At the time of their 1990 debut, the kind of rock & roll the Black Crowes specialize in was out of style. Only Guns N' Roses came close to approximating a vintage Stones-style raunch, but they were too angry and jagged to pull it off completely. The Black Crowes replicated that Stonesy swagger and Faces boogie perfectly. Vocalist Chris Robinson appropriated the sound and style of vintage Rod Stewart while guitarist Rich Robinson fused Keith Richards' lean attack with Ron Wood's messy rhythmic sense. At their best, the Black Crowes echo classic rock without slavishly imitating their influences.
The Robinson brothers originally formed the Black Crowes in Georgia in 1984. By the time of their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, the group comprised Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Jeff Cease (guitar), and Steve Gorman (drums). "Jealous Again," the first single from Shake Your Money Maker, was a moderate hit but it was the band's cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" that made the group a multi-platinum success. "Hard to Handle" climbed its way into the Top 40, propelling the album into the Top Ten. The acoustic ballad "She Talks to Angels" became the band's second Top 40 hit in the spring of 1991. Shake Your Money Maker would eventually sell over three million copies.
The Black Crowes delivered their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, in the spring of 1992, adding new lead guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. It entered the charts at number one, but it didn't have as many hit singles as the debut; none of the singles cracked the Top 40 and only "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" made the Top 100. Nevertheless, the band established themselves as a popular concert attraction that summer, selling out theaters across America. The Black Crowes' third album, Amorica, arrived in late 1994. Amorica debuted in the Top Ten, but none of the singles from the album made the charts; even though the record went gold, it slipped off the charts in early 1995.
Three Snakes & One Charm, the group's fourth album, was released in July of 1996. The album entered the charts at number 15, but it quickly slipped out of the Top 50. Nevertheless, the album received the best reviews of any Crowes album since The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Guitarist Marc Ford was fired from the Black Crowes in August, 1997; two years later, the group returned with By Your Side. In mid-2000, the band collaborated with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on the double-disc Live at the Greek, an eclectic mix of newly recorded Zeppelin covers and additional classic blues cuts. A Tribute to a Work in Progress: Greatest Hits 1990-1999, a 16-track best-of compilation was also released in mid-2000. The Don Was-produced Lions appeared in spring 2001, and a summer tour with Oasis -- the Tour of Brotherly Love -- followed in June. But all was apparently not well with the group, in January of 2002 the band announced that they were on hiatus. Drummer Steve Gorman was fired from the band, and Chris Robinson announced his intentions for a solo career.
The Black Crowes have since reunited. All members circa 1992 are back, with the addition of one of their previous bassists, Sven Pipien, and harmony singers Mona Lisa Young and Charity White. They are enjoying a renaissance within the group as well as with their longtime fan base and have been consistently touring since formally reuniting in March 2005. In November of 2007, it was announced that North Mississippi Allstar guitarist Luther Dickinson formally joined the band, replacing Paul Stacey. He appears throughout the Crowes' album Warpaint, which was released in March of 2008.
In late 2019, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that they had resolved their differences (the brothers hadn't spoken in the years since the band's 2015 split). Besides the Robinson brothers, the reunited lineup featured an entirely new backing band including guitarist Isiah Mitchell (from the bands Earthless and Golden Void), bassist Tim Lefebvre (formerly of the Tedeschi Trucks Band), keyboardist Joel Robinow, and drummer Raj Ojha. This line-up premiered at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 11, 2019 where they played the entire Shake Your Money Maker album.
Shady Grove
The Black Crowes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Follow it down to the shady grove
Bonnie blow the breeze by the cabin door
No two lovers could ask for more
So grab your fiddle and your old banjo
Play a country blues so sweet and slow
We'll sing along to the drunkard's doom
These old trees grow straight to heaven
So it goes in the shady grove
When the old hen crackles and the ground gets cold
Our fine buck skin dances through the snow
We'll take to town on a Saturday night
You and me baby make such a sight
Whiskey, wine, name your pleasure
So it goes in the shady grove
Hey boys gather 'round
We'll put it up and they'll tear it down
Hey boys rockabye
Kiss the pretty girls goodbye
Hey boys up on high
Don't you stop till you reach the sky
Hey boys let it ring
A song for everyone to sing
When the fish start biting at the noon day fry
The muddy roads have all done dried
The honeysuckle says it's summertime
That old yellow sun is mighty kind
Hear the seasons come with reasons
So it goes in the shady grove
Hey boys up on high
Don't you stop till you reach the sky
Hey boys let it ring
A song for everyone to sing
Won't you be my lullabye, babe
In the sweet bye and bye, babe
It's okay to cry and let the sadness pass you by
And know I'll always love you, babe
Hey boys gather 'round
I'll put it up and they'll tear it down
Hey boys rock a bye
Kiss the pretty girls goodbye
Hey boys up on high
Don't you stop till you reach the sky
Hey boys let it ring
A song for everyone to sing
A song for everyone to sing
A song for everyone to sing
A song for everyone to sing
A song for everyone to sing
The lyrics begin with a picturesque scene of a couple by the banks of the sweet primrose, which leads them to a shady grove. They are in love and enjoying the best of nature with Bonnie, who’s blowing the breeze. The lyrics urge them to play instruments, such as a fiddle and an old banjo, and sing country blues while they enjoy dancing, making them a perfect couple.
As the music gets louder and the moon shines brighter, they feel like nothing in the world could be better than the beauty that surrounds them. The lyrics mention the old trees that seem to grow straight to heaven, and they represent the beauty of nature altogether in the shady grove. The shady grove seems to be a haven for lovers, where all their dreams and desires come true.
The lyrics close off with the seasonal changes that occur around them, and how they represent the different experiences they will have in life. There is a heaviness in the air that lifts when the two lovers hold each other, and the songwriters expressed this feeling in a way that speaks to our souls. The lyrics are emotional, providing a personal touch to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Meet me by the banks of the sweet primrose
Let's rendezvous by the riverbanks of fragrant flowers
Follow it down to the shady grove
Let's walk towards the shadowy grove along the river
Bonnie blow the breeze by the cabin door
Let the breeze play sweet music by our cabin door
No two lovers could ask for more
We have all we could ever want as two lovers
So grab your fiddle and your old banjo
Let's pick up our musical instruments
Play a country blues so sweet and slow
Let's play a slow and pleasant blues tune
We'll sing along to the drunkard's doom
We'll sing along to tunes about the sorrows of drinking
And rock all night by the silvery moon
We'll rock to the music till the moon is high
These old trees grow straight to heaven
These trees seem to be touching the sky
So it goes in the shady grove
This is how things are in the cozy grove
When the old hen crackles and the ground gets cold
When the hen cackles and winter arrives
Our fine buck skin dances through the snow
Our elegant deer-skin dances through the snow
We'll take to town on a Saturday night
We'll go to town on a fun Saturday night
You and me baby make such a sight
We'll make quite the sight as a couple
Whiskey, wine, name your pleasure
You can have whatever drink you'd like
So it goes in the shady grove
This is how things are in this cozy grove
Hey boys gather 'round
Guys, come around
We'll put it up and they'll tear it down
We'll build it up and they'll just tear it down
Hey boys rockabye
Guys, let's rock gently to a lullaby-like tune
Kiss the pretty girls goodbye
Let's say goodbye to the lovely ladies
Hey boys up on high
Guys, high up there
Don't you stop till you reach the sky
Don't stop till you're as high as the sky
Hey boys let it ring
Guys, let's play music and let it ring
When the fish start biting at the noon day fry
When the fish start biting during lunchtime
The muddy roads have all done dried
The muddy paths have finally become dry
The honeysuckle says it's summertime
The sweet scent of honeysuckle is a sign of summer
That old yellow sun is mighty kind
The sun is generously shining down on us
Hear the seasons come with reasons
Listen to how the seasons change for a reason
So it goes in the shady grove
This is how things are in the cozy grove
Won't you be my lullabye, babe
Can you sing me a soothing melody, my love?
In the sweet bye and bye, babe
In a sweet and hopeful future, my love?
It's okay to cry and let the sadness pass you by
It's alright to cry and let the sorrow come and go
And know I'll always love you, babe
And remember that I will always love you, my love
A song for everyone to sing
Let's sing a song that all can enjoy
A song for everyone to sing
Let's sing a song that all can enjoy
A song for everyone to sing
Let's sing a song that all can enjoy
A song for everyone to sing
Let's sing a song that all can enjoy
Contributed by Max E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.