They were formally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry at a special ceremony at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on September 17, 2013.
Their 2004 album "O.C.M.S." was selected by CMT (Country Music Television) as one of the top-10 bluegrass albums of that year. Their current tour includes bars, festivals, and larger venues. They are best experienced in smaller settings, where their infectious high-energy style electrifies the crowd, often a mixture of older listeners and 20-somethings.
They make frequent guest appearances on A Prairie Home Companion.
Levi
Old Crow Medicine Show Lyrics
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Baptized on the banks of the new river
Brought upon blue grass and clear moon shine
And tough as iron but a heart soft as leather
Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down
Ten thousand miles from a southern town
Oh, Levi
Like a fire on a mountain, running wild with no states
Playing nights on the glory horse shoe
And Indian raids
Now it's parachutes and combat boots
They camouflaged they planes
And a country boy who don't belong
In the desert anyways
Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down
Ten thousand miles from a southern town
Oh, Levi
Well the sandbox sure gets lonesome
And it's a hundred and nine degrees
Singing carry my back to Virginia
Lord I'm down here on my knees
In a market skrell while the bells were ringing
Loud to fill the air
Levi gazed his eyes out, to the rocket player
Be on the desert and the ocean
To the farthest fields on home
And when the bullets pierced his body
He was already gone
Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down
Ten thousand miles from a southern town
Oh, Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down
Oh, Levi, oh Levi.
The lyrics of Old Crow Medicine Show's song "Levi" tells the story of a young man named Levi, who spent his childhood in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas. The opening verse explains how he was born and raised by the river and grew up on a diet of bluegrass music and moonshine whiskey. Despite his tough exterior, he was emotional and had a soft heart. The chorus, "Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down/Ten thousand miles from a southern town/Oh, Levi" sets the tone for the tragedy that befalls Levi.
The second verse describes how Levi left home and pursued a career in music, playing in various venues and experiencing the wild ways of the mountains. However, fate had different plans for Levi, and he was drafted into the military. Despite being a country boy who didn't belong in the desert, Levi found himself fighting in a foreign land. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the senseless waste of his life.
The final verse takes place in the midst of the battle, where Levi is alone and longing for home. He hears the bells ringing and sees the rocket player, symbolizing the violence and chaos around him. As he tries to make his way back home, he is struck by a bullet and dies. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the tragedy and senseless loss of Levi's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Born upon the blue ridge, at the Carolina line
Levi was born in a rural area between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the state line of North and South Carolina.
Baptized on the banks of the new river
Levi was baptized in the waters of the New River.
Brought upon blue grass and clear moon shine
Levi grew up listening to bluegrass music and drinking homemade moonshine.
And tough as iron but a heart soft as leather
Although Levi was physically strong, he had a kind and gentle heart.
Levi, lord, lord, lord, they shot him down
Levi was killed by gunshot.
Ten thousand miles from a southern town
Levi died far from his rural southern hometown.
Oh, Levi
A lamentation for the death of Levi.
Like a fire on a mountain, running wild with no states
Levi was a wild and free-spirited person who had no boundaries.
Playing nights on the glory horse shoe
Levi used to perform at a local bar called the Glory Horseshoe.
And Indian raids
Levi witnessed Native American attacks in his youth.
Now it's parachutes and combat boots
Levi's death was caused by modern military warfare.
They camouflaged they planes
Levi's killers used stealth planes to camouflage their attack.
And a country boy who don't belong in the desert anyways
Levi was not suited for the desert climate and terrain where he died.
Well the sandbox sure gets lonesome
The desert can be a lonely place.
And it's a hundred and nine degrees
The desert is often extremely hot.
Singing carry my back to Virginia
Levi longed to return to his home state of Virginia before he died.
Lord I'm down here on my knees
Levi prayed for strength and comfort in his final moments.
In a market skrell while the bells were ringing
Levi was killed in the middle of a bustling market, while church bells rang in the background.
Loud to fill the air
The sound of the bells was overwhelmingly loud.
Levi gazed his eyes out, to the rocket player
In his final moments, Levi looked at someone playing an instrument, possibly a guitar.
Be on the desert and the ocean
Levi had traveled from the desert to the ocean, possibly to fight in a war or serve in the military.
To the farthest fields on home
Levi had traveled far from home, but longed to return.
And when the bullets pierced his body
Levi was killed by gunfire.
He was already gone
Levi had already died by the time the bullets hit him.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KETCH SECOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind