[edit] Career
Henson's career started in his home state of Oklahoma, performing at clubs around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. His family was active in politics and raised buffalo on a ranch outside Oklahoma City. In the mid 1960s, Henson moved to Nashville and became a member of the vocal group The Kimberlys. After leaving the group, Henson started on his solo career, and in 1967, he signed with Monument Records, and he immediately scored in a big way with a song called "Skip a Rope". The song became a huge hit, spending six weeks at Number 1 on the country charts in 1968 and also making the Top 25 on the Pop charts.
[edit] After Skip a Rope and Later Career
After "Skip a Rope", Cargill continued to have Top 20 hits with such songs as "Row Row Row" (1968), "None Of My Business" (his only other Top 10) (1969), and "The Most Uncomplicated Goodbye I Ever Heard" (1970). Later, he had a television show, Country Hayride, and performed for many years in Reno and Las Vegas. Johnny Cash was godfather to his oldest son, Cash.
After leaving Monument Records, Henson moved to Mega Records in 1971, where he scored several minor hits. In 1973, he made a strong comeback to the charts when he signed with Atlantic Records and scored 2 Top 30 hits in 1974 with "Some Old California Memory" and a version of Mac Davis' "Stop And Smell The Roses". In 1980, he formed his own record label Copper Mountain Records and he scored his last Top 30 hit that year with "Silence On The Line". In the late 1980s he retired to Oklahoma City and died on March 24, 2007
Saginaw Michigan
Henson Cargill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I grew up in a house on Saginaw bay
My dad was a poor hard working Saginaw fisherman
Too many times he came home with too little pay
I loved a girl in Saginaw Michigan
The daughter of a wealthy wealthy man
But he called me that son of a Saginaw fisherman
That's why I'm up here in Alaska looking around for gold
Like a crazy fool I'm digging in the frozen ground so cold
But with each new day I pray I'll strike it rich and then
I'll go back home and claim my love in Saginaw Michigan
I wrote my love in Saginaw Michigan
I said honey I'm comin' home please wait for me
You can tell your dad I'm coming back a richer man
I've hit the biggest strike in Klondyke history
Her dad met me in Saginaw Michigan
He gave me a great big party with champagne
Then he said son you're a wise young ambitious man
Will you sell your father-in-law your Klondyke claim
So now he's up there in Alaska diggin' in the cold cold ground
Well the greedy fool is lookin' for the gold I never found
It serves him right and no one here is missin' him
Least of all the newly weds in Saginaw Michigan
Least of all the newly weds in Saginaw Michigan
The song "Saginaw Michigan" by Henson Cargill tells the story of a young man who grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, and fell in love with a girl from a wealthy family. However, her father did not approve of him because he was the son of a poor fisherman who could not provide for his daughter. The young man decides to go to Alaska to try to find gold so he can come back and be with his love.
The lyrics capture the struggle of working-class Americans during the 1960s and the harsh realities of life in rural towns like Saginaw. They highlight the social class gap that existed at the time and the challenges that people faced in trying to break free from their circumstances. The song also portrays the hope that people held during this era, as the young man dreams of "striking it rich" and winning the love of his life.
Overall, "Saginaw Michigan" is a moving ballad that tells a relatable story of love and struggle. Its lyrics capture the essence of the time and provide a glimpse into the social and economic hardships of working-class Americans.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in Saginaw Michigan
I came into this world in Saginaw Michigan
I grew up in a house on Saginaw bay
I spent my childhood growing up in a house located on Saginaw Bay
My dad was a poor hard working Saginaw fisherman
My father was a hard-working Saginaw fisherman who struggled to make ends meet
Too many times he came home with too little pay
He often returned home with a meager income which was not enough to support the family
I loved a girl in Saginaw Michigan
I was in love with a girl who lived in Saginaw Michigan
The daughter of a wealthy wealthy man
She was the daughter of a very rich man
But he called me that son of a Saginaw fisherman
He didn't approve of me and referred to me as the son of a Saginaw fisherman
Not good enough to claim his daughter's hand
He deemed me unworthy of marrying his daughter
That's why I'm up here in Alaska looking around for gold
I'm in Alaska searching for gold because of my broken heart and to prove my worth to my love's father
Like a crazy fool I'm digging in the frozen ground so cold
I'm digging in the icy soil recklessly and irresponsibly like a madman
But with each new day I pray I'll strike it rich and then
Every day I hope to find gold and strike it rich
I'll go back home and claim my love in Saginaw Michigan
My ultimate goal is to return to Saginaw Michigan and ask for my love's hand in marriage
I wrote my love in Saginaw Michigan
I sent a letter to my love in Saginaw Michigan
I said honey I'm comin' home please wait for me
I asked her to wait for me and that I'm coming back home
You can tell your dad I'm coming back a richer man
I promised her that I'll return wealthier than before and worthy of her father's approval
I've hit the biggest strike in Klondyke history
I struck gold - the biggest discovery in Klondyke
Her dad met me in Saginaw Michigan
I met her father in Saginaw Michigan
He gave me a great big party with champagne
He celebrated my return with an extravagant party featuring champagne
Then he said son you're a wise young ambitious man
He praised me and called me a smart and motivated young man
Will you sell your father-in-law your Klondyke claim
He asked me if I would sell my gold claim to him, my future father-in-law
So now he's up there in Alaska diggin' in the cold cold ground
He's now in Alaska, digging relentlessly in the snow and ice
Well the greedy fool is lookin' for the gold I never found
My father-in-law is foolishly searching for the gold that I never actually found
It serves him right and no one here is missin' him
It's his own fault, and no one here is upset about his absence
Least of all the newly weds in Saginaw Michigan
Most of all, the newlyweds in Saginaw Michigan are happy without him around
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ron Taylor
on So Many Ways of Saying She's Gone
first time ive heard all these songs-wonderful