[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"
First Train Headin' South
Claude King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I pack my bags and then I'll go and catch a first train I see headin' south
If I got this letter in Idaho where snow's so deep it wouldn't let me go
I'd went hog wild and melted all that snow
And caught a first train I saw headin' south
If I got this letter in Iowa nothing in this world could make me stay
I'd grab my hat and then been on my way and caught a first train I see headin' south
I didn't know my baby love me so
If I got this letter in Ohio with a busted back and arms and broken toe
There'd be no hesitation I would go and catch a first train I saw headin' south
But I got this letter up in Maine you can bet your bottom dollar I feel the same
Every clickety clack of drivers call her name
As I ride this freight train I caught headin' south
I didn't know my baby love me so
In Claude King's song "First Train Headin' South," the lyrics describe the singer's realization of their partner's love through a letter. The letter serves as a revelation that the singer's love is reciprocated, prompting them to immediately pack their bags and embark on a journey southward by catching the first available train.
The lyrics highlight the singer's intense desire to be with their beloved. They express that receiving the letter in any location, whether in Idaho buried under deep snow or in Iowa, would not deter them from following their heart. The strong emotions are further emphasized when the singer mentions their willingness to overcome physical obstacles, such as having a broken back, arms, and a broken toe.
However, when the letter arrives while the singer is in Maine, they express an unwavering commitment to their partner. The repetitive lines at the end of the song, "I didn't know my baby loved me so," reinforce the surprise and joy of discovering their partner's deep affection.
Overall, the song portrays a passionate love story where distance and circumstances cannot hinder the singer from pursuing their love interest. It captures the excitement and determination to be reunited and showcases the power of love to overcome any obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I didn't know my baby love me so until that letter come to let me know
I was unaware of how much my baby loved me until I received a letter informing me
Now I pack my bags and then I'll go and catch a first train I see headin' south
I am now preparing my belongings and planning to board the first train going south
If I got this letter in Idaho where snow's so deep it wouldn't let me go
If I had received this letter in Idaho where the snow is too deep to travel through
I'd went hog wild and melted all that snow
I would have become extremely excited and determined to overcome the snowy obstacle
And caught a first train I saw headin' south
And boarded the first train going south that came into my sight
If I got this letter in Iowa nothing in this world could make me stay
If I had received this letter in Iowa, there would be nothing in the world that could make me remain there
I'd grab my hat and then been on my way and caught a first train I see headin' south
I would immediately take my hat and start my journey, making sure to catch the first available southbound train
I didn't know my baby love me so
I was unaware of the deep love my baby had for me
If I got this letter in Ohio with a busted back and arms and broken toe
If I had received this letter in Ohio while dealing with physical injuries and pain
There'd be no hesitation I would go and catch a first train I saw headin' south
I would not hesitate for a moment and proceed to board the first train I encountered going south
But I got this letter up in Maine you can bet your bottom dollar I feel the same
However, since I received this letter in Maine, rest assured that I feel the exact same way
Every clickety clack of drivers call her name
With every rhythmic sound of the train wheels, her name echoes in my mind
As I ride this freight train I caught headin' south
While I travel on this freight train that I managed to board, heading towards the south
I didn't know my baby love me so
I was completely unaware of the deep love my baby had for me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHNNY HORTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind