1991
Golan Zocher Lyrics
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Get you a copper coil.
Fill it with new made corn mash
And never more you′ll toil.
You'll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
Build you a fire with hickory,
Hickory, ash, and oak.
Don′t use no green or rotten wood,
It'll get you by the smoke.
We'll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight.
My daddy, he made whiskey.
My granddaddy, he did too.
We ain′t paid no whiskey tax
Since 1792.
We′ll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight.
The lyrics to Golan Zocher's song "1991" are an excerpt from the well-known old moonshine-making song "Copper Kettle", which had various renditions by different artists over the years. The song depicts the process of making moonshine, which involves using a copper kettle and a copper coil to distill corn mash into whiskey. The first stanza instructs the listener to procure the necessary equipment, and promises an end to toil once the whiskey is made. The second stanza provides instructions for making a fire with specific types of wood and warns against using rotten wood. The third stanza is a nod to the tradition of moonshining in the singer's family and declares that they have avoided paying taxes on their product for over 200 years. All three stanzas end with a description of laying by the juniper tree and watching the moonlit jugs fill up with whiskey.
Despite its depiction of an illegal activity and a history of tax evasion, the song has endured as a beloved folk tune in the United States due to its catchy melody and playful lyrics. It has been covered by artists such as Joan Baez, The Dillards, and Bob Dylan, and has been featured in films and TV shows such as "The Waltons" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". The song also has historical significance as it reflects the longstanding tradition of moonshining in Appalachia, where many families continued to make homemade whiskey even after it became illegal in the US in the 1920s. Moonshining was seen as a way to supplement income during hard times, and many families relied on it as a source of income during prohibition.
Line by Line Meaning
Get you a copper kettle,
Acquire for yourself a container made of copper,
Get you a copper coil.
Obtain a twisted copper tubing that aids in the cooling process.
Fill it with new made corn mash
Use corn mash that has just been made to fill the copper container.
And never more you'll toil.
By following these steps, you will no longer have to put in effort to make whiskey.
You'll just lay there by the juniper,
You can simply lay down by the juniper plant.
While the moon is bright.
When the moon is bright and shining in the sky.
Watch them jugs a-filling
Observe the jugs being filled with the homemade whiskey.
In the pale moonlight.
When the moonlight gives everything a pale glow.
Build you a fire with hickory,
Construct a fire using pieces of hickory wood.
Hickory, ash, and oak.
These specific types of wood are ideal for building a fire.
Don't use no green or rotten wood,
Do not utilize any wood that is still alive or has started to decay.
It'll get you by the smoke.
This will help prevent the whiskey from becoming contaminated by smoke.
My daddy, he made whiskey.
My father has made whiskey before.
My granddaddy, he did too.
My grandfather has also made whiskey in the past.
We ain't paid no whiskey tax
We have not paid any tax on homemade whiskey.
Since 1792.
This has been the case since the year 1792.
We'll just lay there by the juniper,
Again, we can simply lay down by the juniper plant.
While the moon is bright.
When the moon is bright and shining in the sky.
Watch them jugs a-filling
Once more, observe the jugs being filled with homemade whiskey.
In the pale moonlight.
When the moonlight gives everything a pale glow.
Writer(s): A.f. Beddoe
Contributed by Mateo F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Peter
wow that bass change half way through, absolute blast of energy!!
Sanja Savic
Beautiful Progressive 💖💕
Blue Rose
Amazing
Jasmina Markovic
<3 !!
Blue Rose
Choopie kome
Blue Rose
great work