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.
CAROLINA
Charlie Daniels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The kinfolks gather up at Grandma's house
And they fill the house with love
And they honor God above
They remember what the season's all about
It's been ten long years since I've been there with them
And I can't face another holiday alone
And if this train don't jump the track
I'll spend Christmas Eve with all the folks at home
Carolina I hear you calling
I just have to close my eyes and I'll be there
Carolina I hear you calling
I can almost touch the mountains in your hair
When I left my home in Carolina
I never thought that things would get this far
I was only seventeen when I struck out for New Orleans
Trying to do or die on my guitar
Well I always thought someday I'd be returning
But I kept drifting with that same old traveling wind
Can I still call you home or have I stayed away too long
Carolina would you have me back again
Carolina I hear you calling
I just have to close my eyes and I'll be there
Carolina I hear you calling
I can almost touch the mountains in your hair
(Carolina)
Carolina I hear you calling
I just have to close my eyes and I'll be there
Carolina I hear you calling
I can almost touch the mountains in your hair
I can almost touch the mountains in your hair
"Carolina" is a song by Charlie Daniels dedicated to his home state. The lyrics describe the importance of family, love, and faith during the Christmas season. The opening verse sets the scene: "When it's Christmas time in Carolina/The kinfolks gather up at Grandma's house/And they fill the house with love/And they honor God above/They remember what the season's all about." Daniels paints a picture of a warm, cozy family gathering where everyone comes together to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The second verse tells Daniels' personal story of leaving home at 17 to pursue his music dreams in New Orleans. He never thought he would stay away for so long, but he kept following the "traveling wind." Now, after ten long years, he feels the pull of home stronger than ever: "And tonight I'm going back/And if this train don't jump the track/I'll spend Christmas Eve with all the folks at home." The chorus repeats the title phrase, "Carolina I hear you calling," emphasizing the longing, nostalgia, and sense of belonging that Daniels feels towards his home state.
"Carolina" celebrates the joy and comfort of family, but it also acknowledges the pain and distance that can come with leaving and returning. Daniels is not content to idealize his home state or ignore the hard choices he's made. Instead, he recognizes that his journey has brought him far from home, but he still feels a deep connection to the people and places that shaped him.
Line by Line Meaning
When it's Christmas time in Carolina
During the Christmas season in Carolina
The kinfolks gather up at Grandma's house
Family members come together to gather at their Grandma's house
And they fill the house with love
The whole house is filled with love
And they honor God above
They praise and worship God above all else
They remember what the season's all about
They recall the true meaning of the Christmas season
It's been ten long years since I've been there with them
It has been 10 years since I celebrated Christmas with my family in Carolina
And I can't face another holiday alone
I can't bear to spend another holiday by myself
And tonight I'm going back
Tonight I'm making a trip back to Carolina
And if this train don't jump the track
If there are no problems with the train ride
I'll spend Christmas Eve with all the folks at home
I'll be able to spend Christmas Eve with my family at home
Carolina I hear you calling
I feel a strong call to come back to Carolina
I just have to close my eyes and I'll be there
I only need to imagine it and I'll feel like I'm already there
I can almost touch the mountains in your hair
I can almost feel the beauty of Carolina's mountains
When I left my home in Carolina
When I departed from my home in Carolina
I never thought that things would get this far
I couldn't have predicted my life would take me so far away
I was only seventeen when I struck out for New Orleans
I was very young when I decided to leave for New Orleans
Trying to do or die on my guitar
I was trying my best to make a career as a musician
Well I always thought someday I'd be returning
I had always planned on returning to Carolina someday
But I kept drifting with that same old traveling wind
I got sidetracked by my constant traveling lifestyle
Can I still call you home or have I stayed away too long
Am I still welcome to call Carolina my home after being gone for so long?
Carolina would you have me back again
Would Carolina accept me if I returned?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STUART HAMBLEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stickywicket7585
My son was USMC and stationed at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville NC for five and a half yrs. My hubs and I made A LOT of trips down there. We started out from TN. and went from one end of NC and the Great Smoky Mountains to the other side of NC and the Atlantic Ocean. North Carolina is a beautiful beautiful state. I remember buying this album many years ago and this is one of my favorite songs from that album. RIP dear Charlie. We miss you.
@jefftroy4518
RIP Brother Charlie. The best Carolina song ever. Carolina is Still, The Grand Old Lady of The South.
@LittleDrummerBoyLittle
Aaaaamen from “Catfish” Claremont in between Statesville and Hickory!
@keithplacko6806
Truth
@unclewillcorp227
That must make Arkansas the methadone queen of the South
@RickStaffordcartunes
Growing up in small town North Carolina was a gift from above. Back in the day of dirt roads, real tobacco barns, neighbor helping neighbor and no locks on the doors. Carolina, I do indeed remember you.
@Sknsman
i do too brother!!
@jhawk1897
Yes it was. I remember too.
@nyyankeesgirl234
Absolutely... everytime I listen to this song i remember my childhood, and I get chills. Every single time!!
@robellis9181
I knew you before the highways got to you...