Scott was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and raised in Detroit, an Italian hillbilly who worshipped Hank Williams, and became a rock and roll star. His first album, entitled Jack Scott. One of the first album recorded in stereo, it contained a mixture of rockabilly and ballads of which 10 were Scott's own compositions.
Recording for Carlton he came up with a rocking song about a friend in prison titled Leroy. The other side of the record was a sad ballad called My True Love.
Both songs were a smash in the Summer of 1958, the first going to #11 and the other as far as number 3 in Billboard's and made the Top Ten in Britain.
He followed it with Geraldine backed by With Your Love, the latter of which was a minor hit, With Your Love made Number 28 in the US later that year, Goodbye Baby peaked at Number 8 early in 1959 and was followed by The Way I Walk, a Top Forty hit that Robert Gordon revived in 1978.
Scott transferred to the new Top Rank label in 1959 and scored another huge success in the New Year with "What In The World's Come Over You." The song gave Scott his second gold disc, reaching Number 5 in the USA and Number 6 in the UK. Further successes followed Burning Bridge" (Number 3), Cool Water"/"It Only Happened Yesterday" but Scott was by then being steered towards a mainstream country style.
Listen and compare his "Blues stay away from me" with Bob Dylan’s, "Rainy Day Woman Numbers 12 and 35".
Cool Water
Jack Scott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Without the taste of water
Cool water (water)(water)(water)
Old Dan and I, with throats burned dry
An' souls that cry for water (water)(water)
Cool (water)
Clear (water)
Water (water, water)
A-keep a-movin, Dan (water)
Don't you listen to him, Dan (water, water)
He's the devil not a man
And he spreads the burning sand with water (water)
Dan, can't you see that big green tree (water)
Where the water's runnin' free (water)
And it's waitin' there for me and you
Cool clear water (water, water)
Shadows sway and seem to say
Tonight we pray for water
Cool water (water)(water)(water)
And way up there he'll hear our prayer
And show us where there's water (water)(water)
Cool (water)
Clear (water)
Water (water)(water, water)(water)
A-keep a-movin, Dan (water)
Don't you listen to him, Dan (water, water)
He's the devil not a man
And he spreads the burning sand with water (water)
Dan, can't you see that big green tree (water)
Where the water's runnin' free (water)
And it's waitin' there for me and you
Cool clear water (water, water)
(Keep a-movin, Dan) (water)
(Don't you listen to him, Dan) (water, water)
(He's the devil not a man)
(And he spreads the burning sand with water) (water, water, water)
Cool clear water (water, water, water)
The song Cool Water by Jack Scott tells a story of a man and his horse suffering from thirst and wandering in a barren desert. They are both in desperate need of water, and their situation forces them to keep moving, searching for a source of water. The song talks about the Devil, calling him an agent that spreads the burning sand all over the desert. The singer, who is presumably the horse rider, keeps encouraging his horse by assuring him that there is a big green tree in the distance, and there's a possibility of finding water that is runnin' free. Shadows sway and seem to say prayers for water.
The song is a metaphorical representation of the quest for something elusive: water in this scenario. It is a common theme in country and Western music to use the narrative of an arduous journey as a metaphor for personal struggles or relationships. The lyrics about the big green tree and the free-running water may represent the singer's desire for something they can't find, and as they continue to search, they remain hopeful that they will find whatever they are seeking.
Jack Scott's Cool Water was first recorded in 1956, and it was a hit song in North America. The song was particularly popular amongst cowboy fans and horse riders. It was not an original song by Jack Scott, but it was a cover of a song that was originally performed by Bob Nolan of the Sons of the Pioneers group in 1941.
Line by Line Meaning
All day I face a barren waste
Throughout the day, I confront a deserted area with no vegetation.
Without the taste of water
Devoid of water, unable to consume or experience its taste.
Cool water (water)(water)(water)
The yearning for cool and refreshing water multiples and is repeated thrice.
Old Dan and I, with throats burned dry
My loyal companion, Old Dan and I, suffer from parched throats due to dehydration.
An' souls that cry for water (water)(water)
Our souls and bodies crave for water, yearn for its presence and repeated thrice to emphasize the anguish.
Cool (water)
Coolness is a unique attribute of the water, which is highlighted by mentioning it separately.
Clear (water)
The clarity of water is emphasized and stands out as a unique characteristic in comparison to other fluids.
Water (water, water)
The word 'water' is reiterated two times to stress the significance of this miraculous liquid.
A-keep a-movin, Dan (water)
It is necessary to keep moving, Dan while reiterating the importance of water again.
Don't you listen to him, Dan (water, water)
The advice to ignore 'his' chatter and concentrate on finding water is reinforced by repeating it twice.
He's the devil not a man
The person or situation causing hardship and pain is referred to as the devil, not just a simple man.
And he spreads the burning sand with water (water)
The manipulator aggravates the situation by providing a false sense of hope, creating further turmoil.
Dan, can't you see that big green tree (water)
A significant landmark that can lead to water, like a green tree, is sought to survive.
Where the water's runnin' free (water)
The tree is a symbol of hope as it points the direction where the water flows freely.
And it's waitin' there for me and you
Hope that the elusive water source is attainable and waiting for us to reach it.
Cool clear water (water, water)
The last time the importance of cool and clear water is emphasized before the song ends.
Shadows sway and seem to say
It's dark and eerie, and shadows sway, giving an impression that they are whispering.
Tonight we pray for water
Water is so important that we take help from the higher power, and tonight prayer is directed towards it.
And way up there he'll hear our prayer
Hope that the divine will listen to us and grant relief from the absence of water.
And show us where there's water (water)(water)
It is expected that the supreme power will guide and point us in the direction of water, reiterated twice.
Water (water)
The word 'water' is emphasized again to denote the significance of this natural resource.
(Keep a-movin, Dan) (water)
An urgent need to keep moving to find water is again reiterated.
(Don't you listen to him, Dan) (water, water)
The advice to ignore the wrong people and trust one's instincts in finding water is repeated.
(He's the devil not a man)
The person who creates the hardship is compared to the devil and is not simply a human being.
(And he spreads the burning sand with water) (water, water, water)
The manipulator amplifies the misery by sprinkling water on sand, causing scorching and confusion and is repeated thrice.
Cool clear water (water, water, water)
The importance of water, especially when it is clean and cold, reiterated thrice before song ends.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Nolan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jussix48
Excellent singing, great number...! 🙂👍🏿👍🏿
@danielburns987
this song only went to #85 on the pop charts in 1960!!!
@jussix48
😮😮😮...
@jimhilliker2450
Jack Scott always sounded country to me. I like this. Did this make the C and W chart at all? I didn't hear this until a friend made me a CD and this was on it. So, I'm a bit prejudiced. I have heard this a few times here at home. Thanks for posting.
@TheLeonhamm
A great tune .. smothered by the over-done accompaniment. Nice enough as a B-side, but not exactly a great treatment. Hey! it sold well - just missing the US Top Fifty.
What an era!
@SSN515
Buster Scruggs!
@jussix48
What do you mean...? 🤔
@SSN515
@juha vesanen Check out the opening scene from "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs". It on the Youtube. Also the Cantina, and some other scenes.
@bryanrendleman2001
NO !
I'm not sure this guy can even ride a horse.
Lol
@donporter8432
Can't hear a thing