Gene Watson (born October 11, 1943) is an American country singer. He is mo… Read Full Bio ↴Gene Watson (born October 11, 1943) is an American country singer. He is most famous for his 1975 hit "Love in the Hot Afternoon" and his 1982 hit "Fourteen Carat Mind."

[edit] Biography
Watson was born in Palestine, Texas, in 1943 and began his music career in the early 1970s, performing in local clubs at night while working in a Houston auto body shop during the day. He only recorded for a few small, regional record labels until 1974, when Capitol Records picked up his album Love in the Hot Afternoon and released it nationally. The title track, a mid-tempo ballad in 3/4 time, was released in June 1975 and it quickly reached Number 3 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart.

Watson's national success continued throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, as he recorded several Billboard top-40 hits, including "Where Love Begins," "Paper Rosie," "Should I Go Home (or Should I Go Crazy)," "Nothing Sure Looked Good on You." and "Farewell Party" which was released in 1979 and quickly became Watson's signature song and soon allowed Watson to name his band after the tragic ballad.

In 1982, after switching to the MCA label, he recorded the only number-one hit of his career, "Fourteen Carat Mind." He followed up with several more hits in the early 1980s, including "Speak Softly (You're Talking to My Heart)," "You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without" and "Got No Reason Now for Going Home." By the mid-1980s, he was recording for Epic Records, where his most notable hit was 1985's "Memories to Burn."

Watson never gave up his classical country style, even as he continued to record music throughout the 1980s. He signed with Warner Bros. and released two new albums in 1989 and 1991. He recorded his last album, From the Heart, under the Row Music Group label in 2001.

In 2005, Watson released his latest album, "Then & Now."

In May 2007, Gene Watson signed with the independent Shanachie Records & began work on his first album for the label, which will include new material, along with at least 3 covers of some of Gene's favourite classic country tunes including Merle Haggard's classic "Today I started Loving You Again". The new album, 'In a Perfect World', will be officially released on Tuesday 25 September 2007.

It was also in May 2007 (Saturday 5 May 2007) that the (all new) Gene Watson Site went 'live'. The site, which is owned & maintained by Sean Brady, is based in the Republic of Ireland & receives full support from Sarah Brosmer at Lytle Management in Nashville (Gene Watson's management team) & Gene Watson himself.

In September 2007 "In A Perfect World" was released to the public. The album was received by the country music industry as being one of the best recordings of the year.

[edit] External links
The Official Gene Watson Site
Gene Watson Site Based in Ireland
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Watson"
Categories: 1943 births | American country singers | American male singers | Living people | People from Anderson County, Texas | People from Houston, Texas

Though he can sing honky-tonk, Gene Watson built a reputation for soulful ballads in the classical country tradition. Born one of seven children in Palestine, TX, Watson married early and was working as an auto-body man when he began frequenting the clubs in Houston. He recorded for a few small-time regional labels during the early '70s like Wide World and Stoneway. Watson finally had success in 1974, when a steamy single for Resco "Love in the Hot Afternoon" was picked up for national distribution by Capitol Records, igniting a firestorm of national hits: "Where Love Begins," "Paper Rosie," "Farewell Party," "Should I Come Home (Or Should I Go Crazy)," and "Nothing Sure Looked Good on You." In 1982, shortly after moving to MCA, Watson recorded his only chart-topper, "Fourteen Carat Mind." A parade of Top Ten entries followed during the early '80s, including "Speak Softly (You're Talking to My Heart)" and "You're Out Doing What I'm Here Doing Without." Watson is a vocal stylist of considerable talent, and still owns his own body shop.

Drinkin' My Way Back Home
Gene Watson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I sobered up in Houston
In the bed of my pickup truck
My head was hangin' so heavy
I could hardly hold it up

I got to thinkin' 'bout
Sweet little woman I left all alone
And that's when I started rollin'

Drinkin' my way back home

Drinkin' my way back home
Listenin' to a honky tonk song
I hope the Devil in my soul don't steer me wrong
'Cause I'm drinkin' my way back home

I can feel that Texas sun
Down on this redneck of mine
Every time I pop top
I'm getting closer to the Arkansas line

I left a trail of Lone Star beers
From here to San Antone
So, baby, here I come, don't worry
Drinkin' my way back home

Drinkin' my way back home
Listenin' to a honky tonk song
I hope the Devil in my soul don't steer me wrong
'Cause I'm drinkin' my way back home

Drinkin' my way back home
Listenin' to a honky tonk song
I hope the Devil in my soul don't steer me wrong
'Cause I'm drinkin' my way back home

Here I come, baby

Overall Meaning

The song "Drinkin' My Way Back Home" by Gene Watson is a classic country tune that tells the story of a man who is on a journey to return home after a long night of drinking in Houston. The lyrics describe the singer's state of mind as he sobers up in the bed of his pickup truck, and how he is struggling to hold up his head due to the hangover. He starts to think about his sweet little woman who he left all alone at home, and he decides that he needs to start heading back to her. However, instead of driving sober, he starts drinking again and embarks on a journey back home while listening to honky-tonk music.

The singer describes how he can feel the heat of the Texas sun beating down on him as he pops open a Lone Star beer and slowly makes his way back home, leaving a trail of empty beer cans behind him. He hopes that the devil in his soul will not steer him wrong on this journey, but he can't help himself from drinking his way back home. The song ends with the singer declaring that he is on his way back home to his lover, and he hopes that she's not worried.

Overall, "Drinkin' My Way Back Home" is a classic country song that captures the essence of the genre. It tells the story of a man who is struggling with his emotions, and is using alcohol to self-medicate. The song paints a vivid picture of the trials and tribulations of small-town life, and the importance of love and relationships in the face of hardship.

Line by Line Meaning

I sobered up in Houston
I regained consciousness in Houston after being under the influence of alcohol

In the bed of my pickup truck
I woke up in the bed of my truck as it was the only place I had to sleep

My head was hangin' so heavy, I could hardly hold it up
I had a severe hangover that made my head feel very heavy and painful to move

I got to thinkin' 'bout sweet little woman I left all alone
I started thinking about the woman I left back home and how I had upset her

And that's when I started rollin' drinkin' my way back home
Realizing my mistake, I decided to drown my sorrows in alcohol and start my journey back home

I can feel that Texas sun down on this redneck of mine
The sun in Texas is hot and I can feel it on my skin, as I am a traditional southern man

Every time I pop top, I'm getting closer to the Arkansas line
With every beer I drink, I am moving closer to the state border of Arkansas

I left a trail of Lone Star beers from here to San Antone
I consumed many cans of Lone Star beer during my journey from Houston to San Antonio

So, baby, here I come, don't worry drinkin' my way back home
I am letting my woman know that I am on my way back home and not to worry, as I am drinking to ease my pain and regrets

Listenin' to a honky tonk song
I am listening to country music, commonly played in honky tonk bars

I hope the Devil in my soul don't steer me wrong
I hope my personal demons and struggles with alcohol do not cause me to make bad decisions on my way back home

'Cause I'm drinkin' my way back home
I am drinking alcohol to cope with my feelings and regrets as I travel back home

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SHERRILL MUSIC
Written by: DON J. SCAIFE, PHIL S. THOMAS, RONNY SCAIFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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