Daniels began writing and performing in the 1950s. In 1964, Daniels wrote a song called "It Hurts Me" which Elvis Presley recorded. He worked as a session musician, including playing on three Bob Dylan albums during 1969 and 1970. Daniels recorded his first solo album, Charlie Daniels, in 1970. His first hit, the novelty song "Uneasy Rider", came off his 1972 second album, Honey in the Rock, and reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1974, Daniels organized the first in a series of Volunteer Jam concerts based in or around Nashville, Tennessee. Except for a three-year gap in the late 1980s, these have continued ever since.
In 1975, he had a top 30 hit as leader of the Charlie Daniels Band (CDB) with the Southern rock self-identification anthem "The South's Gonna Do It Again". "Long Haired Country Boy" was also a minor hit in that year.
Daniels won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance in 1979 for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", which reached #3 on the charts.
Subsequent Daniels pop hits included "In America" (#11 in 1980), "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" (#31 in 1980), and "Still in Saigon" (#22 in 1982).
In the late 1980s and 1990s several of Daniels' albums and singles were hits on the country charts. Daniels also released several gospel and Christian records.
Charlie Daniels has never shied away from politics. "The South's Gonna Do It" had a mild message of Southern cultural identity within the Southern rock movement. Daniels was an early supporter of Jimmy Carter's presidential bid and performed at his January 1977 inauguration.
"In America" was a reaction to the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis; it described a patriotic, united America where "we'll all stick together and you can take that to the bank / That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks." In contrast, "Still in Saigon" (written by Dan Daley) was an effective portrayal of the plight of the American Vietnam veteran ten years after the war; it was part of an early 1980s wave of attention to the subject, in contrast to treatments such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and "Shut Out the Light", Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon", and somewhat later Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road".
In 1990, Daniels' country hit "Simple Man" seemingly advocated a pseudo-Biblical form of vigilantism; lines such as "Just take them [rapists, killers, child abusers] out in the swamp / Put 'em on their knees and tie 'em to a stump / Let the rattlers and the bugs and the alligators do the rest," got Daniels considerable media attention and talk show visits.
In 2003, Daniels published an Open Letter to the Hollywood Bunch in defence of George W. Bush's Iraq policy. His 2003 book Ain't No Rag: Freedom, Family, and the Flag contains this letter as well as many other personal statements. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Daniels acknowledged that having never served in the military himself, he did not have the right to criticize John Kerry's service record.
In 2005, he has made a cameo appearance along with Larry the Cable Guy, Kid Rock, and Hank Williams, Jr. in Gretchen Wilson's music video for the song "All Jacked Up", whose album has been released.
In November 2007, Daniels was invited by Martina McBride to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
In October 2016, Daniels officially became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
On October 26, 2018, Daniels released a new side album project that was not solo or CDB, but a new band called Beau Weevils, along with CDB bass player, Charlie Hayward, producer James Stroud on drums and Billy Crain on guitar.
Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
Charlie Daniels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well it makes me want to jump up and run
And if he's sawing with some soul boogie woogie rock 'n roll
Well I know I'm gonna have some fun
And when the rosin starts to fly and I'm lookin' in the eye
Like I'm just about to blow a fuse
Mama call the doctor 'cause your boy has got
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
He said music is a rhapsody
He picked up his violin, stuck it underneath his chin
And started playing me a symphony
I said that ain't the way it's done, let me see that fiddle son
And I sawed him off a chorus or two
He said you'd better call the doctor 'cause I think I've got
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
Now if you want to play me some fiddle
I'll tell you right from the start
You'd better play me something lowdown hoedown honking
I don't want to hear no funeral march
It's got to pick me up and roll me over
It's got to make me want to jump up and sing
If it ain't buzzing like a beehive, kick it into overdrive
Or it don't mean a doggone thing
So let me rosin up my bow and I think that I can show you
The way I like to play this thing
Let's put some boogie rhythm in it, kick it on up to the limit
I'm gonna put some fire on these strings
And if you feel your feet start moving to the beat
And you feel like you've got ants in your shoes
Well you'd better call the doctor 'cause you've probably got
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
The song, "Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues," by Charlie Daniels, is a fun and upbeat tune that celebrates the power of music to move and inspire people. The lyrics describe the intense excitement that the singer feels when listening to a fiddle being played with passion and gusto. He loves the way it can make him want to jump up and dance, and he says that if the music is not buzzing like a beehive, it doesn't mean anything to him. He also mentions a man from Tennessee who taught him that music is a rhapsody and played him a symphony on his violin. However, the singer believes that music should be played with the intention of making people want to move and feel good, rather than with a solemn or serious tone.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues" several times and speaks of how this type of music can make a person feel like they're about to blow a fuse. It's so intense that the singer jokingly suggests that someone call the doctor because they might need medical attention. Overall, the song is a celebration of the power of music to make people feel good, dance, and forget their troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I hear a fiddle and it's cookin' just a little
Whenever I hear a fiddle and it's playing with a little enthusiasm
Well it makes me want to jump up and run
It makes me want to get up and dance or move quickly
And if he's sawing with some soul boogie woogie rock 'n roll
And if the fiddler is playing with passion, energy and vibrancy
Well I know I'm gonna have some fun
Then, I'm sure to have a good time
And when the rosin starts to fly and I'm lookin' in the eye
And when we both get into the music and look into each other's eyes
Like I'm just about to blow a fuse
It feels like I'm about to explode with excitement
Mama call the doctor 'cause your boy has got
Mother, call for medical assistance since I have
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
The inescapable urge to dance to the upbeat sound of rockin' boogie woogie fiddle country blues music
I met a man from Tennessee, this is what he said to me
I encountered a gentleman from Tennessee and he shared his thoughts with me
He said music is a rhapsody
He stated that music is a generally grand and intense composition
He picked up his violin, stuck it underneath his chin
He took his violin and put it below his chin
And started playing me a symphony
And played a complete piece of music on his violin
I said that ain't the way it's done, let me see that fiddle son
I objected because that's not how it's played, then I asked to see his fiddle
And I sawed him off a chorus or two
I played a few bars for him on my violin
He said you'd better call the doctor 'cause I think I've got
He exclaimed that, due to the excitement of the fiddle music, he might
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
An irresistible craving for dancing to the fast-paced boogie woogie fiddle country blues melodies
Now if you want to play me some fiddle
If you wish to perform on the fiddle for me
I'll tell you right from the start
I'll inform you in advance
You'd better play me something lowdown hoedown honking
You'd best play me some rough country style fiddling, with lots of energy
I don't want to hear no funeral march
I have no inclination to hear any funeral or slow, mournful music
It's got to pick me up and roll me over
The music must be invigorating and truly affect me
It's got to make me want to jump up and sing
It must entice me to dance and sing along
If it ain't buzzing like a beehive, kick it into overdrive
If it's not busy and full of commotion, play it with even more energy
Or it don't mean a doggone thing
Otherwise, it is not really worth anything at all
So let me rosin up my bow and I think that I can show you
Therefore, allow me to chalk up my bow and illustrate the way
The way I like to play this thing
That I prefer to play music in this particular way
Let's put some boogie rhythm in it, kick it on up to the limit
Then let's add some boogie rhythm to it and increase the tempo
I'm gonna put some fire on these strings
I am determined to produce an enthusiastic performance on my violin
And if you feel your feet start moving to the beat
If you sense your feet start moving to the music
And you feel like you've got ants in your shoes
And you feel as if there are insects tickling inside your shoes
Well you'd better call the doctor 'cause you've probably got
Then, it's best to call a physician since you are highly likely to be experiencing
The rocking Boogie Woogie Fiddle Country Blues
A strong inclination to sway and move to the upbeat and lively melody of the boogie woogie fiddle country blues
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES FRED HAYWARD, CHARLIE DANIELS, JOHN CRAIN, JOHN LOUIS GAVIN, WILLIAM J. DIGREGORIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind