Morgan was born in Kingston Springs, Tennessee and grew up in rural Tennessee. He became an Emergency medical technician at age 18. A few years later, he joined the Army and was stationed in South Korea. He would later see combat as part of Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. During his deployment in Korea, Morgan wrote a number of songs and won various military singing and songwriting contests. He is a vocal supporter of the US military, performing for service-personnel in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Upon his return home to Tennessee, he worked various jobs to support his family, including working as a construction worker, a security guard and a sheriff's deputy. He would later land a job in Nashville singing demos for other songwriters and publishing companies.
The demos led to releasing his first album with Atlantic Records, the self-titled Craig Morgan in 2000. In 2003, Morgan signed with Broken Bow Records and released his second album, I Love It. It featured the single "Almost Home", which broke into the Top 10 and earned Morgan a Songwriter Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International.
In 2005, Morgan released his third album, My Kind of Livin', which included the smash hit "That's What I Love About Sunday." A four-week number one hit in the early spring of 2005, it was the biggest country music song of that year according to Billboard. The album also included the #2 hit "Redneck Yacht Club". Also included was "I Got You", which Craig had originally penned for Keith Urban, but decided to cut himself instead. "Little Bit Of Life", the lead-off single and title track of his fourth album, is currently climbing the charts.
The Ballad of Mr. Jenkins
Craig Morgan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But he's still goin'
There's a melancholy in his eyes, for all of you who care enough to wonder why
Let me tell you
It all started back in 1957 when ole Walt Disney took him by surprise
Thats the day Old Yeller died
Well that twelve year old became a man eleven years to soon in Vietnam
With his best friend Tommy
Then things got scary
On April 4th, Tommy left for heaven the same year the world was taken by surprise
That's the day Martin Luther died
So before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man
Then what you see there on that barstool with the bourbon on his hand
You heard about his younger years but don't leave now theres more to hear
That might explain the pain in that old man
How quick America forgot about the only war they'd lost and life goes on
That's what they tell ya
No ticker tape no reason why, might have never seen the end of that chapter in his life
If he hadn't met Betty
They married in December 1980, no doubt it was the best day of his life
Two days before John Lennon died
So before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man
Than what you see there on the barstool with the bourbon in his hand
Now we've covered chapter two I can almost see a change in you
There's still a lot of life in that old man
He hadn't had a drink in at least a year, to tell the truth I'm shocked he's here
But as long as he wants'em I'm gonna pour'em
Before you came in I asked him why, he raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes
Then he told me
I've seen so much in my life I've never questioned, this time the good Lord took me by surprise
Yesterday my Betty died
With skin as tough as a burlap sack he had his second heart attack last summer
But he's still goin'
The Ballad of Mr. Jenkins is a touching and moving song by Craig Morgan that tells the story of an old man sitting at the bar with bourbon in his hand. The lyrics describe his life experiences, beginning from 1957 when he was just a young boy who lost his beloved dog, Old Yeller. The story then moves swiftly to the time when he became a man eleven years too soon and went to Vietnam, where he lost his best friend, Tommy. The loss of his friend came at the same time as the assassination of Martin Luther, and this left a deep wound in his life.
The chorus of the song reminds us not to judge him based solely on his current state, for there is much more to his story than meets the eye. He married his beloved Betty, two days before John Lennon died, and this was the happiest day of his life. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the revelation that the old man recently lost his wife, Betty, and had his second heart attack last summer, but he is still going strong.
Overall, The Ballad of Mr. Jenkins is a heartfelt and emotional song that reminds us to be kind and compassionate to those around us, for we don't always know the full story of their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
With skin as tough as a burlap sack he had his second heart attack last summer
Despite his resilient exterior, he suffered a serious health scare recently.
But he's still goin'
Nevertheless, he continues to persevere.
There's a melancholy in his eyes, for all of you who care enough to wonder why
If you take the time to look, you'll see an underlying sadness in his expression.
Let me tell you
Allow me to provide some context for this man's life.
It all started back in 1957 when ole Walt Disney took him by surprise
His story begins with a momentous event from his childhood involving a famous figure.
Thats the day Old Yeller died
The loss of a beloved character had a profound impact on him.
Well that twelve year old became a man eleven years too soon in Vietnam
He was thrust into adulthood prematurely as a result of his military service during the Vietnam War.
With his best friend Tommy
He had a close comrade by his side.
They were tough as nails and southern born and awfully proud to wear that uniform
He and his friend were hardy southerners who took pride in their service.
Then things got scary
Their situation took a turn for the worse.
On April 4th, Tommy left for heaven the same year the world was taken by surprise
His friend passed away tragically during a tumultuous time in history.
That's the day Martin Luther died
The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. added to the overwhelming sense of loss and upheaval.
So before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man
Don't be too quick to make assumptions about him without understanding his experiences.
Then things got scary
Their situation took a turn for the worse.
On April 4th, Tommy left for heaven the same year the world was taken by surprise
His friend passed away tragically during a tumultuous time in history.
That's the day Martin Luther died
The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. added to the overwhelming sense of loss and upheaval.
So before you judge him you need to know there's more to that old man
Don't be too quick to make assumptions about him without understanding his experiences.
Than what you see there on that barstool with the bourbon on his hand
He may seem like just another drinker at a bar, but there's more to him than that.
You heard about his younger years but don't leave now theres more to hear
I've only scratched the surface of his story, there's more to learn.
That might explain the pain in that old man
His experiences may provide insight into the source of his emotional anguish.
How quick America forgot about the only war they'd lost and life goes on
The country moved on too hastily from a war that didn't end in victory.
That's what they tell ya
The powers that be try to gloss over the reality of war and its aftermath.
No ticker tape no reason why, might have never seen the end of that chapter in his life
There was no dramatic celebration or justification for the Vietnam War, leaving him to grapple with the unresolved trauma of that time.
If he hadn't met Betty
His life took a positive turn when he met the love of his life.
They married in December 1980, no doubt it was the best day of his life
Their marriage brought him great joy and happiness.
Two days before John Lennon died
Unfortunately, their happiness was fleeting and overshadowed by another tragedy that occurred just days later.
Now we've covered chapter two I can almost see a change in you
As I share more details of his life, I can see you starting to understand him better.
There's still a lot of life in that old man
Despite his hardships, he still has a lot of spirit and passion for life.
He hadn't had a drink in at least a year, to tell the truth I'm shocked he's here
It's surprising and impressive that he's managed to stay sober for so long.
But as long as he wants'em I'm gonna pour'em
Regardless of whether or not it's healthy, I'll provide him with drinks if that's what he wants.
Before you came in I asked him why, he raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes
I inquired about the source of his sadness and he appeared vulnerable and emotional.
Then he told me
He shared a deeply personal and emotional story with me.
I've seen so much in my life I've never questioned, this time the good Lord took me by surprise
Despite all he's been through, he didn't anticipate losing the love of his life.
Yesterday my Betty died
The recent loss of his wife is a devastating blow.
With skin as tough as a burlap sack he had his second heart attack last summer
Despite his emotional endurance, his physical health has been compromised again.
But he's still goin'
Nevertheless, he remains resilient and determined to keep moving forward.
Lyrics © ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP
Written by: DAVID VINCENT WILLIAMS, STEVE MANDILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind