Tobacco Road
Frank Ifield Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was born in a bunk
Mama died and my daddy got drunk
Left me here to die or grow
In the middle of Tobacco Road

I grew up in a dusty shack
And all I had was a'hangin' on my back
Only you know how I loathe

This place called Tobacco Road

But it's home
The only life I've ever known
Only you know how I loathe
Tobacco Road

I'm gonna leave and get a job
With the help and the grace from above
Save some money, get rich I know
Bring it back to Tobacco Road

Bring dynamite and a crane
Blow it up, start all over again
Build a town, be proud to show
Give the name Tobacco Road

Cause it's home
The only life I've ever known

I despise you ''cause your filthy
But I love ya, 'cause it's home

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Frank Ifield's song "Tobacco Road" describe a place that's seen as both a source of comfort and disdain for the singer. The song opens with a bleak description of the singer's childhood - born in a bunk, abandoned by his father, and left to either die or grow in Tobacco Road. This is followed by a description of the singer's rough upbringing in a dusty shack, with nothing but the clothes on his back. Despite his rough start in life, the singer's attachment to who he is and where he comes from is clear. He notes that Tobacco Road is the only life he's ever known, and that he loves it despite its flaws.

However, there is a glimmer of hope in the lyrics. The singer talks about leaving Tobacco Road, getting a job, saving money, and ultimately returning to build a new, better version of the town. He wants to blow up the old Tobacco Road and start over, with a new town that he can be proud of. This shows that while he loves his hometown, he recognizes its shortcomings and wants to make it better.

Overall, the lyrics of "Tobacco Road" are a complex exploration of the relationship between a person and the place they come from. While there is a lot of pain and suffering associated with Tobacco Road, the singer's love for it and desire to improve it make for a nuanced and emotional song.

Line by Line Meaning

I was born in a bunk
I came into this world in a shack with no comforts.

Mama died and my daddy got drunk
After my mother passed away, my father couldn't handle it and turned to alcohol.

Left me here to die or grow
My father abandoned me, leaving me to fend for myself, unsure if I would survive or thrive.

In the middle of Tobacco Road
This place where I was left to my own devices is called Tobacco Road.

I grew up in a dusty shack
My upbringing was in poor and dirty conditions, with no luxuries or amenities.

And all I had was a'hangin' on my back
I owned next to nothing and carried everything I owned on my back.

Only you know how I loathe
No one but myself fully understands the intense dislike I have for this place.

This place called Tobacco Road
The setting of my upbringing and struggles is named Tobacco Road.

But it's home
Despite my negative feelings towards it, Tobacco Road is where I come from and where I have always lived.

The only life I've ever known
I have never known any other way of life than what I have experienced on Tobacco Road.

I'm gonna leave and get a job
I am determined to leave Tobacco Road and find employment elsewhere.

With the help and the grace from above
I hope to receive divine assistance to aid me in my quest for a better life.

Save some money, get rich I know
My goal is to accumulate wealth and become financially successful.

Bring it back to Tobacco Road
I plan to return to Tobacco Road with my wealth and use it to improve the conditions there.

Bring dynamite and a crane
To achieve my vision of rebuilding and renovating Tobacco Road, I will need explosives and heavy machinery.

Blow it up, start all over again
I plan to demolish the existing structures on Tobacco Road and begin anew.

Build a town, be proud to show
My ultimate goal is to construct a new, modernized settlement on Tobacco Road that I can be proud to show to others.

Give the name Tobacco Road
I will keep the name Tobacco Road as a way to honor the place where I come from and to remind myself of my roots.

I despise you ''cause your filthy
I have a strong disdain for Tobacco Road due to its run-down and unclean appearance.

But I love ya, 'cause it's home
Despite my negative feelings towards it, I have an attachment to Tobacco Road because it is where I was born and raised.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDGAR WINTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS