Brooks was a phenomenal musical force in the 1990s. He had his chart breakthrough in 1989, having come apparently from nowhere, and was an immediate commercial success. Lacking the tall and lanky physical appearance typical of some male country stars, he successfully integrated pop and rock elements into his recordings and live performances. He soon began to dominate the country singles and country albums charts and quickly crossed over into the mainstream pop arena, selling records like no one else in country music ever had and exposing country music to a larger audience than previously thought possible.
Brooks enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, with over 70 hit singles and 15 charted albums to his credit and over 115 million albums sold in the US alone, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the 1990s. Possibly dissatisfied and looking to expand his career boundaries, he then attempted an artistically ambitious (but uncompleted) multimedia project involving a fictitious alter ego.
Troubled by the conflicts between career and family, the year after the decade ended Garth Brooks announced his retirement from recording and performing, thereby disappearing from the music world as suddenly as he had come.
Recently he has announced his return to live performances by agreeing to a 5 year 15 show a year contract in Vegas. His plan is to finish this contract, write some new stuff, and wait for his youngest daughter to go off to school, and then he plans to return to touring with his wife.
Tennessee
Garth Brooks Lyrics
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And palm trees standin' tall
And fancy mirrors
And chandeliers
And comfort wall to wall
And the ocean air is so crisp and clear
And they rave about our view
And there ain't no hickory trees
And this ain't Tennessee
And she ain't you
There's a bedroom suite where she comes to me
And as her fingers touch my face
I close my eyes and I fantasize
Of another time and place
What she feels is so warm and real
And I know her love is true
And she tries so hard to please
Still I think sometimes she sees
That this ain't Tennessee
And she ain't you
And it's not that it's not grand enough
And it's not that I'm not man enough
There's just somethin' easy goin' that I love
About you and Tennessee
So I made up my mind
To learn my lines
And try to play the part
But part of me is in Tennessee
And deep down in my heart
I miss my smoky mountain home
And I miss your lovin' too
And it's deep inside of me
And it's always gonna be
'Cause this ain't Tennessee
And she ain't
You
Garth Brooks's song "Tennessee" describes a luxurious estate with beautiful surroundings, including palm trees, fancy mirrors, chandeliers, and ocean air. Despite it all, the singer is reminiscing about his true love and longing for a simpler life in Tennessee. He muses that the bedroom suite where he is now with someone else only serves to remind him that he wishes he could be somewhere else with someone real. The singer goes on to explain that his current partner tries hard to please him, but he can't help but feel stopped by the fact that she isn't the one he truly desires. The contrast is clear between the luxurious life he lives now and the memories of his previous love in Tennessee that he treasured most.
The song continues with the singer admitting that his current life is not significant enough, and he feels like he's putting on a show despite trying to play the role. He misses the familiarity of his smoky mountain home, and despite being in a beautiful location, it's not the same without Tennessee and his true love. The song's lyrics show that while one can have it all materially, there is a certain feeling that cannot be replicated no matter how much luxury one tries to enjoy.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a big estate with wrought iron gates
The place is large with grand entrances and ornate fences
And palm trees standin' tall
The elegant place has tall palm trees around it
And fancy mirrors and chandeliers
The fixtures inside are adorned with exquisite mirrors and chandeliers
Comfort wall to wall
The interiors are cozy and comfortable from wall to wall
And the ocean air is so crisp and clear
The salty sea air outside is distinct and refreshing
And they rave about our view
People go on about the stunning scenic views
But there ain't no mountain breeze
Despite the charming view, there's no equivalent cool breeze from the mountains
And there ain't no hickory trees
The place is lacking the authenticity of having hickory trees around like Tennessee
And this ain't Tennessee and she ain't you
The place is not Tennessee and the person he is with is not the one he longs for
There's a bedroom suite where she comes to me
The bedroom has a cozy suite where they rendezvous
And as her fingers touch my face
He can feel the warmth of her fingers as she touches his face
I close my eyes and I fantasize
He can't help but imagine a different time and place
Another time and place
He wishes he were in a different time and place with the one he loves
What she feels is so warm and real
Her love feels genuine and passionate
And I know her love is true
He is convinced of the authenticity of her love
And she tries so hard to please
She makes a genuine effort to keep him satisfied
Still I think sometimes she sees
He suspects that she can tell he is not completely happy
That this ain't Tennessee and she ain't you
He can't help thinking about his longing for Tennessee and the person he wants to be with
It's not that it's not grand enough
He doesn't think the place is not elegant or sophisticated enough
And it's not that I'm not man enough
He is not blaming himself for not fitting into this new location and situation
There's just somethin' easy goin' that I love
He misses the relaxed way of life in Tennessee that he is fond of
About you and Tennessee
He loves the person he is thinking of and the familiar feel of Tennessee as well
So I made up my mind to learn my lines
He resolved to adapt to the new environment and make the most of it
And try to play the part
He will try to fit in and rewire his habits to be able to embrace this change fully
But part of me is in Tennessee
But deep down, he doesn't want to let go of his memories and love for Tennessee
And deep down in my heart
In his heart, he knows that he is missing something important
I miss my smoky mountain home and I miss your lovin' too
He longs for his home in the mountains and the love of the person he is thinking of
And it's deep inside of me and it's always gonna be
His love for Tennessee and the person he desires is rooted deep inside his heart
'Cause this ain't Tennessee and she ain't you
Despite the and attempts to adjust to his new surroundings, it's still not where he wants to be, and he still longs to be with the person he loves in Tennessee
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Shaw, Larry Bastian
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind