Country-pop may have ruled the charts, but Kevin Fowler established himself… Read Full Bio ↴Country-pop may have ruled the charts, but Kevin Fowler established himself impressively throughout Texas by making modest honky tonk-style country for regular folks. Raised in the West Texas town Amarillo, the guitarist began his musical career on both drums and piano. He left Texas at age 20 for the bright lights of Los Angeles, where he studied music at the Guitar Institute of Technology. He returned to Texas soon after and settled in Austin, where he joined the hard rock band Dangerous Toys. Following this eye-opening stint, Fowler started his own Southern hard rock band, Thunderfoot. He soon came to the realization, however, that he couldn't shake his West Texas roots and gave up hard rock for country, the style of music he grew up with.

Fowler put together a country band in 1998 and began playing Tuesday nights at Babe's on Sixth Street in Austin. Within two years, he'd begun recording albums and struck big with his self-released Beer, Bait and Ammo (2000). The album sold around 30,000 copies in the Texas area and garnered an impressive amount of airplay, particularly for the album's title track. The song became somewhat of a Texas anthem; Mark Chesnutt made the song part of his live show, and Sammy Kershaw recorded it. Fowler returned in 2002 with his third album, High on the Hog, and boasted some impressive guests, including Willie Nelson and David Lee Garza.

Big River
Kevin Fowler Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tin roof leaks when it rains
Bull frogs and crickets sing
Wise ole hoot owls watchin' everything
Moss hangin' in the trees
Fireflies dancin' in the breeze
I got heaven sittin' in my front porch swing
Right next to me

So roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Winding like an old moonlit highway
Roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Muddy waters wash my cares away

Crawfish boiling in a pot
Barefoot on the dock
Baby's hanging on me
And I know it won't be long
Til we pull a cork on that jug of wine
Tangled up like kudzu vine
Do a little late night lovin' til the fire's gone
And we're all alone

So roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Winding like an old moonlit highway
Roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Muddy waters wash my cares away

Roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Winding like an old moonlit highway
Roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Muddy waters wash my cares away

Roll on, roll on,
Roll on, big river
Winding like an old moonlit highway
Roll on, roll on
Roll on, big river
Muddy waters wash my cares away

Let those muddy waters wash my cares away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kevin Fowler's song Big River paint a picturesque scene of country living. The singer describes the simplicity and beauty of nature, such as the tin roof that leaks during a rainstorm, the sounds of bull frogs and crickets, and the wise hoot owls who oversee it all. Moss hanging from trees and fireflies dancing in the breeze all contribute to this idyllic setting. The singer reflects on the blissful state of joy they are in as they sit on their front porch swing, next to their heaven.

The chorus of the song, “Roll on, roll on, roll on, big river, winding like an old moonlit highway…” speaks to the tranquil instrumentals that accompany Fowler's words. The singer is reveling in the moment, letting the water from the river wash their cares away. The second verse offers a glimpse into their night, boiling crawfish and drinking wine, enjoying the company of their partner and child. They speak of the inevitable late-night loving, committing to each other, and enjoying one another's company under the stars.

Big River is a song that extols the virtues of a simpler life, spent in contemplation and reflection, enjoying the beauty of nature and the company of loved ones. It paints a romanticized picture of rural living, where one can be present in the moment and let their worries drain away with the muddy water.

Line by Line Meaning

Tin roof leaks when it rains
The tin roof leaks during the rain.

Bull frogs and crickets sing
The sound of bull frogs and crickets can be heard.

Wise ole hoot owls watchin' everything
Wise owls are observing everything.

Moss hangin' in the trees
Moss is hanging from the trees.

Fireflies dancin' in the breeze
Fireflies are fluttering around in the wind.

I got heaven sittin' in my front porch swing
The front porch swing is a piece of heaven.

Right next to me
It's right beside me.

So roll on, roll on
Let's keep going, let's keep going.

Roll on, big river
Let's keep moving, big river.

Winding like an old moonlit highway
The path is curving like an old moonlit highway.

Muddy waters wash my cares away
The muddy waters cleanse my worries.

Crawfish boiling in a pot
Crawfish are boiling inside a pot.

Barefoot on the dock
Being on the dock barefoot.

Baby's hanging on me
The baby is hanging on me.

And I know it won't be long
It won't be long until something happens.

Til we pull a cork on that jug of wine
Until we open that jug of wine.

Tangled up like kudzu vine
Tangled like a kudzu vine.

Do a little late night lovin' til the fire's gone
Engage in a little late night love making until the fire burns out.

And we're all alone
We are isolated from the world.

Let those muddy waters wash my cares away
Allow the muddy waters to cleanse my worries.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CAROL VINCENT & ASSOC LLC
Written by: DAVID LEE MURPHY, KEVIN FOWLER, SHANE MINOR

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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