[edit] Career
At a young age, he was interested in music but his primary interest was athletics. He purchased a guitar at the age of 12 and although he learned to play it, most of his time was devoted to sport. This eventually resulted in being offered a baseball scholarship to the University of Idaho at Moscow.
King later returned to Shreveport and joined the Louisiana Hayride, a popular TV and radio show broadcast in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, produced in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Louisiana Hayride ranked second only to the Grand Ole Opry in terms of television and radio importance in the early 1950s to the 1960s and King was frequently billed on the same shows with other famous legends such as Elvis Presley, John Ritter's father, Tex Ritter, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Jimmie Davis, Slim Whitman, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Jim Reeves, George Jones and Lefty Frizzell, among many others who became big music stars in the 1960s.
King recorded a few songs for Gotham Records, although none were successful. In 1961, he became more serious about a musical career and signed with the Nashville, Tennessee division of Columbia Records. He struck immediately, cutting "Big River, Big Man", a country Top 10 and even a small pop crossover success. He soon followed with "The Comancheros" inspired by the movie of the same title, starring John Wayne. It was a Top 10 country hit in late 1961, also crossing over to the pop charts.
King made his "career" recording in the spring of 1962. "Wolverton Mountain", written with Nashville veteran Merle Kilgore, was based on a real character, Clifton Clowers, who lived on Wolverton Mountain in Arkansas. The song became an immediate hit, going to No.1 for nine weeks during its 26-week run on the Billboard Country charts. It was also a pop Top 10.
King followed up that year with an American Civil War song, "The Burning Of Atlanta" which also went Top 10 on the country charts and again generated a lot of interest on the pop lists. In late 1962, he recorded "I've Got The World By The Tail" which narrowly missed the country Top 10.
He had another good year in 1963, scoring three solid country hits with "Sheepskin Valley", "Building a Bridge" and "Hey Lucille!". The hits continued in 1964 with "Sam Hill" and in 1965 he was back in the Top 10 with "Tiger Woman", co-written by Merle Kilgore. King also did well that year with "Little Buddy". His smooth country style continued to find a flavor throughout the decade, especially songs like "Catch a Little Raindrop" and the Top 10 "All For The Love Of A Girl" in 1969. His singles continued to hit the country charts through 1972. He left the label in 1973 after having accomplished 29 hits.
Besides a successful career recording and touring, King also performed as an actor in several movies, and like his nephew, Chris Aable, King is also among a minority of actors who are members in both the Screen Actors Guild and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He appeared in the 1982 television miniseries The Blue and the Gray and appeared in several feature films. King is no relation to another actor by the same name, born in 1875 in England.
In 1981, Arkansas Governor Frank D. White paid tribute to King and his big 1962 hit by declaring August 7 "Wolverton Mountain Day". By that time, King had almost retired from recording.
After being absent from recording for over 20 years, King recently released a new CD called Cowboy in the White House. Most of the songs were written or co-written by him. Elvis Presley's guitarist, James Burton performed guitar for the release.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_King"
Big Ole Shoulder
Claude King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So bring your big ole heartache to me
Don't go looking for someone else
'Cause this is where you ought to be
This is the first one that you'd cried on
When the last one set you free
I got a big ole shoulder to cry on
[Chorus]
Don't go looking for somebody else to cry to
He may have a big ole shoulder but I'll bet
You'll turn out to be another one he's lied to
And you'll still be looking for someone to help you to forget
So bundle up your sweet love bring it home to me
I got a big ole shoulder to cry on
So bring your big ole heartache to me
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Claude King's song Big Ole Shoulder are a heartfelt offering of comfort to someone who is going through a heartbreak. The song is written in a way that the singer offers their shoulder as a place for the person to cry on and promises to be their support system. The lyrics suggest that the person does not need to look for another shoulder to cry on because the singer's shoulder is big enough to carry all their heartache.
The song commences with the singer reassuring the person that they can bring their heartache to him. He tells them that he has a big ole shoulder to cry on and that is where they ought to be. The singer also reminds the person that he was the first shoulder they had cried on and had been there for them when the last person in their life had let them go. The chorus then arrives with a warning to the person not to go looking for someone else to cry to because nine times out of ten, they will be lied to by that person, and they will still be searching for someone to help them forget. The singer ends by telling the person to bring their sweet love home to him, and he will be there to comfort them.
In summary, the lyrics to Claude King's song Big Ole Shoulder are a tender offering of comfort to someone who is going through a heartbreak. The song is a reminder to the person to avoid looking for comfort in others because the singer's shoulder is big enough to carry all their heartache. The chorus also warns the person not to be fooled by others who promise to be there for them.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a big ole shoulder to cry on
I'm here for you to lean on when you're feeling down
So bring your big ole heartache to me
Tell me all your troubles, I'll listen and give you comfort
Don't go looking for someone else
I'm the one who will be there for you, don't waste time searching for another
'Cause this is where you ought to be
With me, because I'm the one who truly cares for you
This is the first one that you'd cried on
I was the first person you went to when you needed someone to talk to
When the last one set you free
You were hurt and heartbroken when your previous relationship ended
[Chorus]
Repeated for emphasis
Don't go looking for somebody else to cry to
Don't seek comfort in someone else, come to me instead
He may have a big ole shoulder but I'll bet
He might seem like a good listener, but I doubt he'll be genuine
You'll turn out to be another one he's lied to
He's not trustworthy, and he'll disappoint you just like the others
And you'll still be looking for someone to help you to forget
You'll still be searching for someone to make you feel better and help you move on
So bundle up your sweet love bring it home to me
Come to me with all your love and I'll provide the support and care you need
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY SYKES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind