During the late 1950s, Crosby was a member of a local Oneonta teen band called The Tones. The band traveled to Philadelphia to audition for Dick Clark's "American Bandstand", but were turned down. Members of the band found Dick Clark's house and were able to get a recommendation to audition at New York City's Baton Records through the company's lead producer Sol Rabinowitz. The band was given a recording contract, but the studio wanted a quintet backed by studio musicians, which left Crosby and another member out of their recordings.
After high school, Crosby joined the National Guard, but his thirst for adventure led him to go AWOL and roam the country busking for a living in areas like New Orleans, Texas, Florida, and New York. He played mostly ukulele until Harriet Ottenheimer, one of the founders of The Quorum, got him settled on a guitar in 1963. He adopted his stage name "Jerry Jeff Walker" in 1966. He spent his early folk music days in Greenwich Village in the mid 1960s. He co-founded a band with Bob Bruno in the late 1960s called Circus Maximus that put out two albums one with the popular west coast hit "Wind", but Bruno's interest in jazz apparently diverged from Walker's interest in folk music. Walker thus resumed his solo career and recorded the seminal album "Mr. Bojangles" with the help of David Bromberg and other influential Atlantic recording artists. He settled in Austin, Texas, in the 1970s associating mainly with the country-rock outlaw scene that included artists such as Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, and Townes Van Zandt.
"Mr. Bojangles" (written by Walker) is perhaps his most well-known and most-often covered song. It was about an obscure alcoholic but talented tap-dancing drifter, (not the famous stage and movie dancer Bill Robinson, as usually assumed). Bojangles is thought to have been a folk character who entertained informally in the south of the US and California, and some say he might have been one of the most gifted natural dancers ever. Authentic reports of him exist from the 1920s through about 1965. Artists from Nina Simone to Bob Dylan, Philip Glass to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, have covered the song. Walker has also recorded songs written by others such as "LA Freeway" (Guy Clark), and "Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mother" (Ray Wylie Hubbard).
A string of records for MCA and Elektra followed Jerry Jeff's move to Austin, before he gave up on the mainstream music business and formed his own independent record label. Tried & True Music was founded in 1986, with his wife Susan as President and manager. Susan also founded Goodknight Music as his management company and Tried & True Artists for his bookings. A series of increasingly autobiographical records followed under the Tried & True imprint. Tried & True also sells his autobiography called "Gypsy Songman". In 2004, Jerry Jeff released his first DVD of songs from his past as performed in an intimate setting in Austin, TX.
He interpreted the songs of others like Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Keith Sykes, Paul Siebel, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider and even a rodeo clown named Billy Jim Baker.
His son, Django Walker, is also a musician. In addition to his residence in Austin, Walker had a retreat on Ambergris Caye in Belize where he recorded his "Cowboy Boots and Bathing Suits" album in 1998.
Members of his band varied over the years. The Lost Gonzo Band and the Gonzo Compadres have backed him in the past. Key members of his band included Craig Hillis - guitarist and arranger on Viva Terlingua, John Inmon, Freddy Krc, Gary P. Nunn, Bob Livingston, Bobby Rambo, Mitch Watkins, Steve Samuel, David Bromberg and others.
Hairy Ass Hillbillies
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a pea green windowless room
Four o'clock and the TV's dead
Wired up with nothin' to do
I drunk all my whiskey I smoked all my beer
I'm already gone I just got here
An old hairy ass hillbilly
Still up and hangin' on
Made me think of a Similar time
In the Tropicannibal motel
Takin' showers 'bout every hour
'Cause I wasn't really feelin' well
Well in walked the Alabama Leanin' Man
His ol' buddy Billy Swann
Two old hairy ass hillbillies
Still up and hangin' on
[Chorus]
Takes a friend to make you laugh
A slap on the back someone who knows
Right where you're at
A friend in town who just heard you're around
Came by see how you're gettin' along
Most people go out to clubs
Just to see an electric dildo
A human jutebox who loves to play
Every single song they know
But they don't care if you blow your soul
They usually stand up and tell you so
And leave that hairy ass hillbilly
Still up and hangin' on
So wherever you may be tonight
I wish you luck
You may be with a friend of yours
And may your friend be your lady love
But if you gotta go and do a show
And afterwards you got no where to go
You're just a hairy ass hillbilly
Still up and hangin' on
Chorus
The lyrics to Jerry Jeff Walker's song Hairy Ass Hillbillies paint a vivid picture of an unconventional lifestyle, particularly one enjoyed by two "old hairy ass hillbillies" who remain up and "hangin' on" despite their booze-fueled partying. The lyrics describe a time when the singer was sitting in a windowless room with nothing to do, having consumed all of his whiskey and beer. However, the memory of some good times with friends made him feel better, such as when he was staying in the Tropicannibal motel, taking an excessive number of showers because he wasn't feeling well, but two of his old pals came by: the Alabama Leanin' Man and his old buddy Billy Swann. They were both old hairy ass hillbillies and were still up and hangin' on.
The song's chorus speaks to the value of genuine friendships, particularly those that involve mutual understanding and support. At the clubs, people go to hear music, but the "human jukebox" artists don't care if they leave their souls behind as well. However, with friends, it's different. They know who you are, and they can make you laugh, slap you on the back, and be there for you when you need them. And finally, the song ends with the message that no matter where you might end up in life, always be true to yourself and keep enjoying it as the hairy ass hillbillies do.
Line by Line Meaning
This song it was written down
The origin of this song is in a small, uncomfortable, windowless room where there is nothing to do and time seems to drag
In a pea green windowless room
The room where the song was born is devoid of color, light or a view of the outside world
Four o'clock and the TV's dead
It is a dull, lifeless time, where the television is not functioning or showing anything of interest
Wired up with nothin' to do
Being bored and restless with no activities or distractions to engage in
I drunk all my whiskey I smoked all my beer
Having consumed all the available alcohol, feeling buzzed or intoxicated as a result
I'm already gone I just got here
Feeling like you want to leave or escape from the current situation despite having only just arrived
An old hairy ass hillbilly
A rustic, weathered and unrefined person from the country who may be a bit crass or unconventional
Still up and hangin' on
Despite the challenges or hardships, this person is still persevering or staying afloat
Made me think of a Similar time
Listening to this song triggered memories or associations with a similar experience
In the Tropicannibal motel
A run-down, shady hotel with a name that is a tacky play on words
Takin' showers 'bout every hour
Feeling the need to cleanse oneself frequently, perhaps due to heightened anxiety or discomfort
'Cause I wasn't really feelin' well
Feeling unwell, under the weather or experiencing physical distress
Well in walked the Alabama Leanin' Man
A new person enters the scene who is identified by a nickname that provides some insight into their personality or background
His ol' buddy Billy Swann
The new person is accompanied by a friend who has a name that is memorable or interesting
Two old hairy ass hillbillies
The newcomers share a common bond with the singer and present themselves as similarly gruff or unpolished
Still up and hangin' on
All three individuals, despite their differences, are able to endure and persist through tough times
Takes a friend to make you laugh
Having someone you trust and enjoy spending time with is key to experiencing joy, levity or humor
A slap on the back someone who knows
A gesture of physical or emotional support from someone who understands you well or has a shared history
Right where you're at
Supporting and accepting someone as they are, without expecting or demanding changes or improvement
A friend in town who just heard you're around
Someone who cares about your well-being who heard that you were nearby and came to see you
Came by see how you're gettin' along
Making an effort to check in and catch up with someone to see how they are coping or adapting to their circumstances
Most people go out to clubs
A common social activity where people gather to be entertained or engage in nightlife
Just to see an electric dildo
A reference to a musician or performer who relies heavily on electronic or technological enhancements to create their music
A human jutebox who loves to play
An artist who is known to have a vast repertoire and can play a variety of songs that people request
Every single song they know
The performer is willing and able to play any song request, regardless of the genre or era
But they don't care if you blow your soul
Despite the endless entertainment options, the performers may not be invested in the emotional or personal experience of their audience
They usually stand up and tell you so
It is not uncommon for audience members to become critical or unsatisfied with the performance and express their displeasure vocally
And leave that hairy ass hillbilly
Someone who is not impressed with the entertainment may leave and miss out on the more authentic and genuine experiences shared by others
Still up and hangin' on
The people who value authenticity and real connections are still present and enjoying themselves, despite the departure of others
So wherever you may be tonight
The song's narrator is addressing the listener directly and acknowledging that they may be in a different location or frame of mind
I wish you luck
Sharing a positive sentiment of goodwill and hoping that things are going well for the listener
You may be with a friend of yours
Suggesting that the listener may be in the midst of a desired social experience with someone close to them
And may your friend be your lady love
Wishing more specifically that the person they are with is someone they feel romantic or intimate feelings toward
But if you gotta go and do a show
Anticipating that some listeners may have professional or creative obligations that require their attention elsewhere
And afterwards you got no where to go
Recognizing that, in some cases, the afterglow of a performance can be lonely or isolating
You're just a hairy ass hillbilly
Empathizing with the feeling of displacement and a lack of belonging or identity
Still up and hangin' on
Hoping that despite these challenges, the listener is still capable of enduring and finding joy in their circumstances
Chorus
A repeating melody and lyrics that emphasize the importance of friendship and genuine human interaction over more superficial or artificial experiences
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@severalboogie
Thanks, Gabe. This tune changed my life so many years ago.
@dtongay
It wasn't until I took a job at the Tropicana Motel that I truly understood this song. There, I met Tom Waits, Ricki Lee Jones, Bob Dylan, the Ramones (I had to evict them-bad scene), and Chuck E Weiss, the legend.
@william.2102
Havent heard this since 1976. thanks!
@conniedulaney5015
Someone who knows right where you’re at?
We all need that or want it!
@TheSchmidty63
RIP, JJW
@flyingjay52
True: "It takes a friend to make you laugh"
@chipsdeluxe8622
don't matter what year we post to this...it's right now
@Lea99Jones
Peagreen & windowless room!
@MinnieCoffeepauper
😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
@MrWc867
I sure hope he did not make a video for this one, Lord help us!