From the year 2001 to 2004, Cyrus starred in the television show Doc. The show was about a country doctor who moved from Montana to New York City. In late 2005, he also began to co-star in the Disney Channel series, Hannah Montana, with daughter Miley Cyrus. The show has been on the air for three seasons.
The I'm American Songfacts reports that Billy Ray Cyrus’ twelfth studio album, I'm American is a collection of patriotic songs. It was initially scheduled to be released in November 2010, but after being pushed back numerous times, it finally came out on June 28, 2011.
Tenntucky
Billy Ray Cyrus Lyrics
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I remember the night that I got lucky
I saw you and you saw me
Where the Cumberland River meets the Tennessee
It's good to be good but I'd rather be lucky
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Heard the call of a whippoorwill
Train whistle moan on down the track
Taking me back
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Heard the call of a whippoorwill
I thought I smelled a moonshine still
Train whistle moan on down the track
Taking me back
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
The lyrics of "Tenntucky" by Billy Ray Cyrus are a nostalgic reflection of a lucky encounter in the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky. The singer reminisces about the night he met his love interest, who saw him in return in a place where the Cumberland River meets the Tennessee. He expresses how he feels lucky to have met her when he did, adding that while it is good to be good, it is better to be lucky. The song takes the listener back to a much simpler time, one where the sound of a whippoorwill could be heard, and the aroma of a moonshine still was in the air. The train whistle moans, representing the passage of time, taking the singer back to that lucky moment of meeting his lover.
The lyrics are evocative of a specific place and time, relying heavily on imagery to bring the audience into the story. The Cumberland River is a real location, spanning 688 miles and passing through Kentucky and Tennessee. The hills of Tennessee and Kentucky are also significant in this song, representing a simpler, more modest way of life. The whippoorwill is a bird native to the Eastern United States, known for its distinctive "whip-poor-will" call. The mention of the moonshine still adds another layer of authenticity to the song, harkening back to the prohibition era and the illegal production of alcohol in the hills of Appalachia.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Referring to the state of Tennessee, especially the rural and hilly areas
I remember the night that I got lucky
Recalling a fortunate encounter or event that took place in Tennessee
I saw you and you saw me
Two individuals noticed and acknowledged each other's presence
Where the Cumberland River meets the Tennessee
A specific location in Tennessee where two rivers converge
It's good to be good but I'd rather be lucky
Having good luck or fortune is more desirable than simply being a good person
Heard the call of a whippoorwill
Noticing the distinctive sound of a bird native to Tennessee
I thought I smelled a moonshine still
Sensing the aroma of a homemade liquor that is often produced in Tennessee
Train whistle moan on down the track
Hearing the sound of a train passing through the area
Taking me back
Evoking memories or nostalgia for Tennessee
Down in the hills of old Tenntucky
Reiterating the setting of the song in Tennessee's rural and hilly areas
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BILLY RAY CYRUS, MARK COLLIE GEORGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind