain road right now, thanks for uploading... I love this song!
MrRozburn
RIP Doc
box boys
i'd sail all around this whole wide world!
Grateful Doug
Maybe someone could download this one that doesn't cut at the beginning and end?
Grateful Doug
It's like listening to a bad radio station with the cuts.
Strewth88
Why does it cut off the last best part man????
Guajiro
I would have loved to see Doc before his death, but not as much as he would have loved to see me.
gluce
I saw him a couple of times. Beyond great.
Rex Zens
oh yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!