Gilmore is a native of the Texas Panhandle, having been born in Amarillo, T… Read Full Bio ↴Gilmore is a native of the Texas Panhandle, having been born in Amarillo, Texas and raised in Lubbock, Texas. His earliest musical influence was Hank Williams and the honky tonk brand of country music that his father played. In the 1950s, he was exposed to the emerging rock and roll of other Texans such as Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Lubbock native Buddy Holly. He was profoundly influenced in the 1960s by the likes of The Beatles and Bob Dylan and the folk music and blues revival in that decade.

Gilmore also played "Smokey" in The Big Lebowski

Because of the Wind
Jimmie Dale Gilmore Lyrics

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Do you know why the trees bend
At the West Texas border?
Do you know why they bend,
And sway and twine?
The trees bend because of the wind
Along that lonesome border.
The trees bend because of the wind
All along the line.

Have you seen my Caroleen
Up in Amarillo?
Have you seen my Caroleen
The one that I call mine?
Well, if you see my Caroleen
With her hair of yellow
If you see my Caroleen
Tell her I'm doin' fine.

She is to me just like the breeze
That blows from Corpus Christi.
She is to me just like the breeze
That blows up from the sea.
Well, if she is like the breeze
That blows from Corpus Christi
Then I must be like the trees,
Cause Caroleen blows through me.

Do you know why the trees bend
At the West Texas border?
Do you know why they bend,
And sway and twine?
The trees bend because of the wind
Along that lonesome border.
The trees bend because of the wind

Almost all the time.

The trees bend because of the wind
All along the line.

Overall Meaning

The song “Because of the Wind” by Jimmie Dale Gilmore is a beautiful and simple piece that incorporates the theme of nature in the form of wind and trees with human emotions. The lyrics revolve around the West Texas border where the trees bend and sway because of the wind. The trees have become symbols of resilience and strength against the forces of nature, just like the singer's love for Caroleen. The wind represents a force of change, something that is unstoppable, but also something that is necessary for life to move ahead.

With the mention of Caroleen, who is the singer's love, the song becomes a love letter to her that paints her as his shining light. She is compared to the breeze that blows from Corpus Christi and the way the trees bend with the wind, symbolizing how she affects him deeply. Just like the wind and the trees, Caroleen has become an important part of his life, and he wants her to know he is doing fine. The song portrays a sense of longing and understanding towards the forces of nature and the unpredictability of love.

Overall, the song is a beautiful and simple representation of the relationships between humans and nature. The wind bends the trees, and in the same way, our loved ones can have a profound effect on us. The song is both literal and metaphorical, reflecting on the beauty of the natural world and the power of love.

Line by Line Meaning

Do you know why the trees bend At the West Texas border?
Have you ever wondered about the reason for the bending of trees at Western Texas border?

Do you know why they bend, And sway and twine?
Do you know about the movement of trees along the border as they bend, sway, and twine?

The trees bend because of the wind Along that lonesome border.
The trees bow due to the pressure exerted by the wind on that deserted border.

The trees bend because of the wind All along the line.
Due to the wind's constant movement, the trees bend along the border's entire length.

Have you seen my Caroleen Up in Amarillo?
Have you seen my beloved Caroleen in Amarillo?

Have you seen my Caroleen The one that I call mine?
Did you get a glimpse of my beloved Caroleen, who I adore?

Well, if you see my Caroleen With her hair of yellow
If you run into my love, Caroleen with her golden hair,

If you see my Caroleen Tell her I'm doin' fine.
inform her that I am alright.

She is to me just like the breeze That blows from Corpus Christi.
My beloved Caroleen is akin to the breeze originating from Corpus Christi.

She is to me just like the breeze That blows up from the sea.
I consider my love to be similar to the wind blowing from the sea.

Well, if she is like the breeze That blows from Corpus Christi
If she's truly like the wind blowing from Corpus Christi

Then I must be like the trees, Cause Caroleen blows through me.
It follows that I must be the trees because Caroleen's presence stirs something inside of me.

The trees bend because of the wind Along that lonesome border.
The trees bow due to the pressure exerted by the wind on that deserted border.

The trees bend because of the wind Almost all the time.
More often than not, the wind causes the trees to bend.

The trees bend because of the wind All along the line.
The trees bow because of the wind force all along the border's entire length.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE ELY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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