[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"
When You're 21
Claude King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the lust and the crazy far off places
Oh the simple country boy to a life of disgrace
I was raised on a farm way down in Louisiana down where the sweet magnolias grow
Just me and Mud and mama and papa little blue eyed Judy who lived down the road
I got Judy in trouble in the early days of summer
Oh she and mama cried and begged me not to go
Later on someone told me Mud and Judy got married
I drank and I gambled and I knew many women I lived too fast for a boy just 21
And then one night I shot a man in Reno the very first time I had ever far to go
Mud came to see me last Sunday morning
He said Judy and the baby were waiting outside
His eyes filled with tears when I asked about mama
He said mama's heart's been broken she just laid down and died
I hear a cell door open soon it will be over I'll have to pay for the wrongs I have done
To Mud and Judy and mama and papa
And I'll hope you'll remember this when you're 21
And I'll hope you'll remember this when you're 21
"When You're 21" is a haunting and deeply personal song by Claude King that reflects on the mistakes made by a young man as he looks back on his life. Through the lyrics, King transports listeners to his boyhood days on a farm in Louisiana, where he spent his youth alongside his family, his best friend Mud, and the girl down the road, little blue-eyed Judy. But as he got older, the pursuit of pleasure and adventure lured him away from his simple upbringing, and he found himself caught up in a lifestyle of drinking, gambling, and wild women. He eventually committed a crime and ended up in jail, facing the cold reality that he would have to pay for his actions.
The song's structure is interesting, with a shift in perspective from verse to chorus. The verses are told from the first-person point of view of the singer, reflecting on his life and regrets in a reflective tone. However, the catchy melody and upbeat tempo of the chorus, with the repetition of the line "And I'll hope you'll remember this when you're 21," create a jarring contrast to the sad and introspective verses. This contrast emphasizes the wisdom and experience that come with age, implying that if the listeners can learn from the singer's mistakes while they are still young, they may avoid the same pitfalls that he encountered.
Line by Line Meaning
As I look around me at unfamiliar faces my mind goes back to my boyhood days
I am reminded of my younger days when I look at strangers around me.
And the lust and the crazy far off places
I was tempted by wild adventures and desires beyond my small-town upbringing.
Oh the simple country boy to a life of disgrace
My naive upbringing set me up for a life of shame and wrongdoing.
I was raised on a farm way down in Louisiana down where the sweet magnolias grow
I grew up on a farm in southern Louisiana surrounded by the beauty of magnolia trees.
Just me and Mud and mama and papa little blue eyed Judy who lived down the road
My family was small and close-knit and included my best friend, Mud, and a neighbor girl, Judy.
I got Judy in trouble in the early days of summer
I got Judy pregnant during the start of the summer.
Oh she and mama cried and begged me not to go
Judy and my mother both pleaded with me not to leave them behind.
Later on someone told me Mud and Judy got married
I found out that my friend, Mud, and Judy got married after I left.
And they had a little girl with hair shining gold
Mud and Judy had a daughter with beautiful golden hair.
I drank and I gambled and I knew many women I lived too fast for a boy just 21
I spent my early adult years recklessly indulging in alcohol, gambling, and women.
And then one night I shot a man in Reno the very first time I had ever far to go
I committed my first serious crime by shooting a man in Reno while out of town for the first time.
Mud came to see me last Sunday morning
My friend, Mud, visited me in prison on a Sunday morning.
He said Judy and the baby were waiting outside
Mud informed me that my old flame, Judy, and their child were outside the prison waiting for him.
His eyes filled with tears when I asked about mama
Mud became emotional when I inquired about my mother.
He said mama's heart's been broken she just laid down and died
Mama died from a broken heart due to my actions and lifestyle.
I hear a cell door open soon it will be over I'll have to pay for the wrongs I have done
I know my time is up and I have to face the consequences of my mistakes.
To Mud and Judy and mama and papa
I apologize to my friend, Mud, and ex-girlfriend, Judy, and to my parents for causing them pain.
And I'll hope you'll remember this when you're 21
I urge young people to learn from my mistakes and not follow in my footsteps.
And I'll hope you'll remember this when you're 21
I repeat my plea for others to avoid the errors I made when they reach the same age.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind