After the guys worked on their sound for a while, inspired by gritty rock n roll, they finally recorded and released their first album, 1978's 'Molly Hatchet'. Then, in 1979, 'Flirtin' with Disaster' came out. The group's work earned them both critical praise and commerical success, the album hitting the #19 slot on the Billboard top 200 chart. Allmusic's Rob Theakston has spoken for many in writing that the "tour de force" of a record shows that " the band means business".
Yet the group's history would prove to be a rocky one. In 1980, Brown left the group to form The Danny Joe Brown Band (with future Molly Hatchet guitarist Bobby Ingram). He was replaced by vocalist Jimmy Farrar. After the release of Beatin' the Odds in 1980 and Take No Prisoners in 1981, Farrar left as well.
Brown rejoined the band in 1982 and Banner Thomas left and was replaced by Riff West. In 1983, a new album was released titled No Guts... No Glory. Steve Holland left and was replaced by keyboardist John Galvin.
In 1984 came the release of a new album The Deed Is Done. In 1985 Dave Hlubek left and he was replaced by Bobby Ingram. Then in 1985, the double live album Double Trouble Live was released.
The band continued to tour regularly, and then in 1989 the album Lightning Strikes Twice was released.
1990s
In 1991, the greatest hits collection Greatest Hits was released. Molly Hatchet was in ways similar to fellow Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd in that it paired strong guitar work with a pounding boogie beat. When Brown left the band after Flirtin' with Disaster and was replaced by Farrar, the band's sound turned more to jamming and free form. When Brown returned in time for No Guts...No Glory, the original sound returned as well.
In 1996 due to a stroke and illness Brown had to leave the band, bringing in lead singer Phil McCormack to finish the album Devils Canyon in 1996.
At this point, the band consisted of members: vocalist Phil McCormack, guitarists Bobby Ingram and Bryan Bassett, keyboardist John Galvin, bassist Andy McKinney, and drummer Mac Crawford.
In 1998 Silent Reign Of Heroes was released. And in 1999 the band traveled coast to coast with Charlie Daniels and the Volunteer Jam.
2000s
In 2000, the album The Kingdom Of XII was released in Europe. The band went on tour to promote this album. It was released in the United States in 2001. Locked and Loaded (2003) and Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (2005) followed. In January of 2005, Ingram invited Hlubek to rejoin Molly Hatchet and in doing so became the only current member who was a part of the original band.
On Thursday, March 10, 2005, after Brown was hospitalized for four weeks, he died less than an hour after returning to his home in Davie, Florida with his family and friends at his side, at the age of 53 from complications from pneumonia. He had previously left the group due to the suffering from a massive stroke in 1995 while driving to his brother's house. After a long battle with diabetes and the effects of the stroke, Brown was able to take the stage one last time at the Jammin' for DJB benefit concert in 1998 where with the help of his friends he ended the show with "Flirtin' with Disaster."
On Monday, June 19, 2006, founding guitarist Duane Roland died in St. Augustine, Florida at the age of 53. He had been playing with the band Gator Country, consisting of former members of Molly Hatchet, as late as May of 2006. His death was listed as being of "natural causes".
Bruce Crump (July 17, 1957 – March 16, 2015) was the original drummer from 1976 to 1983 (including their 1980 hit song "Flirtin' with Disaster" ) and 1984 to 1991. He also played as a member of Canadian band Streetheart in the early 1980s, and joined several of his former Molly Hatchet bandmates in the band Gator Country in the mid-2000s. At his death, Crump was in the Jacksonville, Florida-based band White Rhino and the newly reformed China Sky.
Bass guitarist Banner Thomas died of complications of pneumonia, at 63, on April 10, 2017.
Dave Hlubek died of a heart attack on September 3, 2017, at the age of 66.
Jimmy Farrar, who was frontman from 1980 to 1982, died of heart failure on October 29, 2018, at 67. Singer Phil McCormack died on April 26, 2019 at 58 (McCormack had been sidelined in early 2019, after suffering from health troubles that affected his voice andwas replaced by singer Jimmy Elkins, who continued on with Hatchet after McCormack's death).
Steve Holland, the last original member of Molly Hatchet, died on August 2, 2020.
Big Apple
Molly Hatchet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well here we come, baby, we're struttin' our stuff.
Well, we look kinda frisky, we're pretty damn bad
Cause Southern cookin' is all we ever had.
Oh, cook 'em up some greens, baby.
I've seen the mountains up in Tennessee
Sweet little hill woman satisfied me.
But we're running 'em hard, baby, sitting in the saddle.
Oh, come on, baby
New York City, you're so big and tough,
My pistols are loaded, I feel rough.
Well, we heard of your punks and your high heel steppers
We're bad Southern boys and don't you forget us.
The lyrics to "Big Apple" by Molly Hatchet are an ode to Southern pride and toughness in the face of the towering, unforgiving city of New York. From the opening lines, it's clear that the band is feeling up to the challenge of taking on the bustling metropolis, strutting their stuff with the confidence and swagger of someone who has pride in their identity and roots. The verse about Southern cooking, specifically the line "Cause Southern cookin' is all we ever had," emphasizes this idea, showcasing how the band's identity and culture is baked into every aspect of their being.
Later, in the verse about Tennessee, the band draws a contrast between the slower, simpler pace of life in the South and the fast, constantly moving city they're in, highlighting the challenges they face as they try to navigate their way through a new environment. But, as the chorus implies, they're up for the fight. No matter how big or tough New York City may be, the band's pistols are loaded and they're ready to take on anyone who gets in their way - after all, they're "bad Southern boys" who won't be forgotten any time soon.
Line by Line Meaning
New York City, you're so big and tough,
The courage and confidence of this city is immeasurable and impressive.
Well here we come, baby, we're struttin' our stuff.
Our confidence is on a high with the attention we're receiving from the city.
Well, we look kinda frisky, we're pretty damn bad
We have a certain edge that makes us really appealing to the others.
Cause Southern cookin' is all we ever had.
Our different background and culture makes us stand out in the crowd.
Oh, cook 'em up some greens, baby.
We want to share our food and culture with the others in the city.
I've seen the mountains up in Tennessee
I have traveled extensively within my country.
Sweet little hill woman satisfied me.
I have been content with my simple lifestyle and the little pleasures in life.
We know that it's tough and it's an uphill battle
We are aware that what we are trying to achieve in the city is difficult.
But we're running 'em hard, baby, sitting in the saddle.
But we are trying our best and working hard to achieve our goals in the city.
Oh, come on, baby
We urge our listeners or audience to join us in our effort.
My pistols are loaded, I feel rough.
I am always prepared and on guard in this city.
Well, we heard of your punks and your high heel steppers
We are well informed and aware of the different kinds of people residing in the city.
We're bad Southern boys and don't you forget us.
We have our own charm and toughness as people from the South which makes us different from others.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DANNY JOE BROWN, DAVID LAWRENCE HLUBEK, STEVEN JEROME HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cougarj61
There 1st album with Danny Joe and the original band still sound great today as it did in the mid 70's the boys from Jax were as good as it gets R.I.P. Danny Joe
Karl Peterson
You should check out a live version of this from a live show in New Jersey!.....😁
William Cason
I wore this cassette out in 79 and 80! My best friends had this cassette and listened to it all the time.
Chuck Hardage
I did too. Replaced it with a cd that I still play
Joel Day
I traded five lunch tickets for this album in ninth grade.....Haha I love it
kevin kinder
THIS is Molly Hatchet.
Pete Roberts
0:53 I love DJB's perfect vocal phrasing on the line "A sweet little hill woman satisfied me"...
Chris Bako
Awesome tune super simple and cool.
Jeffrey Simpkins
The road is tight and it's an uphill battle. Legendary.
Thomas Tarwater
Remember when Molly Hatchet was Danny Joe Brown singing, Dave Hlubek, Steve Holland and Duane Roland on guitars, Banner Thomas on bass and Bruce Crump on the drum kit? I sure do. The Molly Hatchet of today has none of the original lineup (because Steve Holland is the only one alive) and there's only one guitar picker (Bobby Ingram). This song, "Big Apple", would have been the band's first Top-40 hit had it been released as a single. Just saying.