Robert Earl Keen, Jr. (born January 11, 1956 in Houston, Texas) is an Ameri… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Earl Keen, Jr. (born January 11, 1956 in Houston, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter. Growing up, Keen was interested in music, sports, movies and writing. He attended Texas A&M University, enrolling in the school of journalism. Disappointed in the College Station, Texas music scene, he began playing guitar and learned to read and write music, basing his style on folk, country, blues and roots rock. In 1977 he rented a house from landlord Jack Boyett, where his neighbor was a then-unknown Lyle Lovett. The two became friends and performed together on the front porch. This eventually grew into inspiration for a song entitled "The Front Porch Song", which both would add to their repertoire. In 1980, Keen graduated from Texas A&M, moved to Austin, Texas and began writing for a newspaper. Soon he was performing in Austin's nightclubs and live music venues, building a solid following. In 1984 he financed the recording of his own EP and distributed it regionally. In 1986, He moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Discouraged by the polish of the new country sound and unable to land a recording contract, Keen moved back to Austin. In 1989 he released his national debut album, West Textures. His 1993 release, A Bigger Piece Of Sky, gained wider acclaim, both amongst fans and critics. Over the next ten years, Keen would continue to write, record, perform and tour. Today, he is popular with traditional country music fans, folk music fans, the college radio crowd and alt-country fans. Keen currently resides in Bandera, Texas.

CAROLINA
Robert Earl Keen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Out along the road to no return
Silence rules the day and knows no friend
The troubled past and all her tribe adjourn
To watch your dreams unravel in the wind

Chorus
But each new morning sunrise
Is just as good as gold

And all the hope inside you
Will keep you from the cold
Bare your soul let your spirit burn
Out along the road to no return

The sweet smell of nighttime rides on the breeze
The river is winding through the hickory trees
The redbones are howling down by Wilson's Bridge
The lawmen stand waiting upon Deadman's Ridge

Chorus
Ooh Carolina so dark I can't see
Ooh Carolina won't you let me go free

I came here with Lily a year just last fall
We left her old daddy back in Oonegal
We made us a home place of Black Mountain stone
But one cold winter morning I woke up alone

Chorus

Days full of silence are so incomplete
Nights without Lily I took to the streets
And in the streets of Asheville I channeled my pain
'Til one raging black night I slept in the rain

I dreamed of a refuge a red velvet world
And I swore my sweet Lily was one of the girls
I loved her so madly I loved her so long
I woke with my dream girl but her life was all gone

Chorus

Love has no boundary sorrow no end
And the lawmen of Asheville have no mercy in them

Chorus

Let me reach Tennessee

Overall Meaning

Robert Earl Keen's song "Carolina" tells the story of a man's journey along a challenging and uncertain road. The opening lines set the scene, as the singer finds himself traveling a road that leads to an unknown destination. The silence that surrounds him seems to symbolize the difficulties he faces, as he leaves behind his past and the people he once knew. In this new world, his dreams seem destined to unravel in the wind.

However, the chorus offers a message of hope, as Keen reminds us that each new morning brings with it the potential for something great. The hope that lies within the singer will keep him from succumbing to the cold and the hardships of his journey. As he continues down the "road to no return," he must bare his soul and let his spirit burn in order to persevere.

Keen's vivid lyrics paint a picture of the physical world that surrounds the singer. He describes the sweet smell of nighttime, the winding river, and the howling redbones that keep him company. Yet, even in this natural world, danger lurks around every bend. The lawmen stand waiting for him on Deadman's Ridge, and the darkness of the Carolina night seems to swallow him up.

As the song nears its end, Keen explores the theme of love and loss. The singer reflects on a past relationship with Lily, whom he left behind in Oonegal. Although they once made a home together in Black Mountain, he now finds himself alone and adrift. A dream of a red velvet world offers him temporary solace, only to be revealed as a cruel deception that reminds him of the boundaries of love and the inevitability of sorrow.

Overall, "Carolina" offers a powerful portrait of a man facing extraordinary obstacles, yet manages to find hope in even the darkest moments of his journey.

Line by Line Meaning

Out along the road to no return
Traveling down a path with an unknown destination.

Silence rules the day and knows no friend
The air is still and there are no companions along the journey.

The troubled past and all her tribe adjourn
The memories and struggles of the past are put on hold.

To watch your dreams unravel in the wind
To see your aspirations blow away like leaves in the breeze.

[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.

But each new morning sunrise
Every day provides an opportunity for a fresh start.

Is just as good as gold
Each day has the potential to bring value and worth to your life.

And all the hope inside you
The anticipation and optimism within yourself.

Will keep you from the cold
Will protect you from the harshness of life.

Bare your soul let your spirit burn
Be vulnerable and passionate along your journey.

Out along the road to no return
Traveling down a path with an unknown destination.

The sweet smell of nighttime rides on the breeze
The calmness of nighttime fills the air.

The river is winding through the hickory trees
The river is flowing through a forest of hickory trees.

The redbones are howling down by Wilson's Bridge
The hounds are barking in the distance.

The lawmen stand waiting upon Deadman's Ridge
The authorities are awaiting anyone who breaks the law.

[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.

Ooh Carolina so dark I can't see
The state of Carolina is unknown and uncertain.

Ooh Carolina won't you let me go free
The traveler desires to be released from the uncertainty and worries.

I came here with Lily a year just last fall
The traveler arrived in Carolina with his partner Lily.

We left her old daddy back in Oonegal
They left Lily's father behind in Ireland.

We made us a home place of Black Mountain stone
They built a residence using stones from Black Mountain.

But one cold winter morning I woke up alone
The traveler was left alone after Lily's passing.

[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.

Days full of silence are so incomplete
Quiet days without Lily are lacking.

Nights without Lily I took to the streets
The traveler roamed the streets alone at night.

And in the streets of Asheville I channeled my pain
The traveler coped with his grief while wandering the roads of Asheville.

Til one raging black night I slept in the rain
One rainy night, the traveler found himself sleeping outside in the storm.

I dreamed of a refuge a red velvet world
The traveler fantasized about a lavish and safe place.

And I swore my sweet Lily was one of the girls
The traveler believed Lily was in that dream world.

I loved her so madly I loved her so long
The traveler deeply loved Lily for a significant amount of time.

I woke with my dream girl but her life was all gone
The traveler woke to find that his illusion shattered and Lily was still gone.

[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.

Love has no boundary sorrow no end
Love and heartache are universal experiences.

And the lawmen of Asheville have no mercy in them
The authorities in Asheville are not forgiving in their duties.

[Chorus]
Refrain from the song.

Let me reach Tennessee
The traveler desires to continue his journey to Tennessee.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@neofight395

13y↑14

One of the best songs ever written.

@randysparks5413

3y↑1

These songs and the follow up "New life in old Mexico" would make a good western movie.

@rgavaletz

7y↑4

REK has a way of taking you to the place he's singing about in your mind; whether you want to or not. You can't help but picture in your mind what he's projecting in his songs. That's a gift of a talented song writer but I think even more so a talented singer. REK's music has pulled me through so many tribulations in my life I feel as though I owe him. Thanks REK!!!