[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"
Heart
Claude King Lyrics
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Feet don't start to dancin' till she tells me she'll be mine
Lips don't start to smilin' voice don't sing too soon
So heart don't get your hopes up till she says she loves me too
Don't start making plans to hurt me there's a lotta bridges yet to cross
Don't count your chicken fore fore they'll start to hatch
Better keep your cote behind the horse
Truth she hardly knows it she needs a little time
Till I'm certain she'll be mine
The lyrics to Claude King's song "Heart" convey a sense of caution and vulnerability in matters of the heart. The singer addresses his own heart, as if it were a separate entity, instructing it not to get too excited or hopeful until the object of his affection reciprocates his feelings. He urges his heart not to let its emotions run wild, warning it not to shine with anticipation in its eyes or start dancing in joy until he receives confirmation of her love.
The lyrics suggest a fear of rejection and a desire to protect oneself from potential pain. The singer is hesitant to make plans or get his hopes up prematurely, recognizing that there are many obstacles and uncertainties that still lie ahead. He advises his heart not to count on future happiness until he is certain of her love.
In the final lines, the singer highlights the lack of clarity in the woman's feelings. He acknowledges that she may need time to figure out her own emotions, and therefore, his heart should not elevate its hopes until he is completely sure that she will be his. This song captures the vulnerable state of someone navigating the early stages of a relationship, where uncertainties and insecurities can make it challenging to fully trust in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Heart don't get your hopes up eyes now don't you shine
Don't let your heart become too hopeful, and don't let your eyes sparkle with excitement.
Feet don't start to dancin' till she tells me she'll be mine
I shouldn't start celebrating or feeling joyous until she confirms her love for me.
Lips don't start to smilin' voice don't sing too soon
I should refrain from smiling and expressing happiness prematurely.
So heart don't get your hopes up till she says she loves me too
I shouldn't raise my expectations until she reciprocates her love for me.
Don't start making plans to hurt me there's a lotta bridges yet to cross
I shouldn't assume that she will hurt me since there are many challenges that we still need to overcome.
Don't count your chicken fore fore they'll start to hatch
I shouldn't be overly confident and assume positive outcomes before they actually happen.
Better keep your cote behind the horse
It's wiser to be cautious and not get ahead of myself.
Truth she hardly knows it she needs a little time
She is uncertain about her true feelings and requires some time to figure them out.
So heart don't get your hopes up till I'm certain she'll be mine
Therefore, I should avoid getting too hopeful until I am certain that she will choose to be with me.
Till I'm certain she'll be mine
I shouldn't assume that she will be mine until I am absolutely sure.
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