Tobacco Road
Edgar Winter; Johnny Winter Lyrics
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Mama died and my daddy got drunk
Let me hear two dying crows
In the middle of tobacco road
Grew up in a rusty shack
All I owned was hanging on my back
Only lord knows how I loved tobacco road
But it's hard, hard the only life I've ever known
But the lord knows how I loved
Tobacco road
Gonna leave, get a job
With the help of the treesome god
Save my money, get rich enough
Bring it back to tobacco road
Bring dynamite and a crane
Blow it up and start all over again
Build a town be proud to show
Give the name tobacco road
'Cause it's hard, hard the only life I've ever known
I despise you cause you're filthy
But I love you cause you're home
Bring dynamite and a crane
Blow it up start all over again
Build a town be proud to know
This place called tobacco road
'Cause it's hard, hard the only life I've ever known
But the lord knows how I love
Tobacco road
Edgar Winter's "Tobacco Road" is a story of a difficult life that's full of contradictions. The singer is from a humble background, born in a trunk, and raised in a rusty shack. His mother passed away, and his father turned to alcohol. Despite this, the singer loves his hometown of Tobacco Road, even though it's dirty and poor. He longs to leave, get a job, save money, and eventually return to Tobacco Road with enough wealth to rebuild and create a town worth being proud of.
The chorus, "But it's hard, hard, the only life I've ever known, But the Lord knows how I love Tobacco Road," highlights the inner turmoil he experiences on his journey. He feels trapped and longs for something better, but at the same time feels a connection to this place where he grew up. The last lines, "I despise you 'cause you're filthy, But I love you 'cause you're home," perfectly capture this sentiment.
The lyrics are relatable for anyone who has experienced hard times and a love-hate relationship with their hometown. The song has been covered by numerous artists since its release in 1970 and remains a classic to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in a trunk
I was born into poverty and difficult circumstances.
Mama died and my daddy got drunk
My mother passed away and my father turned to alcohol to cope.
Let me hear two dying crows
I lived in a place where death was familiar and constant.
In the middle of tobacco road
That place was Tobacco Road - a poor, run-down area.
Grew up in a rusty shack
I grew up in a small, dilapidated and abandoned home.
All I owned was hanging on my back
I had very few belongings - only what I carried with me at all times.
Only lord knows how I loved tobacco road
Despite its difficulties, I had a deep attachment to the place I grew up in.
But it's hard, hard the only life I've ever known
Life was difficult in Tobacco Road, but it was all I ever knew.
Gonna leave, get a job
I planned to leave Tobacco Road to find work and improve my life.
With the help of the treesome god
I hoped for the help of the divine to find success.
Save my money, get rich enough
My goal was to accumulate wealth through hard work and saving.
Bring it back to tobacco road
I planned to return to Tobacco Road to help others and make the place better.
Bring dynamite and a crane
In order to improve Tobacco Road, drastic measures would be necessary.
Blow it up and start all over again
This would involve taking down the old structures and building new ones.
Build a town be proud to show
The ultimate goal was to make Tobacco Road a place that people could take pride in living in.
Give the name tobacco road
The name Tobacco Road would remain, but the place would be transformed.
'Cause it's hard, hard the only life I've ever known
Despite my efforts to improve the place, Tobacco Road remains a difficult and challenging place to live.
I despise you cause you're filthy
At times, I had negative feelings about my home and the poverty and filth that characterized it.
But I love you cause you're home
Ultimately, despite its flaws, Tobacco Road was still my home and a place that held deep meaning for me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John D. Loudermilk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ptalley47eh
The Winter brothers. There's nobody like them. Each so talented in their own right. I could listen to them all day. Thanks for this video!
@nickphillips7319
Couldn't agree more.
@iconoclast4440
Winter, not Winters.
@ptalley47eh
@@iconoclast4440 Oooops. I meant WINTER.
@nickphillips7319
@@iconoclast4440 fair point. But was it not Edgar Winters White Trash? 🤠
@reedbender1179
@@iconoclast4440 correct, but two Winters are better than one ! 🤩
@kelanders
The older I get the more I appreciate what an extraordinary talent Johnny Winter was. He was the real deal, a musician’s musician
@robpattison6606
have you heard a blues guitarist named Eric Gales?
@theherbpuffer
A guitarists guitarist
@BenErasBen
Get tears in my eye when I hear him, too good to be true