Alternative tag The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

The Ozark Mountain Da… Read Full Bio ↴Alternative tag The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils started in 1971 in Springfield, Missouri in an attempt by the singer/songwriter members to have a vehicle in which to display and promote their music. At first, they played in bars and on porches. However, a record executive from A&M records discovered the band, and they began their recording path.

The original members of the band consisted of:
John Dillion - (vocals, guitars, mandolin, fiddle, piano, harp, autoharp, dulcimer, jawbone, percussion, keyboards)
Mike "Supe" Granda - (vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, percussion, chicken squawks)
Buddy Brayfield - (vocals, oboe, piano, harpsichord, organ, percussion, electric piano)
Randle Chowning - (vocals, lead electric & acoustic guitars, harp, national steel, mandolin)
Steve Cash - (vocals, harp, percussion, harpsichord)
Larry Lee - (vocals, drums, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, piano, percussion, saw, saw & board)

The Daredevils peaked commercially in 1973-1974 and were best known for "Jackie Blue" and "If You Wanna Get To Heaven", which both got national coverage. However, there was a wide range of music that the Daredevils produced that was widely missed. The influences of the locale and the talents of the band members produced some unique sounds that could be related to "rockabilly" influences. There was also a good body of music that could be classified as country, rock, ballads, folk or blues.

The band changed throughout the years, but played prevantly throughout the '70s and gained and lost members during that time. To this day, there is still a loyal and avid fan following. There are discs still being released by the group, mostly of past performances in the '70s. In addition, many of the members are currently still working on other interests including Randle Chowning, Larry Lee ("Beyond Reach") Mike "Supe" Granda, and possibly others.

A reunion concert was held in Springfield, Missouri at the refurbished Gilloiz Theatre, in May of 2007. The three nights they performed were entirely sold out, weeks in advance of the concert.

Southern Cross
Ozark Mountain Daredevils Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a lotta folks down at the island
That follow that astrology
Some got a chart of the heavens
And some got a fancy degree
But me I got a pick-up
And I drive it like a Fourth of July
And that's where I seen the vision
When it fell right out of the sky

It said

Follow, follow the southern cross
Leave your luck in Mexico
There ain't no way to get lost
Cause there ain't no place to go

So I bought me a ticket to Texas
And I hopped on a plane to Peru
I met a little lady from Chile
And she fed me a tropical root
Now I'm down in Tierra del Fuego
And nothin' around me is right
I think I got a case of lumbago
But it's better than the northern lights

I gotta

Follow, follow the southern cross
Leave your luck in Mexico
There ain't no way to get lost
`Cause there ain't no place to go

So I paddled out to Easter Island
About as fast as I could go
I saw and albatross on the horizon
And the stone heads all in a row
I found the secret of navigation
And the mystery of the Milky Way
Now I'm livin' in the constellations
Tell me what more I can say

You gotta

Follow, follow the southern cross
And leave your luck in Mexico
There ain't no way to get lost

`Cause there ain't no place to go
Whoa!

Overall Meaning

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils' song "Southern Cross" is a whimsical tale of a man who stumbled upon a vision after driving his pickup truck on the Fourth of July. The man is unconcerned with astrology or academia, instead finding his inspiration in the simple pleasures of driving and travel. The vision he sees urges him to follow the Southern Cross, a constellation that can only be seen from the southern hemisphere. The song then takes the listener on a journey as the man travels through Texas, Peru, Chile, and Tierra del Fuego, before finally arriving at Easter Island.

Throughout the song, the Southern Cross serves as a guiding force, leading the man on his adventure and ultimately into the constellations. The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace the unknown and trust in their own instincts, suggesting that by doing so they may discover secrets of navigation and mysteries of the universe. The overall tone of the song is lighthearted and optimistic, urging the listener to follow their dreams and enjoy the journey.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a lotta folks down at the island
There are many people at the island

That follow that astrology
They believe in astrology

Some got a chart of the heavens
Some have a map of the sky

And some got a fancy degree
Some have a higher education

But me I got a pick-up
I have a pickup truck

And I drive it like a Fourth of July
I drive it fast and wild

And that's where I seen the vision
It's where I had a vision

When it fell right out of the sky
It came from the sky

Follow, follow the southern cross
Follow the Southern Cross star constellation

Leave your luck in Mexico
Leave your worries behind

There ain't no way to get lost
You won’t get lost