The Charlie Daniels Band was formed in 1970, with Charlie Daniels joined by Barry Barnes (guitar), Mark Fitzgerald (bass), Fred Edwards and Gary Allen (drums), and Taz DiGregorio (keyboards). They started recording southern rock-styled albums for Kama Sutra. Although a multi-instrumentalist, Daniels was a limited vocalist, but his voice was well suited to the talking-style "Uneasy Rider", which reached the US Top 10 in 1973. He followed it with his anthem for southern rock, "The South's Gonna Do It". In 1974, Daniels had members of The Marshall Tucker Band and The Allman Brothers Band join him onstage in Nashville. It was so successful that he decided to make his so-called Volunteer Jam an annual event. It led to some unlikely combinations of artists such as James Brown performing with Roy Acuff, and the stylistic mergers have included Crystal Gayle singing the blues with the Charlie Daniels Band.
The Charlie Daniels Band underwent some personnel changes on 1975's 'Nightrider", with Tom Crain, Charlie Hayward and Don Murray replacing Barnes, Fitzgerald and Allen respectively. When Daniels moved to Epic in 1976, there was a concerted effort to turn the band into a major concert attraction, despite the fact that at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 20 stone Daniels was no teenage idol: he hid his face under an oversized cowboy hat. The albums sold well, and in 1979, when recording his "Million Mile Reflections" album, he recalled a 20s poem, "The Mountain Whipporwill", by Stephen Vincent Benet. The band developed this into "The Devil Went Down To Georgia", in which Johnny outplays the Devil to win a gold fiddle. Daniels overdubbed his fiddle seven times to create an atmospheric recording that topped the US country charts and reached number 3 in the US pop charts. It was also a UK Top 20 success.
In 1980 the band recorded "In America" for the hostages in Iran, and then in 1982, "Still In Saigon", about Vietnam. The band were featured on the soundtrack for Urban Cowboy and also recorded the theme for the Burt Reynolds movie "Stroker Ace". The 13th Volunteer Jam was held in 1987, but financial and time constraints meant the event was put on temporary hiatus (it resumed four years later). In the late 80s Daniels appeared in the movie "Lone Star Kid" and published a book of short stories, but continued touring and playing his southern boogie to adoring audiences.
In the late 1980s and 1990s, several of Daniels' albums and singles were hits on the Country charts and the music continues to receive airplay on country stations today. Daniels also released several Gospel and Christian records.
http://www.charliedaniels.com/
Jitterbug
Charlie Daniels Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drives a ?36 Cord with a rumble seat
Now he?s a, Lord, he's a jitterbug
Scare the letters off a highway sign
He drinks beer and eats beanies
Chases it down with ol' Thunderbird wine
Carries brass knuckles and a .44
Runs a loan shark business and a Mary Jane store
He?s a, he's a jitterbug; keeps movin?, don?t sit still
If the law don?t get him, some gun-totin? irate husband will
Oh, oh, oh, ooh, ooh, ooh, jitterbug, jitterbug
One day in September he stepped out of his Cord
Into the street to face a bullet spittin? Ford
Now he?s jitterbug, just a name in the news
Said, "He finally paid the price, he finally paid his dues"
Jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug
Jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug
The lyrics of Charlie Daniels Band's song "Jitterbug" describe a notorious man who is dressed in a zoot suit and drives a 36 Cord with a rumble seat. He is called a jitterbug because he is always on the move and can scare the letters off a highway sign. The song goes on to describe his lifestyle filled with drinking beer and eating beanies and chasing it down with ol' Thunderbird wine. He carries brass knuckles and a .44 and runs a loan shark business and a Mary Jane store.
Despite the danger in his life, the jitterbug keeps moving and doesn't sit still. He is constantly on the run from the law and gun-toting irate husbands. However, his luck eventually runs out when he is shot and killed in September, becoming just a name in the news. The song seems to be cautionary tale about the consequences of a life of crime and the possibility of a violent end.
Line by Line Meaning
He wears a zoot suit with a reet pleat
He dresses fancy and flashy
Drives a 36 Cord with a rumble seat
He drives a fancy car with a seat that makes noise
Now he?s a, Lord, he's a jitterbug
He is a person who likes to party and dance
Scare the letters off a highway sign
He drives recklessly and dangerously fast
He drinks beer and eats beanies
He drinks beer and eats baked beans
Chases it down with ol' Thunderbird wine
He drinks Thunderbird wine to follow up the beer and beans
Carries brass knuckles and a .44
He carries a weapon and a gun
Runs a loan shark business and a Mary Jane store
He operates an illegal loan business and sells marijuana
He?s a, he's a jitterbug; keeps movin?, don?t sit still
He never stops moving and is always dancing and partying
If the law don?t get him, some gun-totin? irate husband will
He is always in danger of being arrested or getting shot by someone's angry husband
Oh, oh, oh, ooh, ooh, ooh, jitterbug, jitterbug
A repeating chorus about his jitterbugging lifestyle
One day in September he stepped out of his Cord
One day in September, he got out of his fancy car
Into the street to face a bullet spittin? Ford
He faced a car that was shooting bullets
Now he?s jitterbug, just a name in the news
Now, he's just a story in the newspaper
Said, "He finally paid the price, he finally paid his dues"
People said he got what was coming to him
Jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug, jitterbug
A repeating chorus about his jitterbugging lifestyle
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@glenmoore9977
One of the best of all time. Charlie Daniels
@stephengriffin9992
Rest in Peace Charlie Daniels- You Were One of A Kind.
@rockinredneck57
Charlie was lucky to get Taz. He could have been a star on his own. He was a great addition to the band. I think he was with Charlie longer than any other member.
@tobiascree6799
thanks Charlie and Tommy, you gentlemen are cookin as usual, but that bass guitarist Is just smokin beond belief
@rockinredneck57
Charlie Hayward played over 40 years with the CDB and played on CDs last project, Beau Weevils. Excellent bassist.
@phatbackbeat6553
Tazz.., with one hand tied behind his back !
@Warpedsmac
Does not need two hands...that's only for beginners...