He has won the British Country Music Awards Best International Artist on an Independent Label, and country music awards in the Netherlands and Spain. Watson tours Europe annually, and has a large growing fan base there.
The singer is also featured in the Zalman King documentary Crazy Again, chronicling his (Watson's) mental breakdown after his girlfriend Terri Herbert died in a fatal car accident in September 2000. He also was the focus of a 2007 bio-picture, Austin Angel. Championed "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music with prominent roots influence.
After going on hiatus from music in 2004, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland to be closer to his daughters, he returned to Austin in July 2006 and resumed playing regular gigs in Austin, including Sunday nights at Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon and a Monday night residence at The Continental Club. He is also a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry.
Jack
Dale Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you could buy a coke at the store up front
The old man wore a path in that dirt road parking lot
From the back door of that barn to their trunk
That's the way it was on a Tennessee Saturday night
Just shooting the bull and dancing the night away
We sure had fun on a Tennessee Saturday night
It sure got hot in the sleepy southern town
The night got as thick as the day
We'd open up them garage doors and we'd plug the shop fan in
You could hear that band pickin' thirty blocks away
That's the way it was on a Tennessee Saturday night
Just shooting the bull and dancing the night away
We sure had fun on a Tennessee Saturday night
Down at Jack's truck stop and cafe
In Dale Watson's song Jack's Truck Stop & Cafe, the singer reminisces about the good times he had on a Tennessee Saturday night at Jack's truck stop and cafe. He sets the scene by describing how drinking wasn't allowed in the barn where they danced, but you could buy a coke at the store up front. The old man who owned the place would wear a path in the dirt road parking lot as he went back and forth from the barn to his trunk. This small detail suggests that the old man was probably the one supplying the music and maybe even moonshine for the crowd.
The chorus paints a picture of people having a carefree time, "just shooting the bull and dancing the night away." The focus is not on the specifics of what they were doing, but more on the warm and memorable feeling of community and joy that comes with a night out with friends. The second verse describes how hot the summer nights would get, but the partygoers would remedy the situation by opening up the garage doors and plugging in a shop fan. Even with the thick night air, you could hear the band picking thirty blocks away. The song creates a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time when people didn't need much to have a good time as long as they were surrounded by good company.
Line by Line Meaning
Drinking weren't allowed in the barn where we danced
Alcohol consumption was not permitted in the location where we were dancing
But you could buy a coke at the store up front
However, non-alcoholic beverages were available for purchase from the store nearby
The old man wore a path in that dirt road parking lot
The elderly gentleman frequently traversed the dirt road parking area, leaving noticeable tracks
From the back door of that barn to their trunk
He walked this path from the back entrance of the barn to the trunk of his car parked in the lot
That's the way it was on a Tennessee Saturday night
This was the typical scene on a Saturday evening in Tennessee
Just shooting the bull and dancing the night away
People were socializing and dancing throughout the night
We sure had fun on a Tennessee Saturday night
The experience was undoubtedly enjoyable and entertaining
Down at Jack's truck stop and cafe
This good time was had at a particular establishment, Jack's truck stop and cafe
It sure got hot in the sleepy southern town
Temperatures were quite warm in this quiet, southern location
The night got as thick as the day
As the night progressed, it became increasingly dense and stifling
We'd open up them garage doors and we'd plug the shop fan in
To combat the heat, the garage doors were opened and a fan was set up
You could hear that band pickin' thirty blocks away
The live music being played by the band could be heard from a distance of 30 blocks
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind