There are two artists named Sonny Burgess:

1) Albert Austin "Sonny" … Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists named Sonny Burgess:

1) Albert Austin "Sonny" Burgess (May 28, 1931 – August 18, 2017) was an American rockabilly guitarist and singer.

In the early 1950s, Burgess played boogie woogie music in dance halls and bars around Newport. Burgess, Kern Kennedy, Johnny Ray Hubbard, and Gerald Jackson formed a boogie-woogie band they called the Rocky Road Ramblers. In 1954, following a stint in the US Army (1951–53), Burgess re-formed the band, calling them the Moonlighters after the Silver Moon Club in Newport, where they performed regularly. After advice from record producer Sam Phillips, the group expanded to form the Pacers.

The band's first record was "We Wanna Boogie" in 1956 for Sun Records, in Memphis, about 80 miles southeast of his birthplace. The flip side was "Red Headed Woman." Both were written by Burgess. The songs have been described as "among the most raucous, energy-filled recordings released during the first flowering of rock and roll." Their onstage antics in performance were similarly described. Like other artists such as Ray Harris, Hayden Thompson, Billy Lee Riley and Warren Smith, chart success largely eluded him.

Burgess disbanded the group in 1971 but later found a new audience in Europe.

In 1990 (possibly before and afterward), Burgess toured with The Sun Rhythm Section. This group was composed of former session musicians from the Sun Recording Studio. Beside Burgess, band members included Paul Burlison (electric guitar), J.L. "Smoochy" Smith (piano), Stan Kessler (bass), Marcus Van Story (acoustic guitar & lead vocals), and D.J. Fontana on drums. Fontana was a member of Elvis Presley's band (1955-1968).

Burgess was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame of Europe in 1999. His group, now called The Legendary Pacers, was a hit that same year in a rockabilly concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. It recorded Still Rockin’ and Rollin’ in 2000, voted the best new album in the country and roots field in Europe. The group was inducted in 2002 into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

Sonny Burgess & The Legendary Pacers performed at the 2006 National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia to large, enthusiastic audiences.

Burgess hosted a weekly radio program called We Wanna Boogie with co-host June Taylor. The program, named after his first record, aired Sunday nights from 5-7pm Central Time on 91.9FM KASU in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Burgess was born on a farm near Newport, Arkansas to Albert and Esta Burgess. He graduated from Newport High School in 1948. Burgess had two brothers, and three sisters. Burgess was formerly married to Joann Adams starting in 1956, and they have two sons, Peyton and John. Between performances, Burgess lived in Newport until his death in 2017. Burgess died on August 18, 2017 at the age of 86.

2) Sonny Burgess is a country music artist, who released his debut album, When in Texas, in 2001.

Tiger Rose
Sonny Burgess Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tiger Rose let me read some prose to you
Just as long as it shows my love any verse will do
Honey, I could make you happy if you'd only let me, heaven knows
My my Tiger Rose

I went to work this morning on the local commuter train
Stopped back early and I peeked through the window pane
There was a man eating from my refrigerator dressed up in my clothes

Why why Tiger Rose?

Called out your name and I kicked down the front door
I grabbed him by my robe and I wrastled him across the floor
I told you you weren't any better than all those other so and so's
Said he wasn't any different than a thousand other Joe Blows
Love disappears so quickly, when it goes it goes
Why why Tiger Rose

Bye Bye Tiger Rose
So long Tiger, I'm out of here baby

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sonny Burgess's song Tiger Rose tells the story of a man who is in love with a woman named Tiger Rose. He begins the song by expressing his desire to read some poetry to her as long as it shows his love, indicating that he will do anything to make her happy. However, later in the song, he discovers that Tiger Rose has been unfaithful to him with another man. The discovery is made when the man comes home early from work and finds another man eating from his refrigerator and dressed in his clothes. The singer confronts the man and accuses Tiger Rose of being no different from all the other unfaithful women he has encountered. The song ends with the man saying goodbye to Tiger Rose, indicating that he is leaving her.

The lyrics of Tiger Rose are reflective of the theme of deception and betrayal. The singer's desire to make Tiger Rose happy and his earlier declaration of love are betrayed by Tiger Rose's infidelity. The song is a representation of how trust can be broken in a relationship when one partner is unfaithful. The singer's emotions are portrayed effectively through the lyrics, and the song is a poignant representation of the pain caused by betrayal.

Line by Line Meaning

Tiger Rose let me read some prose to you
Sonny Burgess wants to read poetry to Tiger Rose, as long as she understands that every line expresses his love

Just as long as it shows my love any verse will do
Sonny is willing to read any poetry to Tiger Rose, as long as she can see how he expresses his love in every verse

Honey, I could make you happy if you'd only let me, heaven knows
Sonny is telling Tiger Rose that he has the potential to make her happy, and hopes that she gives him the chance to do so

My my Tiger Rose
Sonny affectionately calls Tiger Rose his own

I went to work this morning on the local commuter train
Sonny narrates his regular day-to-day life story

Stopped back early and I peeked through the window pane
Sonny returns from his work early to check on his home

There was a man eating from my refrigerator dressed up in my clothes
Sonny discovers a stranger inside his house, who is wearing his clothes and eating his food

Why why Tiger Rose?
Sonny is asking Tiger Rose why a stranger is inside his house dressed in his clothes and eating his food

Called out your name and I kicked down the front door
Sonny calls out for Tiger Rose and breaks down the front door to investigate the situation

I grabbed him by my robe and I wrastled him across the floor
Sonny physically fights the intruder

I told you you weren't any better than all those other so and so's
Sonny accuses Tiger Rose of being no different than other unfaithful women he's encountered

Said he wasn't any different than a thousand other Joe Blows
Sonny concludes that the intruder is just like other men who have behaved similarly in the past

Love disappears so quickly, when it goes it goes
Sonny laments how easily love fades away and ends abruptly

Why why Tiger Rose
Sonny repeats his earlier question, still questioning why Tiger Rose's actions led to this situation

Bye Bye Tiger Rose
Sonny bids farewell to Tiger Rose, indicating that he is done with their relationship after what has transpired

So long Tiger, I'm out of here baby
Sonny reiterates that he is leaving Tiger Rose and the relationship behind

Writer(s): colum sands

Contributed by Leah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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