Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music si… Read Full Bio ↴Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer. She may be best remembered for her debut single and trademark song "Delta Dawn," which went to number 6 on the country charts. Tucker released the song at the age of 13; she became the youngest singer to have a major hit song on the Country charts. Since the song's release, Tucker had major hit songs for the next two decades, and into the 1990s.

Texas
Tanya Tucker Lyrics

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When I die I may not go to heaven
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

New York couldn't hold my attention
Detroit City couldn't sing my song
If tomorrow finds me busted flat in Dallas

I won't care, 'cause at least I'll know I'm home

When I die I may not go to heaven
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

I'd ride through all of Hell and half of Texas
Just to hear Willie Nelson sing a country song
Beer just ain't as cold in old Milwaukee
My body's here, but my soul's in San Antone

When I die I may not go to heaven
Well I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

When I die, well, I may not go to heaven
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

When I die, well, I may not go to heaven, no
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

When I die, well, I may not go to heaven, no
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

When I die well, I may not go to heaven, no
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas
Texas is as close as I've been

When I die well, I may not go to heaven, no
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been

When I die, I may not go to heaven

I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go

Overall Meaning

Tanya Tucker's song "Texas" is a melancholic reflection on home and belonging. The lyrics express the singer's doubts about going to heaven and her desire to go to Texas instead, as it's the closest she's ever felt like home. The song opens with the lines "When I die I may not go to heaven, I don't know if they let cowboys in". This line reflects the singer's insecurity about her place in paradise as she doesn't know if cowboys, like her, are welcome there. The following lines "If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys, 'Cause Texas is as close as I've been" express her wish to be buried in Texas, as it is the closest she's ever felt to home.

The second verse continues the theme of restlessness and alienation from other places, such as New York or Detroit City, emphasizing Texas as the only place she feels truly herself. The line "I'd ride through all of Hell and half of Texas, just to hear Willie Nelson sing a country song" shows her love for country music and her willingness to go through any obstacle to listen to her favorite singer. The third and final verse begins with a comparison between the temperature of beer in Milwaukee and San Antonio, further reflecting the singer's deep connection to Texas. The song ends with the repeated line "When I die, well, I may not go to heaven, no, I don't know if they let cowboys in, if they don't just let me go to Texas, 'Cause Texas is as close as I've been", emphasizing the song's theme of home and belonging.

Line by Line Meaning

When I die I may not go to heaven
The singer is uncertain about their chances of entering heaven after death

I don't know if they let cowboys in
They are worried that being a cowboy may prevent them from entering heaven

If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
If the singer is not allowed in heaven, they would like to go to Texas instead

'Cause Texas is as close as I've been
Texas is the closest place to the artist's idea of paradise

New York couldn't hold my attention
The artist does not find New York interesting or fulfilling

Detroit City couldn't sing my song
The singer does not feel emotionally connected to life in Detroit

If tomorrow finds me busted flat in Dallas
If the singer is financially ruined in Dallas in the future

I won't care, 'cause at least I'll know I'm home
The artist considers Texas to be their true home, regardless of their situation

I'd ride through all of Hell and half of Texas
The artist is willing to endure great hardship to experience country music in Texas

Just to hear Willie Nelson sing a country song
Willie Nelson is a significant and respected figure in country music for the artist

Beer just ain't as cold in old Milwaukee
The singer dislikes Milwaukee and finds the beer unappealing

My body's here, but my soul's in San Antone
The artist feels more spiritually connected to San Antonio than their physical location

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bobby Borchers, Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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