The group originally formed in 1985, playing its first gigs in Dallas's Deep Ellum neighborhood. Its current members are Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath on guitar and lead vocals, Jimbo Wallace on the upright bass, and Scott Churilla on drums. Through relentless touring and a manic stage show, they have established themselves as one of the most popular underground acts in America. Their sound is self described as "Country-fed punkabilly." Their music is a mixture of country, punk, big band, swing, and rockabilly, all played loud and energetically with lyrics that are often very humorous.
Jim Heath played in a cover band called Southern Comfort with friends from Corpus Christi Ray, his high school, before attending the University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 1977. At UT, he often entertained friends and dormmates and was often found playing in the stairwells at Moore-Hill Dormitory late into the night to avoid disturbing the sleep of roommate Harold Shockley, now a Corpus Christi banker. Jim left school in the spring to join up with a touring cover band by the name of Sweetbriar. Three years later, former dormmate David Livingston, now in his senior year of school and at home visiting family, saw a familiar face on stage and reunited with Jim. David told Jim stories of the punk music scene in Austin and the acts playing at venues like Raul's and Club Foot. Once, while home on another visit, David took Jim to a Dallas rock and roll venue, The Bijou, to see an act called The Cramps. After the show, there broke out a punks vs. rockers brawl in the parking lot. While Jim and David escaped any involvement in the scuffle, Jim later claimed to have had an epiphany on that evening. Always a fan of blues and honky tonk, Jim returned the favor by taking David and his wife, Ellen, to see The Blasters in Dallas at a venue known as the Hot Klub and Jim's love for roots rock took over from there.
Jim had married a former bandmate from Sweetbriar, and together they had a child. Together they decided that the rock-and-roll lifestyle was over and that it was time to have real jobs. Around 1985, Jim was known as "Jim the Sound Guy" by those who frequented two warehouses that by night became music venues, Theater Gallery and The Prophet Bar. Jim used the old Sweetbriar PA system to earn from $20-$50 per night for extra money, running sound for bands such as the New Bohemians, End Over End, Shallow Reign and Three On A Hill. One night during a lull, Russell Hobbs, one of the original Deep Ellum visionaries and proprietors of these venues goaded Jim into getting up to play. He played alone, tearing through a version of "Folsom Prison Blues" that is now so familiar to millions of Reverend Horton Heat fans around the world. Throughout the song, Hobbs hooted and shouted out, "Go Reverend". Jim decided then and there to form a band and came up with the name Reverend Horton Heat, as an ode to Johnny Horton, using the shortened version of his last name, Heath. The late nights and the fact the Jim was now playing in a band and his wife and former bandmate was not took its toll on the marriage and she soon left with their child and dog. Jim's feelings upon the loss of his family are well documented in the song, "Where In The Hell Did You go With My Toothbrush?". The Jimi Hendrix poster mentioned in the song was on the back of a door that Jim used for a practice room in the house he shared with his wife and child. The dog's name really was Smokey.
About this time, David and Ellen moved back from Oklahoma City, where they had been since graduating from UT. David began to book gigs for Jim and his new band, and their refeshing sound and raw live performance quickly won over the local music scene. Jim drew crowds to brand new music venues, playing three nights a week at Froggy Bottoms in the then brand new West End and assured a quick start to Club Dada, the first "for profit" bar in Deep Ellum by playing every night for the first two weeks that it was open. David continued to work with Reverend Horton Heat until 1989, when his own new family and day job required all of his attention, and Jim needed a real manager who could get him out on the road and into the studio. Jim and David remain close friends today, and a song that they co-wrote together back in the '80s, "Liquor, Beer and Wine", appeared on 1994's "Liquor In The Front".
Check out the [url=http://[officialsite]www.victorymerch.com/store/reverendhortonheat]Reverend Horton Heat merch store.
This artist is also on Last.fm as: 'The Reverend Horton Heat'
Cruisin
Reverend Horton Heat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't mess with the guy in the blue plaid suit,
Don't mess with the guy with the big red guitar,
Don't mess with his girlfriend don't mess with his car. Hey!
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Don't say nothing about his girl or his car,
Now if he takes her out for a night on the town,
Somehow you're always just a hangin' around,
And if it happens each and every night,
Don't make eyes at her man there's gonna be a fight. Hey!
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Sure seems funny how you always know
Just where that guy and his girlfriend go.
Whoa!
Whoa!
Just in case you're wondering who I'm talking about,
Let's get it straight so there ain't any doubt.
You're just acting dumb if you don't know it's me,
If you know what's good for you you'll just leave us be.
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Let me remind you on your way out the door,
Don't go messin' with that shoe-box ford.
The lyrics of "Cruisin' for a Bruisin'" by Reverend Horton Heat speak of a warning to those who want to get involved with the singer's girlfriend or car. The song is an upbeat rockabilly tune with a catchy chorus that warns anyone who messes with the singer or his possessions that they are "cruisin' for a bruisin'". The lyrics mention specific things not to mess with, such as the guy with one chipped tooth, the guy in the blue plaid suit, and the guy with the big red guitar. The chorus is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the message of the song.
The lyrics also mention the singer's girlfriend, whom he takes out for a night on the town, but sees other guys hanging around. The song warns not to make eyes at her man, or there will be a fight. The lyrics are playful, yet the message is clear that the singer is not to be messed with. The song ends with a reminder not to mess with the singer's shoe-box Ford, emphasizing the message of the song.
Overall, the lyrics of "Cruisin' for a Bruisin'" are straightforward and direct. The song warns anyone who wants to mess with the singer or his possessions that they are "cruisin' for a bruisin'". The song is a classic example of rockabilly music, featuring catchy lyrics and upbeat guitar riffs.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't mess with the guy with the one chipped tooth,
Do not attempt to intimidate the man with the single chipped tooth
Don't mess with the guy in the blue plaid suit,
Exercise caution and avoid conflict with the man dressed in blue plaid attire
Don't mess with the guy with the big red guitar,
Avoid confrontation with the individual wielding the large red guitar
Don't mess with his girlfriend don't mess with his car. Hey!
Do not engage in any actions or behaviors that threaten the safety of his girlfriend or his automobile
You're cruisin' for a bruisin',
You are behaving recklessly and steering towards severe injuries or harm
Yeah, you're cruisin' for a bruisin',
Yes, you are likely to be seriously hurt if you continue with your current mannerisms
Don't say nothing about his girl or his car,
Do not speak negatively about his girlfriend or his car
You just might fight the un-winnable war.
Chances are high that you will lose the inevitable battle
Now if he takes her out for a night on the town,
In the event that he takes his girlfriend out for a night of adventure,
Somehow you're always just a hangin' around,
You are always mysteriously spotted lurking around the couple
And if it happens each and every night,
If this situation consistently repeats itself
Don't make eyes at her man there's gonna be a fight. Hey!
Do not exchange flirtatious or sexual looks with the man's girlfriend, or you will most likely find yourself in a physical altercation
Sure seems funny how you always know
It is quite amusing how you always discover
Just where that guy and his girlfriend go.
The exact location where the man and his girlfriend can be found
Whoa!
This line serves as an interjection to express surprise or astonishment
Whoa!
This line serves as an interjection to express surprise or astonishment
Just in case you're wondering who I'm talking about,
In the event that you are currently attempting to identify the person in question
Let's get it straight so there ain't any doubt.
Allow me to clarify the situation so that there is no uncertainty
You're just acting dumb if you don't know it's me,
You're feigning stupidity if you are unaware that I am the individual being referenced
If you know what's good for you you'll just leave us be.
It would be in your best interest to avoid instigating us and depart peacefully
Let me remind you on your way out the door,
Before you leave, I'd like to remind you
Don't go messin' with that shoe-box ford.
Please do not attempt to damage or tamper with the vintage shoe-box ford vehicle
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind