Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia
Jimmie Rodgers Lyrics


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When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
Apple pickin' time in Tennessee
Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi
Everybody picks on me

When it's roundup time in Texas
The cowboys make whoopee
Then down in old Alabama
It's gal pickin' time to me

Diodley, oley eh, diodley

There's the bluegrass down in Kentucky
Virginia's where they do the swing
Carolina now I'm coming
To you to spend the spring

Arkansas I hear you calling
I know I'll see you soon
There's where I'll do a little pickin'
Underneath the Ozark moon

Diodley e oh, oley e oh, oley

Now, when hard times overtake you
I hope they don't get me
For I've got a sweety waiting
For me down in Tennessee

I know I'm going to see her
I hope it won't be long
There's where we'll pick a little cabin
And call it our mountain home




Diodley e oh, diodley e oh, diodley e

When the pickin' 'an pick the cotton
I'll pick a wedding ring
We'll go to town and pick a little gown
For the wedding in the Spring

I hope the preacher knows his business
I know he can't fool me
When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
It's gal pickin' time to me

Diodley e oh, diodley e oh, diodley e

Overall Meaning

The first verse of Jimmie Rodgers's song Peach Pickin' Time in Georgia compares the lives of the fruit, cotton, and vegetable pickers to the singer's life. While everyone else is busy with work, picking peaches in Georgia, picking apples in Tennessee, or picking cotton in Mississippi, the singer is left with nothing to do and no one to pick. The second verse moves on to other states, such as Texas where cowboys are rounding up cattle, Alabama where girls are being courted, and Arkansas where the singer plans on doing a little picking of his own under the Ozark moon.


The final verse shifts to a more personal note. The singer reveals that he has a sweetheart waiting for him in Tennessee and that he will soon see her. They plan on picking out a mountain home together and getting married in the spring. The final lines bring the song full circle, as the singer realizes that when it's peach picking time in Georgia, it's gal picking time for him.


Overall, the song is meant to evoke a sense of wanderlust and longing for the simple life. The picking of fruit and cotton represents hard work and the struggles of everyday life, while the idea of settling down with a loved one in a mountain home represents a sense of stability and peace. The lyrics also touch on themes such as the passage of time and the inevitable cycle of life.


Line by Line Meaning

When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
During the time in Georgia when peaches are being harvested


Apple pickin' time in Tennessee
During a certain time of the year in Tennessee, apples are being harvested


Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi
During a certain time of the year in Mississippi, cotton is being picked by farmers


Everybody picks on me
I'm the only one who doesn't have something to pick during harvest time


When it's roundup time in Texas
When it's time to gather cattle in Texas


The cowboys make whoopee
The cowboys celebrate after a long day of work


Then down in old Alabama
In the southern state of Alabama


It's gal pickin' time to me
During this time of the year, the focus is on finding a girlfriend for me


Diodley, oley eh, diodley
Words that have no real meaning


There's the bluegrass down in Kentucky
Kentucky is known for its type of music called bluegrass


Virginia's where they do the swing
The state of Virginia is known for its swing dance culture


Carolina now I'm coming
I'm heading towards the Carolinas


To you to spend the spring
I plan on spending the spring season in the Carolinas


Arkansas I hear you calling
I have a call to go to Arkansas


I know I'll see you soon
I'm sure that I'll be visiting Arkansas soon


There's where I'll do a little pickin'
I plan on participating in some type of harvest activity in Arkansas


Underneath the Ozark moon
Doing said activity under the unique moonlight of the Ozarks


Now, when hard times overtake you
During times of hardship


I hope they don't get me
I hope to never experience hard times


For I've got a sweety waiting
Because I have a girlfriend waiting for me


For me down in Tennessee
Specifically in the state of Tennessee


I know I'm going to see her
I am absolutely going to visit my girlfriend


I hope it won't be long
I hope that I will be able to visit soon


There's where we'll pick a little cabin
The place where we plan to have a small, rustic home


And call it our mountain home
Referring to this new cabin as our mountain home


When the pickin' 'an pick the cotton
When the farmers pick the cotton during harvest season


I'll pick a wedding ring
I plan on getting engaged during this time


We'll go to town and pick a little gown
We plan on going to buy a wedding dress, together


For the wedding in the Spring
The wedding ceremony itself will happen in the springtime


I hope the preacher knows his business
I hope the pastor who officiates our ceremony knows what he is doing


I know he can't fool me
I am informed when it comes to wedding ceremonies and the process


When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
When peaches are being harvested in Georgia


It's gal pickin' time to me
This time of the year is the best time for me to find a girlfriend




Contributed by Mason H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

kaushik rahman

When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
Apple pickin' time in Tennessee
Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi
Everybody picks on me
When it's roundup time in Texas
The cowboys make whoopee
Then down in old Alabama
It's gal pickin' time to me
Diodley, oley eh, diodley
There's the bluegrass down in Kentucky
Virginia's where they do the swing
Carolina now I'm coming
To you to spend the spring
Arkansas I hear you calling
I know I'll see you soon
There's where I'll do a little pickin'
Underneath the Ozark moon
Diodley e oh, oley e oh, oley
Now, when hard times overtake you
I hope they don't get me
For I've got a sweety waiting
For me down in Tennessee
I know I'm going to see her
I hope it won't be long
There's where we'll pick a little cabin
And call it our mountain home
Diodley e oh, diodley e oh, diodley e
When the pickin' 'an pick the cotton
I'll pick a wedding ring
We'll go to town and pick a little gown
For the wedding in the Spring
I hope the preacher knows his business
I know he can't fool me
When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
It's gal pickin' time to me



All comments from YouTube:

DW

Discovering Jimmie Rodgers has been an awesome experience for me. This guy was money.

kaushik rahman

When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
Apple pickin' time in Tennessee
Cotton pickin' time in Mississippi
Everybody picks on me
When it's roundup time in Texas
The cowboys make whoopee
Then down in old Alabama
It's gal pickin' time to me
Diodley, oley eh, diodley
There's the bluegrass down in Kentucky
Virginia's where they do the swing
Carolina now I'm coming
To you to spend the spring
Arkansas I hear you calling
I know I'll see you soon
There's where I'll do a little pickin'
Underneath the Ozark moon
Diodley e oh, oley e oh, oley
Now, when hard times overtake you
I hope they don't get me
For I've got a sweety waiting
For me down in Tennessee
I know I'm going to see her
I hope it won't be long
There's where we'll pick a little cabin
And call it our mountain home
Diodley e oh, diodley e oh, diodley e
When the pickin' 'an pick the cotton
I'll pick a wedding ring
We'll go to town and pick a little gown
For the wedding in the Spring
I hope the preacher knows his business
I know he can't fool me
When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia
It's gal pickin' time to me

Andrea Curic

Love it .. thanks for putting in the lyrics ❤🤗

Chip Wood

my grandparents married in 1924 ..in 1974 I played Jimmie Rodgers songs for their 50th anniversary. My grandmother yodeled and my grandfather strummed banjo

Aileen

Chip Wood My grandfather Haldor ( father to my mother) playd harmonica and my granmother Sigrid playd elextric organ My mother playd little piano.

INDY OSKARS

@Aileen
My mother´s (born in 1918) sisters, they could all yodel, lol.

True Southern

Hey I can yodel....sounds like a dying animal but yeah I can do it😂

Robert Green

Wow....taking me back about 70 years. 👍👍👍

Randy H

I love Jimmie. & the older I get the more I love him. Am I just crazy ?

INDY OSKARS

Nay, yer not crazy.

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