Along with his work in Hootie & the Blowfish, Rucker recorded one studio album, entitled Back to Then, on Hidden Beach Recordings in 2002. In 2008, he signed to Capitol Nashville and charted his first solo single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", the first single from his first country album Learn to Live. Rucker has been a member of Hootie & the Blowfish since their original formation in 1989. He met fellow band members, Mark Bryan, Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, and Dean Felber, while attending the University of South Carolina.
In 2001, he made his solo R&B debut album The Return of Mongo Slade for Atlantic Records. Because of contractual changes, it was never released by the label. Hidden Beach Recordings, an independent label, acquired the masters from Atlantic, releasing the album as Back to Then in July 2002. Rucker also portrayed a singing cowboy in a television commercial for the fast food chain Burger King, promoting their TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich in 2005; in the commercial, he sang a parody of "Big Rock Candy Mountain".
In early 2008, Rucker signed to Capitol Records Nashville as the beginning of a career in country music. His first country single, "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" (which he co-wrote with Clay Mills) debuted at #51 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs charts for the week of May 3, 2008, and it served as the lead-off single to an upcoming album for Capitol, Learn to Live.
For this album, Rucker worked with Frank Rogers, a record producer who has also produced for Brad Paisley and Trace Adkins. Rucker also made his Grand Ole Opry debut in July 2008. The single reached number one in September,[24] making Rucker the first solo, African-American artist to chart a number one country hit since Pride's "Night Games" in 1983.
Rucker sings to a crowd during an Operation Pacific Greetings tour concert. Learn to Live was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 6, 2009 and received a platinum certification on August 7, 2009. The album's second single, "It Won't Be Like This for Long", spent three weeks at the top of the country chart in mid-2009. Its follow-up, "Alright", became Rucker's third straight number one hit, making him the first singer to have his first three country singles reach number one since Wynonna in 1992. The album's fourth single, "History in the Making" was released in September and peaked at number three. The singles also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 35, 36, 30, and 61.
Rucker's entry into the country world was met with some intrigue, largely because of his history as a rock musician and because he is African-American. Billboard magazine said that "there's a sense of purpose that makes Rucker feel like a member of the country family, rather than calculating interloper." Rucker made visits to various country stations around the US, explaining that he was aware that he was the "new kid on the block." Mike Culotta, the program director of the Tampa, Florida radio station WQYK-FM expected that Rucker would be "somebody who would have entitlement," but instead said that "Darius engaged everybody." When Rucker found that "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" went to number one, he cried. On November 11, 2009, Rucker won the Country Music Association New Artist of the Year award (formerly known as the Horizon Award), making him the first African American to do so since the award was introduced in 1981. Only one other African American has won at the CMAs: Charley Pride, who won entertainer of the year in 1971 and male vocalist in 1971 and 1972.
Rucker released his second country album, titled Charleston, SC 1966, on October 12, 2010. The title is inspired by Radney Foster's solo debut album, Del Rio, TX 1959. Its first single was "Come Back Song," which Rucker wrote with Chris Stapleton and Casey Beathard. It was his fourth country number one as well as a number 37 hit on the Hot 100. The album's second single was "This", which was released to radio in November 2010 and also reached number one in the country chart. Rucker wrote it with Rogers and Kara DioGuardi. "I Got Nothin'" was the album's third single, peaking at number 18. Also included on the album is a duet with Brad Paisley titled "I Don't Care". Charleston, SC 1966 received a gold certification.
On December 14, 2011, CBSnews.com reported that Rucker was working on a third country album with recording set to begin January 2012 followed by the release of the album early in the year. The album's lead-off single, "True Believers", made its chart debut in September. On October 12, 2012, Rucker told Broadway's Electric Barnyard that his album would also be titled True Believers. "True Believers" peaked at number 18. Its second single is a cover of Bob Dylan's "Wagon Wheel" (previously made famous by Old Crow Medicine Show), featuring backing vocals from Lady Antebellum. "Wagon Wheel" reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in May 2013. True Believers was released on May 21, 2013. The album's third single, "Radio", was released to country radio on July 22, 2013. The album's fourth single, "Miss You", was released to country radio on February 3, 2014.
On October 2, 2012, Darius Rucker was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. Halfway through his set at the Opry that night he answered questions from the audience which included a question from Brad Paisley. Paisley said: "I have two questions. One, are you still the worst poker player in the world? And two, would you like to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry?" Rucker accepted, and it became official on October 16.
Rucker was a featured performer at the C2C: Country to Country festival in London on March 17, 2013. On News Years Day, January 1, 2013 he sang the National Anthem at the Outback Bowl in Tampa Florida. On May 11, 2013, Rucker was the speaker at the commencement ceremony for the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Before his speech, he received an honorary Doctorate of Music degree. Rucker also sang the national anthem at the NBA finals on June 16, 2013.
On December 6, 2013, it was announced that Rucker's version of Wagon Wheel had earned him a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. At the awards ceremony on January 26, 2014, Rucker won, becoming only the third African American recording act (the first being Charley Pride, the second being The Pointer Sisters) to win a vocal performance Grammy Award in a country music category.
On August 25, 2014, Rucker released a brand new single titled "Homegrown Honey" to country radio and to digital retailers. It serves as the lead single to his fourth country studio album, Southern Style, to be released on March 31, 2015. On September 15, 2014, it was announced that Rucker had completed his first Christmas album and that it would be released on October 27, 2014. Included is a collaboration with Sheryl Crow on "Baby, It's Cold Outside".
Wagon Wheel
Darius Rucker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline
Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Hey, mama rock me
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a south bound train
Hey, mama rock me
I'm running from the cold up in New England
I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band
My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now
Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down
Lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town
But I ain't a-turning back to living that old life no more
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Rock me mama any way you feel
Hey, mama rock me
Hey, rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a south bound train
Hey, mama rock me
Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke
I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke
But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap
To Johnson City, Tennessee
I gotta get a move on before the sun
I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one
And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Rock me mama any way you feel
Hey, mama rock me
Oh, rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a south bound train
Hey, mama rock me
Oh, so rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Rock me mama any way you feel
Hey, hey, mama rock (mama rock me, mama rock me)
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
I wanna rock like a south bound train
Hey, yeah, yeah, mama rock me (you can rock me, rock me)
The lyrics to Darius Rucker's "Wagon Wheel" describe a journey from the northeast to the south of the US. The singer is on his way to see his lover in Raleigh, North Carolina, after traveling south with a vague hope and an intention to escape his old life. The verses cover various means of travel: hitchhiking, walking, and catching a ride with a trucker.
The chorus serves as an expression of joy and a longing for comfort. The singer asks the Mama, likely God or an unspecified comforting figure, to "rock" him in different ways. His life may be unstable and constantly changing, but he is reaching out for something to ground him and bring him peace. The song speaks to a deep sense of love and connection to the land and people of the southern US, and a hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Heading down south to the land of the pines
Starting a journey towards the southern region known for pine trees
I'm thumbing my way into North Caroline
Hitchhiking my way towards North Carolina
Staring up the road and pray to God I see headlights
Hoping for a ride from a passing vehicle
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Covered entire coastline in 17 hours
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
Collecting a bundle of dogwood flowers along the way
And I'm a-hopin' for Raleigh, I can see my baby tonight
Eagerly looking forward to reuniting with my love in Raleigh
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Please console me like the soothing sway of a wagon wheel ride
Rock me mama any way you feel
Comfort me in any way that seems suitable to you
Hey, mama rock me
Just console me and make me feel better
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Comfort me like the powerful yet comforting forces of wind and rain
Rock me mama like a south bound train
Rock me gently and rhythmically like the motion of a train headed south
I'm running from the cold up in New England
Escaping the cold weather in New England
I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band
Destined to be a fiddler in a traditional string band
My baby plays a guitar, I pick a banjo now
My partner now plays the guitar while I play the banjo
Oh, north country winters keep a-getting me down
The harsh winters of the northern region keep bringing me down
Lost my money playing poker so I had to leave town
Became penniless due to playing poker and was forced to leave town
But I ain't a-turning back to living that old life no more
Determined to not go back to my old way of living anymore
Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke
Walking southward out of Roanoke
I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke
Got a lift from a trucker from Philly and smoked cannabis
But he's a heading west from the Cumberland gap
The trucker is going towards west from the Cumberland Gap
To Johnson City, Tennessee
Heading towards Johnson City in Tennessee
I gotta get a move on before the sun
Need to hurry before sunrise
I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one
Can hear my loved one calling out my name and know that she is the only one for me
And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free
Even if I die in Raleigh, I am satisfied that I lived freely till the end
Oh, so rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Please rock me mom like the motion of a wagon wheel
Rock me mama any way you feel
Convey your affection in any manner that feels suitable
Hey, hey, mama rock (mama rock me, mama rock me)
Please mom, console me and give me love
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Provide comfort, solace and warmth like the gust and shower of wind and rain
I wanna rock like a south bound train
Want to be consoled and feel better like the gentle but rhythmic motion of a train headed south
Hey, yeah, yeah, mama rock me (you can rock me, rock me)
Please mom, make me feel better, console me with your love, you have the power to do so
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan, Ketch Secor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dragasretroescavadeiras896
Anyone listening in 2024?
@mattgreen-hq2jv
Yeah I am lol w song
@mg.spooky
@@mattgreen-hq2jvfacts
@dragasretroescavadeiras896
@@mattgreen-hq2jv 🤝😊😊🤙
@KaSadi31
Yesss
@dragasretroescavadeiras896
@@KaSadi31 🤝🤙
@ngalahansel6066
Yeah I'm black (West African) and have always thought something was wrong with me for loving country until I first stumbled on Darius's song (this one) last year and realized he's black and sings country! Music is just music, ain't no color to it
@banjo2019
My brown (South Asian) wife loves country too and has also been self-conscious about it forever. She was so happy when I showed her this video.
@lynettebodiford3525
I am a black woman who grew up listening to Loretta ,Dolly and Conway...my Mom loved country music and passed that love on to me...great music is something you hear in your soul ,knows no color
@robbycoles7453
Ngala Hansel what does being black have to do with anything. I’m black and one of the most thugged out people you’ll ever meet. I love country music,classical music and any other kind of music that makes me feel good. Color has nothing to do with anything. Music was mean to bring us all together.