1) A 1970s funk band… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists under the same name:
1) A 1970s funk band, best known for launching the career of their lead singer, Chaka Khan. Major hits during their career include "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody"
Rufus gained a fan in Stevie Wonder thanks to their cover of his "Maybe Your Baby." Wonder gave them a new composition, the slowly grinding "Tell Me Something Good," that he'd written specifically with Khan's vocal style in mind. Pulled as a single from their second album, 1974's Rags to Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good" was a Top Five smash that turned Rufus and Khan into stars....
2) RUFUS (루퍼스) is a independent South-Korean rapper.
3) Rufus was a 1980's spanish electropop band.
Haulin' Coal
Rufus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Travelin' yonder from bay to bay
I been workin' on the barge line
Fourteen years ago today
Eighteen hours hard labor by the day
Ain't much pay for a man
[Chorus:]
And he won't be comin' home for a long time
Torches burning by the riverside
Cast their shadows Grey as stone
And the cool October days replacing
Much warmer thoughts of home
I can still see grandma sittin' on the porch
Tellin' the neighbors she's got a grandson
[Chorus]
River's rising up the marker line
While the willows softly moan
Sun is rising over the starboard shore
Paving the golden road back home
I can still see the kids jumpin' rope
But there ain't much hope for a man
[Chorus]
Haulin' coal down the down river
I'll be gone a long time
Haulin' coal down the down river
I'll be gone a long while
The song "Haulin' Coal" by Rufus is a tale of a man working on a barge line for fourteen years, relentlessly hauling coal down the down river. The opening verse sees the singer steaming down the muddy waters from bay to bay, which indicates a long journey ahead. The song depicts his hard-working life on the barge line where he works eighteen hours a day, but the pay isn't enough for a man. The chorus is about how the singer's work keeps him away from home for an extended period, and he won't be coming home anytime soon. The song's mournful melody reflects the sadness and longing of the singer who misses his family but has no choice but to keep working.
The second verse talks about the autumn season, where the torches burning by the riverside cast shadows grey as stone. The shadow indicates the singer's misery, reflecting how he misses his family and the warmth of his home. The verse talks about how the beautiful October days replace his thoughts of home. The singer remembers his grandmother sitting on the porch, telling the neighbors that she has a grandson. The nostalgia in the verse highlights how the singer has been away from home for too long.
The third verse talks about the rising river and the softly moaning willows, indicating a change in the environment that the singer has grown accustomed to working on. The sun is rising, painting a beautiful golden road back home, yet the singer still cannot go back. The verse ends with the kids jumping rope, but the singer knows there isn't much hope for a man, indicating that he has come to terms with his work and can only hope that one day he will be able to go back home.
Line by Line Meaning
Steamin' down the muddy waters
Traveling by boat through dirty and turbid waters
Travelin' yonder from bay to bay
Moving from one bay to another
I been workin' on the barge line
Working as a barge operator
Fourteen years ago today
Having worked for this barge line for fourteen years starting from today
Eighteen hours hard labor by the day
Working eighteen hours every day with heavy physical labor
Ain't much pay for a man
Not making a lot of money for such a strenuous job
[Chorus:] Haulin' coal down the down river And he won't be comin' home for a long time
Refrain that describes the main task of the singer, who will be away from home for a long time
Torches burning by the riverside
Light sources illuminating the riverbank
Cast their shadows Grey as stone
Shadows look dull and heavy as if they were made of stone
And the cool October days replacing
Cold autumn days taking the place of previous warm thoughts
Much warmer thoughts of home
Remembering warmer feelings about home in the past
I can still see grandma sittin' on the porch
Recalling a mental image of grandma sitting on the porch
Tellin' the neighbors she's got a grandson
Boasting about her grandson to her neighbors
[Chorus]
Refrain that repeats the main task and associated isolation of the singer
River's rising up the marker line
Water level on the marker line going up
While the willows softly moan
Crying sounds of the willow trees
Sun is rising over the starboard shore
The sun is coming up on the right side of the boat
Paving the golden road back home
Providing a path back home in the form of the sunrise
I can still see the kids jumpin' rope
Recalling kids playing jump rope
But there ain't much hope for a man
Having little hope for one's future as a worker
[Chorus]
Refrain that repeats the main task and associated isolation of the artist
Haulin' coal down the down river
Constantly transporting coal on the river
I'll be gone a long time
Expecting to be away from home for a long period
Haulin' coal down the down river
Constantly transporting coal on the river
I'll be gone a long while
Expecting to be away from home for a long period
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RON STOCKERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind