Drifter
Clarence Lyrics
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There's a feeling inside of me
Nothing new
I've felt it before
Like the voice of hunger
Inside of me crying out
There's got to be more
In the arms of an open road
And you can come along
If you choose
'Cause there's places
That I've never been to
Sunsets to be ridden into
Not a lot I can do
But give in to the drifter
There's a drifter in me
Though I've tried it
I'm just not a settler
And nine to five
Don't make it with me
Why deny it
It makes me feel better
To come alive
And prove that I'm free
I wear no chains
And I carry no heavy load
So much to gain
And nothing to lose
'Cause there's places
That I've never been to
Sunsets to be ridden into
Not a lot I can do
But give in to the drifter
There's a drifter in me
Clarence Carter's song "Drifter" is a poignant and emotional reflection on the singer's restless and wandering spirit. In the song, Carter describes a feeling of restlessness and a desire for adventure that has been with him for as long as he can remember. He compares this feeling to the "voice of hunger" inside of him, always crying out for more.
Carter puts his faith in the open road, believing that it will lead him to new and exciting places. He invites others to join him on his journey, acknowledging that he is a drifter at heart and cannot be tied down to one place or one way of life. He revels in the freedom he has to explore and experience the world, unencumbered by the chains of a nine-to-five job or other responsibilities.
Throughout the song, Carter implies that his drifter spirit is not a choice, but rather an inherent part of his being that he cannot deny. He sees his wandering ways as a positive attribute, one that allows him to see and experience everything the world has to offer. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of freedom, adventure, and the indomitable human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
Once again
As is often the case,
There's a feeling inside of me
I have an internal sensation,
Nothing new
It's familiar,
I've felt it before
I've experienced this before,
Like the voice of hunger
Similar to a sense of starvation,
Inside of me crying out
I have a strong desire,
There's got to be more
There must be additional possibilities,
I'll put my faith
I'll trust,
In the arms of an open road
In the opportunities that present themselves,
And you can come along
You have the option to join me,
If you choose
If you'd like,
'Cause there's places
Because there are locations,
That I've never been to
That I haven't visited,
Sunsets to be ridden into
Sunsets that I can experience,
Not a lot I can do
There aren't many options,
But give in to the drifter
Except to embrace my identity as a wanderer,
There's a drifter in me
I have an inherent tendency to wander,
Though I've tried it
Even though I've attempted to settle down,
I'm just not a settler
I just can't seem to commit to a sedentary lifestyle,
And nine to five
Working a traditional job,
Don't make it with me
Isn't satisfying for me,
Why deny it
Why pretend otherwise,
It makes me feel better
It's more fulfilling for me,
To come alive
To feel alive,
And prove that I'm free
And assert my autonomy,
I wear no chains
I am not bound by obligations or restrictions,
And I carry no heavy load
I have no excessive responsibilities or burdens,
So much to gain
There are so many opportunities,
And nothing to lose
And few consequences,
'Cause there's places
Because there are locations,
That I've never been to
That I haven't visited,
Sunsets to be ridden into
Sunsets that I can experience,
Not a lot I can do
There aren't many options,
But give in to the drifter
Except to embrace my identity as a wanderer,
There's a drifter in me
I have an inherent tendency to wander,
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS EMANUEL BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tamara Taylor
Can you imagine being a little kid and having a lullaby like this, I did! Gate Mouth Brown was my neighbor as a child!!! No wonder I love the blues!!!
Too Rolling Stoned
Now that must of been cool. Did any of his musicianship rub off on you?
Levak
You are so lucky i heard that Clarence was very nice!
sharplessguy
As a child in the early 1960s I use to spend time in my grandmother's bookshop. Down the street about three houses and across the street was a bar (Eddie Price's) right off Tulane''s campus. One day outside of the bar, on the back of a flatbed truck there was a band playing music I had never heard before in my short life. I was mesmerized. I've been trying to play guitar like that now for over 50 years. Of course it was Clarence Gatemouth Brown.... I don't remember what his backup band called themselves back then. But dear God that was one hell of a thing.
Chuck Berry
This is fantastic! Carlos changes his characteristic style and plays pure blues, Gatemouth kills it on fiddle and guitar, and... I really have the highest respect for Eric Demmer on sax, he takes a short solo but my hair stood on end... the tone, the soul of that man. I don't know why Eric Demmer is not a superstar himself, recognitionwise I mean.
PINEY BLUZ 🇺🇸 Original Acoustic Music
Best Blues fiddle I’ve ever heard. Gate had such a unique style. You can hear the T Bone influence but Gate threw in a touch of Cajun and country. Truly one of the greatest multi instrumentalist Bluesman to walk the planet. Great to see these young guys laying it down. Carlos is diggin it big time🇺🇸
Tamara Taylor
GateMouth Brown one of the greatest musicians of all time!!! He was my personal musician as a child! How lucky was I!!!
Hipgnotist
Thanks for the blues, Gatemouth. RIP. And, hats off to the great Eric Demmer, on sax; still alive and well.
amsedelm
Thanks for the sax players name. He killed it!!!
Bill Hessell
Absolutely great song, great version of it, nobody does it as well as Gatemouth, and what talent joining him in playing it!