Real Name:
Chester Burton Atkins
Real Name:
Chester Burton Atkins
(June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001) Even though most know him as Mr. Guitar he was also a record producer for many big stars such as Elvis Presley. He invented what is known as "the Nashville sound" which was a smoother more jazz-like form country music. His guitar of choice was the Gretsch Country Gentleman.
Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 (Sidemen).
Rainbow
Chet Atkins and his Galloping Guitar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
The song "Over the Rainbow" is a wistful ballad that expresses the desire for a better life, free from problems and full of dreams. The lyrics conjure images of a magical land, beyond the rainbow, where problems are non-existent, and dreams come true. The lyrics speak of a place that is heard of only in a lullaby, and one can only get there by wishing upon a star. The blue skies and the presence of bluebirds flying over the rainbow symbolize hope and the possibility of achieving one's dreams.
The verse that speaks of troubles melting like lemon drops and being high above chimney tops conveys a sense of freedom, detachment and flying away from life's difficulties. The song becomes a powerful metaphor for the human condition, where we all desire hope, love, and contentment, and we all long to escape our problems and achieve our dreams. The song speaks to the universal desire for a better life, for we all hope to fly beyond our limitations, like the bluebird in the song.
Overall, "Over the Rainbow" is a timeless classic that continues to evoke emotions and resonate with people today. Its gentle melody and soulful lyrics speak to the human desire for hope and happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There is a distant, fantastic place where one can only access by going extremely far up.
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
This is a far-off, fictional place that exists only in stories someone may have heard when they were a child.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
The place has a serene, calm atmosphere with clear blue skies as far as the eye can see.
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
The place is a symbol of pure potential where people can dream big and hope to achieve impossible goals.
Really do come true.
It is a magical land where anything is possible and people's dreams can turn into reality.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
In order to reach this land, one must make a wish upon a star, which may appear impossible or unlikely, but that wish may ultimately come true.
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Escaping from one's problems and concerns, represented by clouds, is a critical component of reaching this utopian land.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
Once in this land, all of one's worries will disappear as if by magic, with no more stress or anxiety.
High above the chimney tops, That's where you'll find me.
This land is located at an unimaginable height, far above any human structure or building.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
It is a place where blue birds can fly, which represents beauty and freedom.
Birds fly over the rainbow
Birds are emblematic of the freedom and happiness that people feel in this utopia.
Why then, oh why can't I?
Despite the dreams, it may be impossible to reach the land, leading to feelings of longing, despair, or inadequacy.
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
If others can find happiness and freedom each day they wake up in the land, then maybe it is possible to achieve the same thing.
Why, oh why can't I?
Despite repeated attempts, one may still be unable to reach the utopian land, leading to continued feelings of disappointment or hopelessness.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
vern ingles
IT SIMPLY DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS !!!!!! MR. GUITAR AT HIS BEST !!!!!!! THE BEST GUITAR PLAYER OF ALL TIMES AND ALL TIMES TO COME !!!!!!! THANK YOU FOREVER CHET ATKINS.
Paul Pavao
I agree Chet is and still is the Greatest!
Jack The Skunk
This reinforces what I've been thinking about my #1 guitar hero....Chet Atkins. That in terms of technique and ability to arrange a song to make it sound fresh and interesting no one could touch Chet. But I think his recorded sound left alot to be desired. Compare his thin, tinny tone on this LP to his Guitar Country or Picks the Best recordings. The contrast is staggering.
randolph patterson
The echo was added using an echo chamber carved into the Tennessee bedrock, with an EV 664 mic at one end and a 15" EV speaker at the other. He does another rendition of St. Louis Blues (plus a few of these other tunes) on his 1958 "Stringin' Along With Chet Atkins" Album
Bill Hatcher
thats not an echo chamber. thats tape slap back. you feed some of the signal back into the tape machine for that effect. also this record was released in 1953 so it was recorded before the 664 was built. it came out in 1954. also, the 664 is not that great a mic to be used in an echo chamber. you would need a much better mic than that. who told you that RCA had a hewn out of rock echo chamber? heartbreak hotel echo was elvis singing in a stairwell. i talked to bill porter about the echo at rca later on. it was all emt plate echos suspended from the ceiling in an air conditioned room. the other reason this is not an echo chamber is that rca studio B was not built until 1957 so it was not recorded there. rca used a Church for a lot of sessions until B was built. in 1954 atkins bought an echosonic amp from ray butts that had a tape loop in the bottom of the amp that gave him the slapback sound. he used it on many recordings.
Austin
St Louis Blues at 4:56 is excellent, and I can’t find it any other place!!! 😮 I can’t find any other trace of this album for that matter, thank you for uploading!
Jack The Skunk
It's on String along with Chet Atkins LP or CD. The LP with the girl hiding behind a Gretsch guitar.
Very risque for it's day. 🙂
Eddie Gray
Chet is always one of the very best
Paul Pavao
Dear: Chet Atkins Your The Greatest!
Bob
For some reason, this track 12:08 is a much later stereo recording by Chet & Les Paul from 1976. (I thought this video was of the original album as depicted & described.)