1) The Highwaymen was an Am… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists sharing this name;
1) The Highwaymen was an American country music supergroup, composed of four of the genre's biggest artists, known for their pioneering influence on the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Active between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen: two on Columbia Records and one for Liberty Records. Their Columbia works produced three chart singles, including the number one "Highwayman" in 1985.
Between 1996 and 1999, Nelson, Kristofferson, Cash, and Jennings also provided the voice and dramatization for the Louis L'Amour Collection, a four-CD box set of seven Louis L'Amour stories published by the HighBridge Company, although the four were not credited as "The Highwaymen" in this work.
Besides the four formal members of the group, only one other vocal recording artist appeared on a Highwaymen recording: Johnny Rodriguez, who provided Spanish vocal on "Deportee", a Woody Guthrie composition, from "Highwayman".
The four original members starred in a movie together: the 1986 film Stagecoach.
2) The Highwaymen were a collegiate folk group from the 1960s who had a significant impact on the folk scene of that time and remain famous for the song "Michael" and "Cotton Fields." Formed in 1958 while the band members were at college, the group broke up in 1964 after releasing eight albums and ten singles. They reunited in 1987, minus Chan Daniels (who died in 1975), for a concert for their 25th college reunion. Between then and 2009, the band has performed ten to twelve concerts a year. Today, two of the original five members (Steve Butts and Steve Trott) are still alive, with Dave Fisher dying on May 7, 2010, Gil Robbins (father of actor Tim Robbins) dying on April 5, 2011, and Bob Burnett dying on December 8, 2011.
Songs That Make A Difference
The Highwaymen Lyrics
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We gathered round the room, you sang yours and I sang mine
We took turns with the guitar, in the front and center seat
Shel and Kris and Dylan, and a couple off the street
Joni Mitchell cried on, "Both Sides Now"
We sang songs that made a difference and we can again somehow
Everybody knew that this was quite a special night
Joe South was total magic and we all walked in his shoes
Orbison and Rabbit cried and they rocked the country blues
New Berry, San Francisco, Maybelle, Joy
We sang songs that made a difference
June was pregnant with my boy
Oh, I could make a livin' drivin' nails or drivin' trucks
Sleep beneath the bridge or in the streets, down on my luck
I'd stand the cold and hunger, if they'd let me hear the songs
Everybody write one that us bums can sing along
Keep it from the heart and down to earth
Sing the songs that make a difference
Give us all our money's worth
Hey, keep it from the heart and down to earth
Sing the songs that make a difference
Give us all our money's worth
The Highwaymen's song "Songs That Make a Difference" is a wistful look back at a time in the late 1960s when music was changing the world. The lyrics recall a gathering of musicians and friends who took turns playing and singing in a room, including Shel Silverstein, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan, and others. The song mentions some of the songs that were performed that night, including "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell, and speaks to the power of music to bring people together and make a difference.
The lyrics also lament the current state of the music industry, where commercial success often takes priority over artistic integrity and social consciousness. The singer expresses a desire for more music that is "from the heart and down to earth" and "makes a difference," and encourages musicians to write songs that "us bums can sing along" to.
Overall, the song is a nostalgic tribute to the transformative power of music and a call to action for musicians to use their platform to make a positive impact on the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey babe, do you remember, back in 1969?
Asking if they remember a time from the past.
We gathered round the room, you sang yours and I sang mine
They sang songs together in a casual setting.
We took turns with the guitar, in the front and center seat
They all played music and shared the spotlight.
Shel and Kris and Dylan, and a couple off the street
Listing a few people who were there to sing and play music.
Joni Mitchell cried on, "Both Sides Now"
A specific song that was sung and had an emotional impact on Joni Mitchell.
We sang songs that made a difference and we can again somehow
The songs they sang had meaning and they hope to do it again in the present.
Everybody knew that this was quite a special night
They were all aware that this was an important time and moment for music.
Graeme Nash was nervous in the hot seat, in the light
A specific person mentioned who was nervous while singing.
Joe South was total magic and we all walked in his shoes
Joe South was a great performer and they were all inspired by him.
Orbison and Rabbit cried and they rocked the country blues
Two people who were moved emotionally by the music they played.
New Berry, San Francisco, Maybelle, Joy
Listing a few more people present to play music.
We sang songs that made a difference
Reiterating that the songs they sang had meaning and impact.
June was pregnant with my boy
A personal fact about the singer's partner at the time.
Oh, I could make a livin' drivin' nails or drivin' trucks
Talking about alternate careers they could have had to make a living.
Sleep beneath the bridge or in the streets, down on my luck
Describing difficult times when they were homeless.
I'd stand the cold and hunger, if they'd let me hear the songs
They value music enough that they would endure hardship to hear it.
Everybody write one that us bums can sing along
Asking for more songs to be written that they can all sing and enjoy.
Keep it from the heart and down to earth
Make the songs genuine and relatable, not over the top or fake.
Sing the songs that make a difference
Encouraging musicians to write and play meaningful music.
Give us all our money's worth
Expecting to pay for quality music and performance.
Hey, keep it from the heart and down to earth
Reiterating the importance of genuine music.
Sing the songs that make a difference
Repeating the message of the song to encourage meaningful music.
Give us all our money's worth
Reiterating the expectation of quality for what people pay for music.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: John Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind