One of the most innovative and popular bluegrass groups of the 1960s and 1970s, the band took their music into new directions and gained a large audience. Among their most notable achievements were their pioneering, inventive use of amplification, twin harmony banjos, double-tracked vocals, steel guitars, and drums. They were the first bluegrass group to expand the genre's sonic palette in such a fashion.
In 2005 Sonny Osborne retired, owing to a shoulder injury, and Bobby continued to tour as Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-press.
In addition to "Rocky Top," the brothers' hit records include "Making Plans," "Up This Hill and Down," "Midnight Flyer," "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Muddy Bottom," "Tennessee Houndog," "Georgia Pineywoods," "Roll Muddy River," "The Kind of Woman I Got," and "Ruby (Are You Mad At Your Man)."
Cumberland Gap
Osborne Brothers Lyrics
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Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Lay down boys take a little nap,
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Lay down boys and take a little nap,
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, it ain't nowhere
Thirteen miles from Middlesburg
Cumberland Gap, it ain't nowhere
Thirteen miles from Middlesburg
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Play it pretty, Sonny
Hey, hey, ho-ho-ho
Play it again
Mighty pretty
As I was a'going down the road
I met that terrapin and I met that toad
Then that time the terrapin sing
Oh, don't touch that pigeon wing
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
The Osborne Brothers' song Cumberland Gap is a bluegrass tune that celebrates the Cumberland Gap, a pass through the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. The lyrics refer to the distance of seventeen miles from the gap, and also mention Middlesburg, which is thirteen miles away. The song tells the story of the singer traveling down the road and encountering some animals, including a terrapin and a toad. The terrapin advises the singer not to touch a pigeon wing, for reasons left unexplained. The song ends with a request to the band to "play it pretty" again, and an enthusiastic exclamation of "mighty pretty."
The Cumberland Gap has a long history as a gateway to the west. Native Americans used it as a trade route for thousands of years, and it later became a popular route for early European explorers and settlers. In the 19th century, the gap was a key component of the Wilderness Road, a pioneer trail that led settlers from Virginia to Kentucky and beyond. The song's lyrics celebrate this history, evoking the sense of adventure and excitement that accompanied the westward expansion of the United States.
Line by Line Meaning
Cumberland Gap, Cumberland Gap
The Cumberland Gap is a prominent feature in the landscape that can be seen from many miles away
Seventeen miles from the Cumberland Gap
Being a specific distance from the Cumberland Gap is significant
Lay down boys take a little nap
Traveling for long distances can be tiring, and taking a nap is a good way to rest
Cumberland Gap, it ain't nowhere
Despite being a recognizable landmark, the Cumberland Gap isn't a destination in and of itself
Thirteen miles from Middlesburg
The Cumberland Gap is relatively close to the town of Middlesburg
Play it pretty, Sonny
Someone is asking Sonny (presumably a musician) to play his instrument in a skilled and attractive manner
Hey, hey, ho-ho-ho
This could be nonsense syllables or a chant of some kind that doesn't have a clear meaning
Play it again
Someone enjoyed the music Sonny was playing and wants to hear it again
Mighty pretty
The music Sonny was playing was pleasing to the ear
As I was a'going down the road
The artist is beginning a story about something that happened while they were travelling
I met that terrapin and I met that toad
The singer encountered a turtle and a toad while they were travelling
Then that time the terrapin sing
This line is about a singing turtle, which is likely a fantastical or imaginary creature
Oh, don't touch that pigeon wing
This could be a nonsensical line or it could be part of the story the singer is telling
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OSBORNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind