Guitarist/composer/singer/arranger Joel Harrison occupies a musical space b… Read Full Bio ↴Guitarist/composer/singer/arranger Joel Harrison occupies a musical space between many worlds. His medium is primarily jazz, but his music has various influences that cover the musical spectrum. He has recorded 7 CD’s as a leader since 1996 most of which feature his own compositions, and has toured around the world at major clubs and festivals since 1999. Of his eclectic approach the Village Voice wrote, “Harrison is a brilliant, take-it-anywhere-guitarist,” and the Irish Times said "This is the music of the future." His ACT CD, Free Country (creative Jazz renditions of old Country and Appalachian tunes), received worldwide acclaim and was chosen as one of the top 50 CD’s of 2003 by Jazz Times magazine. Harrison’s collaborators on this and other CD’s have been David Binney, Uri Caine, Norah Jones, Jen Chapin, David Liebman, and others.

Harrison is a 2-time winner of the Jazz Composer’s Alliance Julius Hemphill Composition Competition, and has written numerous film scores for HBO, A&E, etc. He is a recipient of grants from Meet the Composer, Arts International, NYSCA, American Music Center, and is a MacDowell Colony and VCCA Fellow. In 2006 he received two composition grants from Chamber Music America. Joel Harrison’s latest CD is Harrison on Harrison (Highnote Records), Jazz explorations of George Harrison’s music. His upcoming project will be released in February 2007 on Highnote and is collaboration with Nguyen Le (guitarist), Jamey Haddad (percussion), David Binney (sax), Gildas Bocle (bass). This project was funded by Chamber Music America’s French/ American Jazz Exchange program and will features new compositons by Harrison.

Tennessee Waltz
Joel Harrison Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was dancin' with my baby to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I just happened to see
I introduced her to my loved one
And while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
And I knew just how much I had lost

I have lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
And I knew just how much I had lost
I have lost my little darlin'
The night they were playing

The beautiful beautiful Tennessee Waltz
The Tennessee Waltz

Overall Meaning

The song "Tennessee Waltz" by Joel Harrison & Norah Jones is a melancholic tale of how the singer loses their love during a dance to the iconic tune of the Tennessee Waltz. The song begins with the singer describing how they were dancing with their "baby" to the tune of the Tennessee Waltz when they saw an old friend. The singer introduces their loved one to the friend, who ends up stealing the singer's sweetheart while they were dancing. The lyrics express the deep pain and sense of loss felt by the singer when they realize what has happened.

The song beautifully captures the essence of heartbreak and leaves a poignant feeling in the listener's heart. The singer reflects on the night of the Tennessee Waltz and how much they have lost. The lyrics suggest that the singer is reminiscing about the past and feeling nostalgic about the time they shared with their loved one before it was taken away from them. The haunting melody of the song coupled with the raw emotions conveyed in the lyrics makes it a compelling and memorable piece.

Overall, the song "Tennessee Waltz" is a touching reflection of lost love and heartbreak. The lyrics capture the essence of the pain felt and portrays the impact it has on the human psyche. The slow rhythm of the Tennessee Waltz adds a layer of melancholic beauty to the song that makes it feel authentic and genuinely nostalgic.

Line by Line Meaning

I was dancin' with my baby to the Tennessee Waltz
I was enjoying a lovely evening with my significant other, dancing to the sweet and romantic melody of the Tennessee Waltz.

When an old friend I just happened to see
Suddenly, I spotted an old friend whom I had not seen in some time.

I introduced her to my loved one
I made the introduction between my friend and my significant other, hoping for pleasant conversation and company.

And while they were dancin'
As they were lost in each other's company, lost in the steps of the waltz, I found myself just watching them, unable to intervene or reclaim my beloved.

My friend stole my sweetheart from me
In a moment of betrayal, my friend carried out an unthinkable act, stealing my beloved away from my side and breaking my heart.

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
The memory of that fateful evening, tarnished by betrayal, still haunts me to this day, a painful reminder of what I have lost.

And I knew just how much I had lost
Even in that moment, I understood the full extent of my loss, how much my betrayal had cost me in terms of my relationship, my trust and my future.

I have lost my little darlin'
With the theft of my beloved, I lost more than just a partner -- I lost a cherished friend, a confidant, and a passionate love, all in one cruel act of betrayal.

The night they were playing
It was a night like any other, but now forever etched in my memory as the night of the devastating Tennessee Waltz betrayal.

The beautiful Tennessee Waltz
The haunting melody of the Tennessee Waltz, once a cherished tune of love, now a painful reminder of the betrayal that I will never forget.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Redd Stewart, Pee Wee King

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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