Wilkes is perhaps best known as the founder of the Legendary Shack Shakers, a Southern Gothic rock and blues band formed in the mid 90s. Fans of his work with Legendary Shack Shakers include Stephen King, Robert Plant and former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra. Rolling Stone named Wilkes as the “best frontman” at the 2015 Americana Music Association Festival for his performance with the band. Regarding the group’s "southern gothic" lyricism, Billboard Magazine said "[Wilkes writes] mind-blowing lyrics rife with Biblical references and ruminations of life, death, sin and redemption.” Legendary Shack Shakers have toured with the likes of Robert Plant and The Black Keys, among others. Their music has been featured in HBO’s True Blood series, and in a long-running Geico commercial.
JD Wilkes has been compared to iconoclasts like David Byrne, Iggy Pop, or Jerry Lee Lewis, and with his small, wiry frame and intense, incandescent performances, it’s not hard to see why. But while he plays the carnival barker onstage, he’s a dedicated lifelong student of true Southern culture. Master banjo player Dom Flemons said, “JD is a real old-Kentucky banjo player and he can take that to the bank! I gotta watch out next time I see his banjo.” A resident of Paducah, Kentucky, Wilkes is a Kentucky Colonel, an honorable title bestowed by the state's Governor upon those with a connection to, or who are famous residents of the state of Kentucky. In 2015, Wilkes was featured on the BBC original series Songs of the South, in an episode focusing on the musical history of Tennessee and Kentucky.
Aside from his prolific career in music, Wilkes is also a published writer, having recently authored the book Barn Dances and Jamborees Across Kentucky, an exploration of his state’s social music and dance history based on extensive fieldwork and research. A true Southern Renaissance man, Wilkes is also an accomplished visual artist (specializing in comics, sideshow banners and book illustrations) as well as a documentary filmmaker (his documentary Seven Signs explores “music, myths, and the American South” and was screened at the UK’s prestigious Raindance Film Festival).
River Song
J.D. Wilkes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Must be my baby coming home
She's been down in Tupelo,
Singing that river boat song
She is a dancer, a river queen
She'll teach them gamblers most anything
She's been down in Tupelo,
Singing that river boat song
Many days there ain't nobody home
Many times I wish she was here
Yeah, that river boat whistle blows
I know she's getting near
River captain, bring my baby home
I get so lonesome since she's been gone
She's been down in Tupelo,
Working the river boat song
The lyrics of J.D. Wilkes's song "River Song" talk about the longing for someone who is away, and the hope that they will return. The opening lines, "I hear a whistle, I hear a moan / Must be my baby coming home" suggest that the singer has been waiting for someone special to return. The mention of Tupelo, a city in Mississippi known for its association with Elvis Presley, adds to the sense of longing and nostalgia. The person who the singer is waiting for, the "river queen", is a dancer and a river captain's wife who "teaches gamblers most anything". The river queen is portrayed as a free spirit, someone who is not bound by the rules of society, but instead makes her own rules.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear a whistle, I hear a moan
I sense the sound of a river boat whistle, and the moaning of the river, signaling my lover's return home.
Must be my baby coming home
I am sure that my love is arriving soon, after being away for a while.
She's been down in Tupelo, Singing that river boat song
My sweetheart has been in Tupelo, performing and singing the river boat song, which she's known for.
She is a dancer, a river queen
She's a talented dancer and queen of the river, respected and loved by everyone around her.
She'll teach them gamblers most anything
She has the skill to teach even the most cunning gamblers a lesson or two, with her charm and wit.
Many nights I spend alone
I'm used to spending countless nights alone, missing her company and longing for her arrival.
Many days there ain't nobody home
Often, there's nobody home to keep me company, and the emptiness of the house accentuates how much I miss her.
Many times I wish she was here
I often wish that she was here with me, to share my joys and sorrows, and add warmth to my life.
Yeah, that river boat whistle blows
As soon as I hear the sound of the river boat whistle, I know that she's getting closer to me.
I know she's getting near
I can sense that she's getting closer, with each passing moment, and it fills me with joy and anticipation.
River captain, bring my baby home
I'm praying for the river captain to safely bring my sweetheart to me, to finally end this unbearable separation.
I get so lonesome since she's been gone
I feel so lonely without her, and the longing for her presence never fades, even for a single moment.
She's been down in Tupelo, Working the river boat song
She's been away, performing and working tirelessly to perfect her river boat song, which is beloved by all who hear it.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: J J CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind