Compared to Southern rock pioneers and label-mates The Allman Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker had a more country and western feel, with the flute being a key lead instrument in their sound. "Can't You See", "Fire on the Mountain", and "This Ol' Cowboy" are among their songs that received appreciable FM radio airplay, while "Heard It in a Love Song" made it to #14 as a single on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.
Original bassist Tommy Caldwell died in a car crash on April 28, 1980. His brother, guitarist Toy Caldwell, died of respiratory failure on February 25, 1993.
There was no band member named "Marshall Tucker". Originally, the band called itself The Toy Factory (named after lead-guitarist Toy Caldwell). But by the time the band released its first album they had become the Marshall Tucker Band. During a radio interview in Hempstead, NY in 1973, Tommy Caldwell explained the origins of the band's name:
"There's an old blind dude [in Spartanburg, SC] that tunes pianos, and his name is Marshall Tucker... We didn't name the band after him, but we just kind of liked that name and stuck with it."
Fire On the Mountain
The Marshall Tucker Band Lyrics
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Had dreams about the west and started to roam
Six long months on a dust covered trail
They say heaven's at the end
But so far it's been hell
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
We were digging and shifting from five to five
Selling everything we found just to stay alive
Gold flowed free like the whiskey in the bars
Sinning was the big thin Lord
And Satan was the star
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Dance hall girls were the evening treat
Empty cartridges and blood lined the gutters of the street
Men were shot down for the sake of fun
Or just to hear the noise of their 44 guns
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Now my widow, she weeps by my grave
Tears flow free for her man she couldn't save
Shot down in cold blood by a gun that carried fame
All for a useless and no good worthless claim
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Waiting for me there
The Marshall Tucker Band's song "Fire On the Mountain" tells a bleak story of a family who leave their Carolina home with hopes of striking gold in the west. The song expresses how the journey is anything but easy, with six long months on a difficult trail. The family faces hardship and disappointment, as finding heaven seems to be taking forever. Despite this, there is hope in the promise of finding gold in the hills ahead. As the family arrives, the image of the west is not a hopeful one; instead, it is filled with digging, shifting from five to five, and selling everything they find to survive. Sinning is the big thing, while Satan is a star. The dance halls and the streets are populated with prostitutes and gunslingers. Men are shot down for no apparent reason while dance hall girls are the evening treat. Finally, the singer ends with the realization that his dream to make it to the west may have come true, but it brought him neither riches nor happiness. The singer dies in vain as his widow weeps by his grave, and all the family's efforts have resulted in a worthless claim.
The lyrics of "Fire On the Mountain" convey a sense of the struggles faced when trying to make it in the world, especially when stepping into something new with high hopes. Sometimes, the journey is long and challenging, and it can be difficult to find the riches or success one hoped to achieve. However, there is still hope for the future, and the pursuit of happiness continues. The use of vivid, violent imagery reinforces the idea that the west is a place of danger and deceit, where people can easily meet their demise. This song shows that sometimes, dreams can result only in a devastating loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Took my family away from our Carolina home
I left my home in the Carolinas with my family to pursue dreams of the western frontier.
Had dreams about the west and started to roam
I had California dreaming and decided to pursue those dreams by heading west.
Six long months on a dust-covered trail
It took me six months of traveling on a trail filled with dust to get to my destination.
They say heaven's at the end
Many say that the fruits of my labor will be sweet, and the journey worth it.
But so far, it's been hell
However, the journey so far has been fraught with adversities, making it feel like a living hell.
And there's fire on the mountain
There is an intense fire raging on top of the mountain.
Lightning in the air
Electricity cracks through the clouds during the intense storm.
Gold in them hills, and it's waiting for me there
Despite the difficulties, there is gold awaiting me on the hills - worth all the challenges.
We were digging and shifting from five to five
I have been working tirelessly from daybreak to sunset on the mines, digging for precious metals.
Selling everything we found just to stay alive
I have been selling any pieces of gold I could find solely to afford a basic existence.
Gold flowed free like whiskey in the bars
The abundance of gold is akin to the free-flowing liquor in bars.
Sinning was the big thin Lord, and Satan was the star
The allure of wealth had transformed the thin line between good and evil, and it attracts most to the Satanic ways.
Dance hall girls were the evening treat
The entertainment for most evenings were the dancers performing in dance halls.
Empty cartridges and blood lined the gutters of the street
The streets covered in blood and the empty cartridges of guns used for violence that stains the town.
Men were shot down for the sake of fun
Guys shot and killed just for the pleasure of it.
Or just to hear the noise of their 44 guns
Some wanted to hear the sound of the gunfire more than taking the life of another.
Now my widow, she weeps by my grave
My wife mourns beside my final resting place after unfortunate events led to my death.
Tears flow free for her man she couldn't save
She is heartbroken she couldn't do anything to prevent my death.
Shot down in cold blood by a gun that carried fame
I was shot and killed by someone who thought of the gun as a symbol of his status.
All for a useless and no good worthless claim
My death occurred due to a meaningless quest that was not worth risking one's life.
And there's fire on the mountain
The mountain still burns with a fierce and uncontainable wildfire.
Lightning in the air
Electric bolts light up the sky as if signifying the havoc below it.
Gold in them hills, and it's waiting for me there
Despite the chaos and loss, the gold in the hills still tantalizes, beckoning forth more people to seek their fortunes.
Waiting for me there
I will join the ranks of those who thought the elusive gold was worth dying for.
Lyrics Ā© Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE MCCORKLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@halfaday1
Took my fam'ly away from our Carolina home
Had dreams about the west and started to roam
Six long months on a dust covered trail
They say heaven's at the end
But so far it's been hell
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
We were digging and shifting from five to five
Selling ev'rything we found just to stay alive
Gold flowed free like the whiskey in the bars
Sinning was the big thin Lord
And satan was the star
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Dance hall girls were the evening treat
Empty cartridges and blood lined the gutters of the street
Men were shot down for the sake of fun
Or just to hear the noise of their 44 guns
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
Now my widow, she weeps by my grave
Tears flow free for her man she couldn't save
Shot down in cold blood by a gun that carried fame
All for a useless and no good worthless claim
And there's fire on the mountain
Lightening in the air
Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there
@RickReffo
Bands today only wish they were half as good as this..
@rlstrad2059
Right on Brother...true for just about all music today.
@johniboz1
My God this brings me back. America was so simpler and life was easy. We might have disagreed politically then but we we all loved our country.
@johnmccarron7066
This song is about a guy whose life is miserable, and then he's murdered for nothing at the end of it. I have no idea how you got 'life was easy' out of that.
@philbrown1474
@@johnmccarron7066Iām sure he meant life was easier because of the high tech woke bullshit we have now. Social media has ruined things.
@ProfessorTime
I was listening to this song when I had my heart attack in 2017.
Doctors gave me a 50/50 chance of survival.
Well, here I am in 2022 listening to this song again . . .
@scorpiousantares
Southern Rock is a wonder on itself. glad to have you among the great sounds .
@stephanieredden8861
Glad you're here.
@stickywicket7585
Glad you're still here. God bless.
@kdkeiser8438
Nice...