Milsap was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina with a congenital disorder that left him almost completely blind. He was abandoned by his mother as an infant and raised by his grandparents until the age of five, when he was sent to the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Milsap showed musical aptitude at an early age. The school stressed classical music training but he preferred country, gospel and rhythm-and-blues. He released his first single, Total Disaster, in 1963 at the age of twenty. This was followed by several Ashford And Simpson, compositions, including the memorable "Let's Go Get Stoned", which, unfortunately for Milsap, was relegated to a b-side. A few months later it would become a million-selling single for the more popular blind pianist, Ray Charles. 1972 found him working regularly at Roger Miller's King of the Road Club in Nashville, Tennessee and he signed with RCA Records in 1973. He was at his peak of popularity in the late 1970s and early 1980s with songs that made his name familiar to pop as well as country audiences, such as "It Was Almost Like A Song," "{There's) No Gettin' Over Me," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World," and a remake of Chuck Jackson's "Any Day Now" (which was named Billboard magazine's Number One Adult Contemporary hit of 1982). Milsap recorded for RCA until 1992. During that time he created five gold albums, one platinum album and one double platinum album. He also won six Grammy Awards and eight Country Music Association awards including the coveted Entertainer of the Year Award. In 2005 Milsap resigned with RCA Records and released a new country single, "Local Girls."
Milsap has recorded music with Kenny Rogers, Elvis Presley and Barry Manilow.
Ronnie and his wife Joyce currently make their home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Milsap enjoys his hobby of amateur (Ham) radio. More info on him can be found at: http://www.qrz.com/wb4kcg
Blue Ridge Mountains Turnin' Green
Ronnie Milsap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue Ridge Mountains turnin′ green
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends
Springtime opens up my heart
Makes me want to share that good ole mountain air
Life's so young and free for all
For those who answer the Blue Ridge Mountains call
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends.
Sunrise drinks the morning dew
Walkin' on new cloud ground distant cowbells sound
Tall trees reach the misty blue
And all there leaves are green the shadows on a mountain stream
Dogwood and mountain laurel bloom
A welcome mat for neature's living room
Blue Ridge Mountains turnin′ green
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends.
Nightime gathers in the crowd
Listen to the children sing hear the banjos ring
Blue Ridge Mountains music sound
Comes from lonely hill the song of a whippoorwill
Old time fiddles that I hear playin′ the tune that I love so dear
Blue Ridge Mountains callin' me
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends
Blue Ridge Mountains turnin′ green...
The song "Blue Ridge Mountains Turnin' Green" by Ronnie Milsap is a nostalgic ode to the beauty and allure of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the joys of returning home. The opening lines speak of the springtime opening up the singer's heart and making him want to share the good ole mountain air with his friends. It's a symbol of renewal, making him feel young and free. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a special place for those who answer the call, and the singer longs to return to see his mountain friends.
The song paints a vivid picture of the mountains, with its misty blue trees, mountain streams, and blooming dogwood and mountain laurel. The lyrics evoke a sense of being at one with nature, where the morning dew is soaked up by the sunrise and cowbells sound in the distance. The Blue Ridge Mountains are a natural welcome mat, inviting you into nature's living room. The chorus tells of the music that comes alive in the mountains at night, where the children sing, the banjos ring, and the sound of old-time fiddles play the tunes that are so dear to the singer's heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Ridge Mountains turnin′ green
Spring is here and the trees and grass in the Blue Ridge Mountains are turning green.
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends
The singer misses his friends and wants to go back to the mountains.
Springtime opens up my heart
The arrival of spring makes the singer feel happy and full of love.
Makes me want to share that good ole mountain air
The singer wants to share the fresh mountain air with others.
Life's so young and free for all
Life in the mountains is full of youth and freedom.
For those who answer the Blue Ridge Mountains call
Those who are drawn to the Blue Ridge Mountains feel a special connection to them.
Sunrise drinks the morning dew
At sunrise, the dew on the ground is evaporated by the sun.
Walkin' on new cloud ground distant cowbells sound
As the singer walks in the mountains, he hears cowbells ringing in the distance.
Tall trees reach the misty blue
The trees in the mountains are so tall they reach up into the sky.
And all there leaves are green the shadows on a mountain stream
The leaves of the trees are all green, and their shadows are reflected in the nearby mountain stream.
Dogwood and mountain laurel bloom
The dogwood and mountain laurel flowers are blooming, adding to the beauty of the mountains.
A welcome mat for neature's living room
The blooming flowers are like a welcome mat to the mountains, which are like nature's living room.
Nightime gathers in the crowd
As night falls, people gather together in the mountains.
Listen to the children sing hear the banjos ring
The children are singing and the sound of banjos can be heard in the mountains.
Blue Ridge Mountains music sound
The sound of Blue Ridge Mountains music can be heard all around.
Comes from lonely hill the song of a whippoorwill
The lonely whippoorwill sings a song from a nearby hill.
Old time fiddles that I hear playin′ the tune that I love so dear
The singer hears old-time fiddles playing a tune that he loves in the mountains.
Blue Ridge Mountains callin' me
The mountains are calling the singer to come back and visit.
I wanna go home again to see my mountain friends
The singer wants to go back to the mountains to see his friends.
Blue Ridge Mountains turnin′ green
The mountains are still turning green with the arrival of spring.
Writer(s): Lunsford James C
Contributed by Christopher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.