If That Ain't Country I'll Kis
David Allan Coe Lyrics


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This is a song I wrote about my father
Donald Mahan Coe Jr
My daddy passed away on August the ninth, seven years ago
This is a song about my father

Well the old man was covered with tattoos and scars
He got some in prison and others in bars
The rest he got workin' on old junk cars in the daytime

Now they looked like tombstones in our yard
And I never seen him when he wasn't tired and mean
Well he sold used parts to make ends meet
Covered with grease from his head to his feet
Cussin' the sweat and the Texas heat and mosquiters
And the neighbors said we lived like hicks
But they brung their cars for my pa to fix anyhow
Well he was veteran-proud tried and true
He'd fought 'til his heart was black and blue
And I don't know how he'd made it through the hard times
He bought our house on the GI Bill
But it wasn't worth all he had to kill to get it
He drank Pearl in a can and Jack Daniels black
Chewed tobacco from a mail pouch sack
And he had an old dog that was trained to attack sometimes
Why he'd get drunk and mean as a rattlesnake
And there wasn't too much that he would take from a stranger

There were thirteen kids and a bunch of dogs
A house full of chickens and a yard full of hogs
I spent the summertime cuttin' up logs for the winter
Tryin' like the devil to find the Lord
Workin' like a slave for my room and board
Coal-burin' stoves no natural gas
If that ain't country, I'll kiss your ass

If that ain't country, it'll hairlip the pope
If that ain't country, it's a damn good joke
I've been on the Grand Ole Opry and I know Johnny Cash
And if he ain't country, I'll kiss your ass

Well my mama sold eggs at a grocery store
And my oldest sister was a first-rate whore
My daddy said she couldn't come home anymore and he meant it
Now Mama she was old far beyond her time
And her hair was grey and I've seen her cryin'
She was talkin' 'bout junior, said he was dyin' in prison
Why she told all the neighbors he was off to the war
He was fightin' for courage, he was good to the core and she was proud
Now our house was a graveyard for automobiles
And around the porch was a bunch of old wheels
And some used Harley Davidson parts that we sold for cash

There was fifty holes in an old tin roof
Me and my family was livin' proof
And everybody called me old poor white trash
And if that ain't country, I'll kiss your ass

If that ain't country, it'll hairlip the pope
If that ain't country, it's a damn good joke
I've been on the Grand Ole Opry and I know Johnny Cash, mmm
And if he ain't country, I'll kiss your ass

And I'm dreamin' tonight of my blue eyes
Concernin' the grey speckled bird




I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
And went back to the wild side of life

Overall Meaning

The song "If That Ain't Country" by David Allan Coe is a tribute to his father, Donald Mahan Coe Jr. The song begins by recounting the physical appearance of his father, who was covered in tattoos and scars obtained both in prison and in bars, and from working on old cars. David then speaks of how this rugged appearance deceived outsiders, who looked down on them, calling them "hicks." Despite the outside judgment, David's father, a veteran, was proud of his service, and he worked tirelessly to provide for his thirteen children and large household of animals. David also sings about the struggles they faced without modern conveniences, living with coal-burning stoves, a yard full of animals, and a house that was a graveyard for automobiles. Despite these hardships, David praises his family and shares his pride in his country roots.


The song is known for its authentic country themes, its raw, stripped-down honesty about poverty and hardship, and its unapologetic celebration of the country way of life. David Allan Coe, who wrote the song, was a prominent figure in the outlaw country music scene of the 1970s and 1980s, and this song helped to establish him as one of country's most authentic voices.


Line by Line Meaning

Well the old man was covered with tattoos and scars
My father had tattoos and scars on his body that he got in prison or bars and while working on old junk cars during the day


They looked like tombstones in our yard
The tattoos on my father's body looked like tombstones in our yard


And I never seen him when he wasn't tired and mean
I have never seen my father not being tired or mean while he sold car parts to make ends meet and worked in the Texas heat while dealing with mosquitos


But they brung their cars for my pa to fix anyhow
Despite being judged by our neighbors, they still brought their cars to my father to fix


Well he was veteran-proud tried and true
My father was proud of having served in the military


And I don't know how he'd made it through the hard times
I'm not sure how my father made it through the hard times


Why he'd get drunk and mean as a rattlesnake
My father would get drunk and mean like a rattlesnake


There were thirteen kids and a bunch of dogs
We had thirteen kids and lots of dogs in our household


Tryin' like the devil to find the Lord
I was struggling to find my faith and seeking divine intervention


Coal-burin' stoves no natural gas
We used coal-burning stoves since we didn't have access to natural gas


If that ain't country, I'll kiss your ass
If our way of living isn't considered country, I'll do something ridiculous like kissing your ass


Well my mama sold eggs at a grocery store
My mother sold eggs at a grocery store to support our family


And my oldest sister was a first-rate whore
My eldest sister was a prostitute


My daddy said she couldn't come home anymore and he meant it
My father disowned my sister and refused to allow her to come home


Now Mama she was old far beyond her time
My mother aged well beyond her years


She was talkin' 'bout junior, said he was dyin' in prison
My mother was discussing my brother, who was dying in prison


Why she told all the neighbors he was off to the war
To avoid the stigma of having a family member in prison, my mother lied and said my brother was serving in the war


Now our house was a graveyard for automobiles
Our house had many old and broken-down cars around it


And everybody called me old poor white trash
People referred to me as poor white trash


And if that ain't country, I'll kiss your ass
If living in poverty and with less-than-ideal circumstances isn't what you consider country, I'll do something ridiculous like kissing your ass


And I'm dreamin' tonight of my blue eyes
I am dreaming of my significant other, who has blue eyes


Concernin' the grey speckled bird
I'm thinking about a specific grey speckled bird


I didn't know God made honky tonk angels
I didn't know there were women who loved honky tonk music as much as I do


And went back to the wild side of life
I went back to the wilder, more unstructured side of life




Lyrics © Bluewater Music Corp.
Written by: Deborah Coe, Fred Spears

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@TrapMusicNow

2054 time traveler here. Still drinking natural light and listening to the country king. Cheers boys

@lollercoaster2010

Fuck off

@gillythakid2000

Yeah on mars maybe

@connerlackey3952

Even though I'm a big fan of Waylon but the king of country is Johnny Cash not David Allen Coe sorry there bud

@marcusbranham8270

cheers my brother!!

@richras76

I love Natural Light and DAC... 🇺🇸

117 More Replies...

@ruzicka5142

Still here in 2024. Not ashamed to call him one of the greats.

@joshcantrell1433

still here

@markmotley8516

Amen, my friend ❤

@Daughter-of-an-outlaw

I'm with ya there partner

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