Ella Mae Morse was born in Mansfield, Texas, United States. She was hired by Jimmy Dorsey when she was 14 years old. Dorsey believed she was 19, and when he was informed by the school board that he was now responsible for her care, he fired her. In 1942, at the age of 17, she joined Freddie Slack's band, with whom in the same year she recorded "Cow Cow Boogie", Capitol Records' first gold single. "Mr. Five by Five" was also recorded by Morse with Slack, and they had a hit recording with the song in 1942 (Capitol 115). She also originated the wartime hit "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet", which was later popularized by Nancy Walker in the film, Broadway Rhythm.
In 1943, Morse began to record solo. She reached #1 in the R&B chart with "Shoo-Shoo Baby" in December for two weeks. In the same year she performed "Cow Cow Boogie" in the film Reveille with Beverly and starred in Universal's South of Dixie and The Ghost Catchers with Olsen and Johnson and How Do You Dooo? with radio's Mad Russian, Bert Gordon. She sang in a wide variety of styles, and she had hits on both the U.S. pop and rhythm and blues charts. However, she never received the popularity of a major star because her versatility prevented her from being placed into any one category of music.
The song "Love Me or Leave Me" as recorded by Morse was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 1922, with the flip side "Blacksmith Blues," which became her biggest hit.
In 1946, "House of Blue Lights" by Freddie Slack and Morse, (written by Slack and Raye) saw them perform what was one of many of Raye's songs picked up by black R&B artists. Her biggest solo success was "Blacksmith Blues" in 1952, which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The same year her version of "Down the Road a Piece" appeared on Capitol with Slack again on piano accompaniment. Morse also recorded a version of "Oakie Boogie" for Capitol which reached #23 in 1952. Her version was one of the first songs arranged by Nelson Riddle.
Morse ceased recording in 1957, but continued performing until the early 1990s at such clubs as Michael's Pub in New York, Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel's Cinegrill and the Vine St. Bar and Grill. She appeared regularly at Disneyland for several years with the Ray McKinley Orchestra, and did a successful tour of Australia shortly before her final illness.
Her music career was profiled in Nick Tosches' 1984 book, The Unsung Heroes of Rock 'N' Roll: The Birth of Rock in the Wild Years Before Elvis. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1724 Vine Street. Her entire recorded body of work was issued in a deluxe box set by Bear Family Records.
As Morse's musical style blended jazz, blues, and country, she has sometimes been called the first rock 'n' roll singer. A good example is her 1942 recording of the song "Get On Board, Little Chillun", which, with strong gospel, blues, boogie, and jive sounds as a genuine precursor to the later rockabilly/ rock 'n roll songs. Her records sold well to both Caucasian and African-American audiences. As she was not well known at the time of her first solo hits, many people assumed she was African-American because of her 'hip' vocal style and choice of material.
Morse had six children from two marriages, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and an estranged sister named Flo Handy, who was also a singer.
In 1999 Morse died of respiratory failure in Bullhead City, Arizona, aged 75.
Tennessee Saturday Night
Ella Mae Morse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down in Tennessee where the tall corn grows
Hidden from the world in a bunch of pines
Where the moon's a little bashful and it seldom shines
Civilized people live there alright
But they all go native on a Saturday Night
Their music is a fiddle and a cracked guitar
They do the boogie to an old square dance
The woods are full of couples lookin' for romance
Somebody takes his brogue and knocks out the light
Yes, they all go native on a Saturday night
When they really get together there's a lot of fun
They all know the other fellah packs a gun
Ev'rybody does his best to act just right
Cause there's gonna be a funeral if you start a fight
They struggle and they shuffle till broad daylight
Yes, they all go native on a Saturday night
Well, now you've heard my story 'bout a place I know
Down in Tennessee where the tall corn grows
HIdden from the world in a bunch of pines
Where the moon's a little bashful and it seldom shines
Civilized people live there alright
But they all go native on a Saturday night
In the song "Tennessee Saturday Night," Ella Mae Morse paints a vivid picture of a hidden part of Tennessee where the locals come to life on weekends. The song speaks of a place full of lively folks who know how to party, dance and have a good time. The first verse of the song sets the stage by describing a place where civilization meets nature, a place where the pace of life is slow but rich with entertainment. The second verse describes the type of music that gets the locals moving, which is primarily old school country tunes played on a fiddle and a cracked guitar. The chorus then praises the unity of the locals, who come together to enjoy each other's company until the early hours of the morning on Saturdays.
The third verse adds a layer of excitement to the story, as the lyrics describe the realities of such gatherings where alcohol and guns go hand in hand. The locals are a closely knit group, so visitors must act right to avoid getting themselves into trouble. The last verse concludes the story, reiterating the beauty of the place and the warm hospitality of its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, listen while I tell you 'bout a place I know
Let me describe a place in Tennessee that I am familiar with
Down in Tennessee where the tall corn grows
This place is located in Tennessee where tall corn crops are grown
Hidden from the world in a bunch of pines
This place is tucked away from the rest of the world amidst a bunch of pine trees
Where the moon's a little bashful and it seldom shines
In this place, the moonlight is not too bright and rarely shines
Civilized people live there alright
This place is inhabited by civilized people
But they all go native on a Saturday Night
However, on Saturday nights, the people in this place let loose and party like natives
Their music is a fiddle and a cracked guitar
The people in this place love to dance to the sound of a fiddle and a damaged guitar
They get their kicks from an old fruit jar
Their preferred drink of choice is alcohol that they drink out of old fruit jars
They do the boogie to an old square dance
Their dance moves involve the boogie while dancing to an old square dance rhythm
The woods are full of couples lookin' for romance
The woods of this place are crowded with couples seeking romantic encounters
Somebody takes his brogue and knocks out the light
At some point during the night, someone will accidentally knock out the lights using their shoes
Yes, they all go native on a Saturday night
This line is repeated to emphasize the fact that on Saturday nights, everyone in this place parties hard
When they really get together there's a lot of fun
When the people of this place come together, they have a lot of fun
They all know the other fellah packs a gun
It is common knowledge among them that everyone carries a gun
Ev'rybody does his best to act just right
Due to the presence of firearms, everyone makes an effort to act appropriately
Cause there's gonna be a funeral if you start a fight
Starting a fight in this place is not advisable as it can lead to a fatal outcome
They struggle and they shuffle till broad daylight
The people in this place dance and enjoy themselves until the morning light
Well, now you've heard my story 'bout a place I know
This line signals the end of the song and reiterates that the singer has described a place in Tennessee that they know of
Down in Tennessee where the tall corn grows
Once again, the singer mentions that the place they described is located in Tennessee where tall corn is grown
HIdden from the world in a bunch of pines
This place is still hidden from the rest of the world amidst a cluster of pine trees
Where the moon's a little bashful and it seldom shines
As mentioned earlier, the moonlight in this place is not too bright and rarely shines
Civilized people live there alright
The people inhabiting this place are civilized despite their wild Saturday night parties
But they all go native on a Saturday night
Finally, the singer reiterates the central theme of the song that the people in this place transform into wild natives every Saturday night
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY HUGHES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind