Matterhorn
The Country Gentlemen Lyrics


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We started out from Bern one sunny August morn
There was just the four of us against the Matterhorn
There was Albert the Australian and John the Irishman
Me and Bill from Britain, mad dogs in the sun

Matterhorn, Matterhorn
Men have tried and men have died to climb the Matterhorn
That mighty Matterhorn

Two miles up we lost John and our rations fell below
Now Al and Bill are lying beneath an avalanche of snow
Now here I am alone and I know I cannot stop
Two more yards in front of me before I reach the top

Now here I am a dying upon the Matterhorn
Not a thing for me to lie in or a thing to keep me warm




The Queen would surely knight me if I could get back down
But it's closer here to heaven than it is back to the ground

Overall Meaning

The Country Gentlemen's Matterhorn is a song that tells the story of four men embarking on a dangerous climb up the Matterhorn, a famous mountain in the Alps located on the border of Switzerland and Italy. The song starts with the four men, Albert, John, Bill, and the singer, leaving Bern one sunny August morning. The Matterhorn, with its sheer cliffs and unpredictable weather, has caused many men to lose their lives trying to climb it. The song highlights the courage and determination of the four climbers, who are willing to take on such an incredible challenge.


As the climbers ascend the mountain, they lose one of their fellow climbers, John, and their rations run low. Then tragedy strikes, and an avalanche covers two of the remaining three climbers, Albert and Bill. Now the singer is left all alone to make the final ascent to the top of the Matterhorn. The lyrics portray the singer's feelings of determination and desperation as he struggles to make it to the top of the mountain, knowing that his friends are gone and that he may not make it back down alive.


The song ends with a haunting image of the singer dying on the Matterhorn, with nothing to keep him warm and no one to knight him, even if he could make it back down. The lyrics are powerful and evoke a sense of sadness and loss, but also a sense of admiration for those who are willing to take on such a dangerous feat.


Line by Line Meaning

We started out from Bern one sunny August morn
Four friends embarked on a journey from Bern on a sunny morning in August


There was just the four of us against the Matterhorn
The group of four faces the daunting task of climbing the Matterhorn


There was Albert the Australian and John the Irishman
The group was composed of Albert, an Australian, and John, an Irishman, in addition to two British members


Me and Bill from Britain, mad dogs in the sun
The British members of the group, namely the artist and Bill, were determined and enthusiastic to climb the Matterhorn despite the harsh climate


Matterhorn, Matterhorn Men have tried and men have died to climb the Matterhorn That mighty Matterhorn
The Matterhorn is an extremely challenging mountain to climb and many men have lost their lives attempting to do so


Two miles up we lost John and our rations fell below
The group lost John at an altitude of two miles and their supplies ran out


Now Al and Bill are lying beneath an avalanche of snow
Both Albert and Bill were buried in an avalanche of snow


Now here I am alone and I know I cannot stop
The artist is now the only surviving member of the group and cannot give up despite the circumstances


Two more yards in front of me before I reach the top
The artist is very close to reaching the top of the Matterhorn, he just has two more yards to go


Now here I am a dying upon the Matterhorn
The artist is dying on the Matterhorn


Not a thing for me to lie in or a thing to keep me warm
There is nothing for the singer to keep him warm or comfortable as he lays dying


The Queen would surely knight me if I could get back down
The artist believes that if he were to make it back down, he would be given a high honor by the Queen


But it's closer here to heaven than it is back to the ground
The singer feels that he is closer to heaven than the ground as he passes away on the Matterhorn




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Fred B. Burch, Mel Tillis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Anne Mccord

Charlie had the best voice for bluegrass! No one was better!

James Davis

The great beautiful voice of Charlie Waller.

Jaye Parker

now Randy plays in Charlies footsteps

Ferguson TO-20

This is one of my favorite songs & in my humble opinion nobody does it like Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen

EmilyAnne Mccord

Charlie Waller had the voice of an angel.

Johnny Hill

HAS, he’s currently in the Angel Band b

Anne Mccord

@Johnny Hill yep

uttedeluxe

My god, this is even better than the original on the "The Traveler & Other Favorites" LP. Almost thirty years later, and Waller's voice is even more powerful. Gives me shivers. Charlie Waller is/was without doubt the best, truly inspirational. Too bad alot of the old gems are so hard to find. Amazing footage! Thanks alot for this!

Nick Hartman

My grandpa showed me this song when I was 4 years old, and it became an instant favorite. Hearing it now in my adult life brings me back to much happier times. I love rediscovering the music my grandfather so passionately loved.

marqy007

Guys /Gals...Charlie Waller!!! Been at it for decades...this is one of many signature songs of his. Def a pioneer in the genre!! RIP Charlie...YOU did good!!

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