The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz", recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming". They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and short temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly beat her. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe.
As of 1963, Charlie was making enough money that he was able to start a solo career, and Ira also went on his own.
Ira died on June 20, 1965, at the age of 41. He and his fourth wife, Anne Young, were on the way home from a performance in Kansas City when they came to a section of construction on Highway 70 outside of Williamsburg, Missouri where traffic had been reduced down to one lane. A drunken driver struck their car head-on, and both Ira and Anne were killed instantaneously.[4] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge.
Country-rock band The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and Kathy Louvin and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1959 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone. While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time", the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
In the Pines
The Louvin Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
little girl, little girl, what have i done
thats made you treat me so
You've caused me to weep, you've caused me to mourn
You've caused me to leave my home
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
The longest train I ever saw
Went down that Georgia Line
The engine passed at six o'clock
and The cab went by at nine
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
The longest train I ever saw
was 19 holters long
the only girl i ever loved
is on that train and gone
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
The Louvin Brothers' song, In the Pines, is a traditional tune that tells a haunting story of heartbreak and loss. The opening lines depict a desolate place, where the sun never shines, and the wind is bitterly cold. The singer seems to be addressing a little girl, asking her what he has done to deserve such treatment. He goes on to describe how his heartache has led him to leave his home, suggesting that the girl in question has caused him to leave.
The song takes a melancholic turn as the lyrics describe a train passing down the Georgia line. The singer notes that it's the longest train he has ever seen, with the engine passing at six o'clock and the cab going by at nine. He repeats the opening lines, describing the cold wind blowing through the pines, before launching into a second verse about the train. This time, he specifies that the train was 19 holsters long, and that the girl he loves has boarded it and gone.
The imagery in In the Pines is striking, and the song carries an air of sorrow that lingers long after the words have finished. It's a haunting tale of heartbreak and loss, set against the backdrop of the cold pines and an endless train line.
Line by Line Meaning
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
The singer is located in a dark, dreary place, where daylight never penetrates.
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
The singer is cold and exposed to the harsh elements of the environment.
little girl, little girl, what have i done
The singer addresses someone close to them, asking what they did to deserve their current treatment.
thats made you treat me so
The singer is questioning the motives behind someone's behavior towards them.
You've caused me to weep, you've caused me to mourn
The singer has been hurt and is expressing their sadness and grief.
You've caused me to leave my home
The singer has been forced to leave their residence for unknown reasons.
The longest train I ever saw
The singer is recalling a memory of seeing an exceptionally long train.
Went down that Georgia Line
The train in question was traveling on a specific route through Georgia.
The engine passed at six o'clock
The singer remembers a specific detail about the train, namely the time the engine went by.
and The cab went by at nine
The singer is recalling another detail about the train, this time the time the cab passed by.
was 19 holters long
The train in question had 19 cars attached to it.
the only girl i ever loved
The singer is acknowledging that this train carries the only person they ever loved.
is on that train and gone
The person the singer loves is no longer with them and has left on the train.
Contributed by Jackson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tima1929
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
Little girl, little girl, what have I done
That's made you treat me so
You've caused me to weep, you've caused me to mourn
You've caused me to leave my home
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
The longest train I ever saw
Went down that Georgia Line
The engine passed at six o'clock
And The cab went by at nine
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
The longest train I ever saw
Was 19 holters long
The only girl I ever loved
Is on that train and gone
In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines
And you shiver when the cold wind blows
@Anaris10
My Dad would be 88 today so we're going to 'cue, drink beer and whiskey while listening to this fine music from another time!. Happy BDay, DAD!.
@luannewade7042
Grew up with this music, my mother was pure country, and you heard that in her voice as she sung. She was into harmony and could sing with anyone. The Louvin Brothers were among her favorite. I can't thank her enough for her love of just good music that I grew up with yes all the lyrics I seem to still rattle off today. xx
@joshuahendrickson4854
The louvin Brothers have always been one of my very favorite of the close-harmony brother duos. All of there music is such a joy to listen to. They have done great gospel, and fine country as well. The blue Sky boys are the only brother duo that even comes close to their close harmony. What a great version of this song. I'm glad the louvin brothers music lives on on youtube for us all to enjoy. I love playing along with their music on my martin guitar. I hope to find a singing partner someday so I can sing some of these songs with the good backup harmony they deserve.
@alishiatorres
We buried my Papaw today and he used to sing this song all the time. This is the closet version I can find to his.
@readygogaming4689
Alishia depressed?
@vapecitymafia5874
Alishia Torres you papa can now sing it with My uncle IRA and papa Charlie. God bless you
@annieprice2023
I played this at my DADDY'S funeral n grandpa tell me bout the good old day the judds
@sphartjr
I remember my daddy singing this song all the time when I was a kid. Years later he developed emphysema but he was still able to make a cassette recording of him singing this song. He passed away in 1983 and somehow the tape got lost. That breaks my heart. VS
@thumbaroundreversefingerme4786
Hope everything has been going well for you, may your father rest in peace and bless your soul
@pickledcottoncandy
God bless you, bud. I hope that turns up somehow, someday.