[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"
I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail
Claude King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the warden of the penitentiary
I'm not in your town to stay and I'll soon be on my way
I'm just here to get my baby out of jail
(Yes warden I'm just here to get my baby out of jail)
I tried to raise him right and I prayed both day and night
That he'd never follow the footsteps of his dad
I have searched both far and wide and I feared that he had died
(Yes warden at last I found my baby here in jail)
It was just five years today since my husband passed away
He was found beneath the snow so cold and white
Made a vow to keep his ring his golden watch and his chain
But the county laid my husband in the ground
(Yes warden the county laid my husband in the ground)
[ guitar ]
I will pawn you my watch I will pawn you my chain
I will pawn you my golden diamond ring
I will wash all your clothes I will scrub all your floors
If that will get my baby out of jail
(Yes warden if that will get my baby out of jail)
Then we heard the warden say to that lady old and gray
I will bring your baby boy to your side
Two big iron gates swung wide apart she held her darlin' to her heart
She kissed her baby boy and then she died
(Yes smiling in the arms of her darling boy she died)
The song "I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail" is a heartfelt story told from the perspective of a woman who has come to the penitentiary to release her son from jail. The woman is old and gray, but she is determined to do whatever it takes to bring her son back home. She explains to the warden that she tried to raise her son right, but he still ended up in jail. She had searched all over for him and thought he might be dead, but finally found him in jail. She expresses her love and dedication to her son by offering to pawn her watch, chain, and golden diamond ring, and even saying that she will wash the warden's clothes and scrub the floors if that will help release her son. Finally, the warden agrees to bring her son to her, and as she holds him in her arms, she dies with a smile.
The song is a commentary on the bonds of love and the strength of a mother's love. It is a heartwarming and emotional story that speaks to the power of love and the sacrifices we make for those we care about. The woman in the song represents a mother's love and the lengths to which one will go to bring home their loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not in your town to stay said a lady old and gray
The old woman explained to the warden that she was just visiting to release her son from prison and wouldn't be staying around.
I'm not in your town to stay and I'll soon be on my way
The woman repeated that she had no intention of staying and would be leaving soon after her son was released.
I'm just here to get my baby out of jail
The woman clarified that her sole purpose for visiting the prison was to free her son from incarceration.
(Yes warden I'm just here to get my baby out of jail)
The woman reaffirmed to the warden that she only wanted to free her son from prison and nothing else.
I tried to raise him right and I prayed both day and night
The woman explained that she did her best to raise her son to be a good person and prayed diligently for his wellbeing.
That he'd never follow the footsteps of his dad
She hoped that her son would not turn out like his father, who presumably also ended up in prison.
I have searched both far and wide and I feared that he had died
The woman had been looking for her son for a long time and was fearful that he may have died or been lost.
Now at last I found my baby here in jail
Her search finally led her to the prison where she discovered that her son was incarcerated.
(Yes warden at last I found my baby here in jail)
The woman reiterated to the warden that she had finally found her son in prison.
It was just five years today since my husband passed away
The woman's husband had passed away exactly five years prior to the day of her visit to the prison.
He was found beneath the snow so cold and white
Her husband had been found dead under the snow, indicating that he might have frozen to death.
Made a vow to keep his ring his golden watch and his chain
The woman promised to keep her husband's ring, watch, and chain as sentimental mementos.
But the county laid my husband in the ground
Despite her vow, the county buried her husband and didn't give her an opportunity to keep the items.
(Yes warden the county laid my husband in the ground)
The woman confirmed to the warden that her husband was buried by the county without her consent.
I will pawn you my watch I will pawn you my chain
The woman was willing to pawn her valuables to the warden to favorably influence the release of her son.
I will pawn you my golden diamond ring
She was even willing to pawn her prized golden diamond ring out of desperation to get her son out of jail.
I will wash all your clothes I will scrub all your floors
The woman offered to clean the warden's clothes and floors in exchange for the release of her son.
(Yes warden if that will get my baby out of jail)
The woman restated that she would do anything to secure the release of her son, even cleaning duties.
Then we heard the warden say to that lady old and gray
Eventually, the warden made the decision to release the woman's son and spoke to her in acknowledgement.
I will bring your baby boy to your side
The warden promised to bring the woman's son to her so they could finally reunite.
Two big iron gates swung wide apart she held her darlin' to her heart
As the gates opened, the woman saw her son for the first time in years and embraced him tightly.
She kissed her baby boy and then she died
The reunion with her son was so overwhelming that she died from the emotions that she felt afterward.
(Yes smiling in the arms of her darling boy she died)
The woman died joyfully in the arms of her son who was finally released from jail.
Writer(s): Karl Davis, Harty Taylor
Contributed by Jake H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.