Dixie Cannonball
Hank Williams Lyrics


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I'm a'headin' back to dixie,
That's the place I long to be,
Where the cotton grows and the suwanee flows,
That's home sweet home to me,
Where they meet you and they greet you,
With the sweetest how you are,
Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south,
On the dixie cannon- ball

On the dixie cannonball, on the dixie cannonball,
Just listen to the whistle, it'll thrill you one and all,
And I know there's some one waitin', with the sweetest how you are,
Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south, on the dixie cannonball

When I cross them smokey mountains. I'll be countin' every mile,
When the whistle blows, I'll be on my toes,
And I'll shuffle down the aisle,
And I know I'll not be lonesome,
When I see them treetops tall,
On the dixie cannonball

On the dixie cannonball, on the dixie cannonball,
Just listen to the whistle, it'll thrill you one and all,
And I know there's some one waitin', with the sweetest how you are,
Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south, on the dixie cannonball

Yes, I'm goin' back to dixie, that's the place I long to be,
Where the cotton grows and the suwanee flows,
That's home sweet home to me,
Where they meet you and they greet you,
With the sweetest how you are,
Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south,
On the dixie cannon- ball

On the dixie cannonball, on the dixie cannonball,
Just listen to the whistle, it'll thrill you one and all,




And I know there's some one waitin', with the sweetest how you are,
Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south, on the dixie cannonball

Overall Meaning

In Dixie Cannonball, Hank Williams sings about his yearning for home. He wishes to return back to the south where he belongs. He speaks of the cotton fields and the Suwannee river, and how it feels like home sweet home to him. Williams emphasizes on the southern hospitality, how people greet and meet with each other with the sweetest how you are. The song is written with a touch of nostalgia, it depicts Williams' affection towards his roots. The song is also about the train journey from the north to the south, he speaks of the excitement of traveling on a train, viewing the Smokey Mountains, counting every mile as the whistle blows. It's almost like he's on a mission to reclaim his southern identity. The song ends with Williams coming back to where he belongs and fulfilling his desire, which was long overdue.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm a'headin' back to dixie,
I am traveling to the southern United States where I wish to be.


That's the place I long to be,
That region is where I wish to reside.


Where the cotton grows and the suwanee flows,
It is an area where there is an abundance of cotton fields and a river named Suwannee that forms the border between Georgia and Florida.


That's home sweet home to me,
That place is where I feel a sense of belonging.


Where they meet you and they greet you,
People in the area are welcoming and friendly.


With the sweetest how you are,
The locals extend genuine and warm greetings.


Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south,
I am delighted to be traveling in the southern direction.


On the dixie cannon-ball
I am on a train called the Dixie Cannonball.


When the whistle blows, I'll be on my toes,
When the train whistle sounds, I'll be alert and ready to disembark.


And I'll shuffle down the aisle,
I will make my way through the train cabin.


And I know I'll not be lonesome,
I am confident that I will not be lonely.


When I see them treetops tall,
I will feel content when I see the tall trees in the area.


Yes, I'm goin' back to dixie,
I am returning to the southern United States.


On the dixie cannon- ball
I am still on the Dixie Cannonball train.


Just listen to the whistle, it'll thrill you one and all,
The sound of the Dixie Cannonball's whistle is exciting and enjoyable.


And I know there's someone waitin', with the sweetest how you are,
I am certain that there is someone in the area who will give me a warm greeting.


Well shut my mouth, I'm a'headin' south,
I am thrilled to be going in the southern direction.


On the dixie cannonball
I am still on the Dixie Cannonball train.




Contributed by Liam I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@SEYMOURTUCHAS

Never heard this Hank Williams song until today. Another Gem by the Hank!

@georgebeattie9056

I'm so glad I bought the album, the lonesome sound of hank williams in 1958 and glad to have so much pleasure in every track Including this classic,

@CO84trucker

I'll be traveling to Poland (one of my ancestral homelands) this coming spring. My plan is to fly into Frankfurt then make my way to Warsaw by train with a stopover in Berlin. To paraphrase Hank I, "When I cross the Odra River (πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡΅πŸ‡± border) I'll be counting every mile... on the Berlin-Warsawa-Express!"

@MichaelSmith-yp4vv

Such an awesome song! Long live Hank Williams and long Live Hank's Music!!

@rtovar2703

I had forgotten about this song! My mother's name was Dixie Cannon! Love this!

@ICU2HI

God Bless Dixie Cannon!

@randallhutchcraft4039

New to me,WOW, thought I had heard all of his songs.

@robenking1918

the late and great hank wiliams s r no one can take his place love u hank here on the rock of nl canada R I P hank

@livemummys

Another Great Train song by Hank β™« β™« β™« β™« β™« β™« Thanks for all you share :)

@Rustbelt_Research

I agree with the below comments.. Nobody sings this better than 'ole Hank himself!

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