Lynch has produced eight albums:
Live At XM Studios (Live concert available only on the XM Comedy channel, no CD release planned)
The Craig Machine
Live at the El Rey (DVD)
Superhero
A Little Bit Special
Half A Man (Lynch's original demo tape; currently out of print)
3 Balloons
Lion
And one Broadway cast album:
The Wedding Singer, Original Broadway Cast Recording
Tennessee
Stephen Lynch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stood beneath a redwood tree
But wherever I go my heart aches
For a place called Tennessee
Oh come with me
Where the Whiskey flows like whine
And the meth labs are divine
Where the sweet tobacco grows
And is picked by porny groves
In Tennessee
Oh it's a place where dueling banjos play
And the mountain folk run free
Where all the children can spell kay kay kay
But cannot spell Tennessee
Oh come with me
Where every cheek is filled with chew
And everyone's never seen a jew
Oh I wanna be
Where the hotdogs are deep friend
That's the reason Elvis died
In Tennessee
Oh come with me
Where the backstreet preachers shout
That if your gay you best get out
Oh I wanna be
Where hospitality is a thing
Just ask Martin Luther King
Shoot in Tennessee
The birth place of Aretha queen of soul
The BB king in Al Gore
I'm not saying it's a shit hole
But they don't live there anymore
Oh I wanna see
Mountain dew in every cup
And all the dentists just gave up
Oh come with me
On my fat bed pickup truck
That's were the classy ladies fuck
In Tennessee
Oh in Tennessee
Stephen Lynch's song Tennessee is a satirical take on the Southern state of Tennessee, with sarcastic references on the culture, music, and stereotypes of the area. The lyrics depict Lynch's yearning for Tennessee, despite all its flaws. The first stanza mentions how Lynch has experienced natural beauty in other places like the Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes, but his heart still aches for Tennessee. The second stanza contains sarcastic references to Tennessee culture with Lynch saying that he wants to visit a place where the "Whiskey flows like wine" and "meth labs are divine." The third stanza references the famous movie, Deliverance, and how Tennessee is known for dueling banjos and freefolk. Lynch continues with more sarcastic descriptions of Tennessee's culture such as saying that children can spell kay kay kay but not Tennessee. The next stanza lyrically continues this same sarcastic style with reference to the fact that the majority of people in Tennessee are chewing tobacco, and most have never seen a Jew in their life. The verse concludes with a reference to Elvis' diet as well. The following stanza refers to backstreet preachers and the idea that if you are gay, then you should leave Tennessee. This is again followed by more sarcasm about Tennessee's hospitality and the importance of Martin Luther King. The chorus of the song depicts how Lynch wants to visit Tennessee and enjoy the drink Mountain Dew, which he seems to think is in every cup there.
Line by Line Meaning
I see rocky mountains and great lakes
I've traveled to various scenic locations with great mountains and large lakes.
Stood beneath a redwood tree
I've been to the Redwood forests in California and admired the tall trees.
But wherever I go my heart aches
Regardless of where I go, I still feel a longing for a particular place.
For a place called Tennessee
I miss the state of Tennessee.
Oh come with me
Join me on this adventure.
Where the Whiskey flows like whine
The liquor flows freely in Tennessee.
And the meth labs are divine
Meth laboratories are prevalent in the state.
Oh I wanna be
I desire to be in this particular location.
Where the sweet tobacco grows
Tennessee's climate is suitable for growing tobacco.
And is picked by porny groves
The tobacco is harvested by adult film stars.
In Tennessee
This place I long for is, indeed, Tennessee.
Oh it's a place where dueling banjos play
In Tennessee, there is a lot of bluegrass and folk music.
And the mountain folk run free
The local people in rural areas are free-spirited.
Where all the children can spell kay kay kay
The educational system is limited and lacking in some areas.
But cannot spell Tennessee
However, the kids can't even spell the name of their own state.
Where every cheek is filled with chew
The locals consume a lot of chewing tobacco.
And everyone's never seen a jew
The state isn't known for having a large Jewish population.
Where the hotdogs are deep friend
Fried foods are a staple in Tennessee, even to the point of deep-frying hot dogs.
That's the reason Elvis died
Elvis Presley's love of fried foods may have been a factor in his death.
Where the backstreet preachers shout
There are preachers who preach on the streets and in public places.
That if your gay you best get out
These preachers can be intolerant of individuals who identify as gay.
Where hospitality is a thing
Tennesseans are known for their welcoming and kind nature.
Just ask Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Tennessee and experienced the state's hospitality.
Shoot in Tennessee
An expression used to show a strong agreement that Tennessee is a great place.
The birth place of Aretha queen of soul
Aretha Franklin, a famous soul singer, was born in Tennessee.
The BB king in Al Gore
BB King and Al Gore are notable figures from Tennessee.
I'm not saying it's a shit hole
It's not a terrible place to live or visit.
But they don't live there anymore
Despite the many notable people and attractions, some have left the state.
Oh I wanna see
I would like to witness this.
Mountain dew in every cup
Mountain Dew, a popular soda, is prominent in Tennessee.
And all the dentists just gave up
The locals consume lots of sugar and sweets, so dentists may have trouble keeping up with dental care.
On my fat bed pickup truck
Riding in a big, comfortable pickup truck around Tennessee would be enjoyable.
That's were the classy ladies fuck
The people of Tennessee are more relaxed about sexual morality, perhaps in part due to the influence of the music industry.
In Tennessee
Again, this place I am discussing is, in fact, Tennessee.
Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jordan Cull
I've lived in West Tennessee for 18 of the 22 years I've been alive and I must say... Absolutely everything he says in this song is accurate. 😂
Will
Lived in in Savannah for 3 years. Hated every minute of it!
Slamwise Gamgee
Kentucky, all my life. The same way.
Andrew Brunelle
Stephen Lynch is really funny and still is. Now he's getting better in his musical arrangements. Definitely my favorite singing comedian.
Ancala Bond
+Andrew Brunelle Even better than bo burnham? Wew.
Andrew Brunelle
+Ancala Bond I'm not really familiar with him, but from the couple of songs I've see Bo sing, I'd have to say yes. Stephen Lynch has been around since before 2000 and has even performed on Broadway in The Wedding Singer for years. He is so underrated it's insane. Bo Burnham may have music videos and whatever, but Lynch is just so fucking hilarious in so many ways.
Ancala Bond
Andrew Brunelle I'm confused at what you're saying, Bo isn't funny because he has music videos? He's not funny because he's popular?
Maybe you were missinterpretting my point, I was just surprised that somebody who had seen enough musical comedians to have a favorite and he even passed Bo.
Like, Bo is fricking hilarious.
headsetfuntime
Bo isn't funny because he isn't funny. Like a censored bland version of Lynch.
Foxy
Check out Tim Minchin.
Christian Guitierrez
Such a beautiful song I literally cried my eyes out :')