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."
Never Trust a Stranger
The Marshall Tucker Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were searching for two prisoner
Who just broke jail
A tall one and a lean one
Rode a chestnut stallion
And the word was that the main man
Well he was mean as hell
Who never understands
A word called danger
He learns to shoot and ride as a child
And to never trust a stranger
And he's always called a better man
We chased him to the border
All the way to El Paso
The ride was long, the ride was hard
But the sheriff said we can't let 'em go
He said let me tell you something
I've been tracking for a long time
They never trust a stranger
And they take care of their own
An outlaw is a man
Who never understands
A word called danger
He learns to shoot and ride as a child
And to never trust a stranger
And he's always called a better man
Today's man is an outlaw
On that long road to freedom
You work him to take his pride
And then you try to cheat him
Then one day you figure out
It's a long long story
An outlaw is a man who takes care of his own
An outlaw is a man
Who never understands
A word called danger
He learns to shoot and ride as a child
And to never trust a stranger
And he's always called a better man
The Marshall Tucker Band's song, Never Trust a Stranger, is a ballad that tells the story of a group of men chasing two prisoners who had just broken out of jail. The men are on horseback and have been tracking the prisoners for a long time when the sheriff leads them to the border. The prisoners, described as tall and lean, are riding a chestnut stallion, and the main man is known to be incredibly mean. The chorus describes how an outlaw is a man who learns to shoot and ride as a child and to never trust a stranger. Outlaws take care of their own, and they are always called a better man.
The song's lyrics are about the Wild West and the life of outlaws. The story of Never Trust a Stranger reflects the cowboy culture of this time. The song highlights the danger of being an outlaw and the need to always be on guard. Even the sheriff warns the men not to trust the prisoners, as outlaws do not understand danger and will always take care of their own.
Never Trust a Stranger was released on The Marshall Tucker Band's 1978 album, Together Forever. The band's Southern rock style and country influences are evident throughout the song. The use of a classic acoustic guitar riff is reminiscent of the Wild West and further adds to the song's authenticity. The song is a testament to The Marshall Tucker Band's ability to create story-driven ballads that transport the listener to another time and place.
Line by Line Meaning
We were riding through the flatlands
The storyteller and the others in the song were travelling to a flat area
We were searching for two prisoner
The group in the song were trying to locate two individuals who were convicted of a crime and had escaped from prison
Who just broke jail
The prisoners had recently escaped from jail
A tall one and a lean one
The escaped prisoners were described as being tall and lean
Rode a chestnut stallion
The escaped prisoners were riding a horse that had a reddish-brown coat
And the word was that the main man
There was talk among people that one of the escaped prisoners was a very dangerous individual
Well he was mean as hell
This dangerous escaped prisoner was known to be very vicious and cruel
An outlaw is a man
This line introduces the theme of the song, which is about outlaws
Who never understands
Outlaws are people who do not comprehend the concept of danger
A word called danger
Danger is a term that outlaws struggle to comprehend
He learns to shoot and ride as a child
Outlaws understand gun and horse usage from a young age
And to never trust a stranger
Outlaws learn to never put their trust in individuals who they do not know
And he's always called a better man
Despite their status as outlaws, they are often looked upon as people who have a great amount of skill and bravery
We chased him to the border
The group in the song was following the escaped prisoners toward a border
All the way to El Paso
The chase reached the city of El Paso, which is located along the United States-Mexico border
The ride was long, the ride was hard
The pursuit was a difficult and demanding experience for the people in the song
But the sheriff said we can't let 'em go
The law enforcement officer leading the pursuit did not want to let the escaped prisoners go free
He said let me tell you something
The sheriff wanted to convey a message to the people in the song and likely provide advice
I've been tracking for a long time
The sheriff had been following the trail of the escaped prisoners for quite a while
They never trust a stranger
The escaped prisoners in question follow the same principles as outlaws, which includes not trusting strangers
And they take care of their own
Outlaws often have a strong allegiance to their own group, and the escaped prisoners in question exhibit this same behavior
Today's man is an outlaw
This line refers to people who are considered outlaws in modern society
On that long road to freedom
Outlaws often see themselves as trying to free themselves from societal constraints and expectations
You work him to take his pride
Society often tries to strip away the pride of outlaws by punishing them and making them feel inferior
And then you try to cheat him
Society often tries to take advantage of outlaws by offering them unfair treatment
Then one day you figure out
At some point, people may begin to understand the perspective of outlaws
It's a long long story
The life of an outlaw is complex and difficult to explain or understand
An outlaw is a man who takes care of his own
Outlaws prioritize taking care of their own group, and their loyalty to each other is often greater than their loyalty to society
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: TOY CALDWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brendamilloy2557
Think it's a shame that the Marshall Tucker Band isn't in the RRHOF? Screw the RRHOF! I know of something better.
I am the representative/cyber cheerleader for the Marshall Tucker Band at the Hall Of Pretty Darned Good (HOPDG).
What is HOPDG?
The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good is a virtual Hall of Recognition. The HOPDG seeks to recognize people, bands and artists who are not recognized by their respective Halls of Fame.
Nominees are selected based on fan suggestions and inducted into the HOPDG by fan votes. It's as simple as that.
The current categories include:
Baseball
Football
Basketball
Hockey
Film/TV
Music
There is a Facebook Page named The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good where you can vote for the Marshall Tucker Band to be inducted into the Hall Of Pretty Darned Good!
To vote, first you need to "LIKE" the HOPDG page, then send a message via the Page, with your vote choices.
The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good also has a Group of the same name on Facebook so you can discuss the nominees with other voters, keep up to date on HOPDG news, and maybe win some extra votes for your favorites by answering trivia questions. It's all good fun with a great purpose - recognizing people for their outstanding contributions to sports, film and music.
Let's get the Marshall Tucker Band the long overdue recognition they deserve.
Thank you 🌈
@brendamilloy2557
Think it's a shame that the Marshall Tucker Band isn't in the RRHOF? Screw the RRHOF! I know of something better.
I am the representative/cyber cheerleader for the Marshall Tucker Band at the Hall Of Pretty Darned Good (HOPDG).
What is HOPDG?
The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good is a virtual Hall of Recognition. The HOPDG seeks to recognize people, bands and artists who are not recognized by their respective Halls of Fame.
Nominees are selected based on fan suggestions and inducted into the HOPDG by fan votes. It's as simple as that.
The current categories include:
Baseball
Football
Basketball
Hockey
Film/TV
Music
There is a Facebook Page named The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good where you can vote for the Marshall Tucker Band to be inducted into the Hall Of Pretty Darned Good!
To vote, first you need to "LIKE" the HOPDG page, then send a message via the Page, with your vote choices.
The Hall Of Pretty Darned Good also has a Group of the same name on Facebook so you can discuss the nominees with other voters, keep up to date on HOPDG news, and maybe win some extra votes for your favorites by answering trivia questions. It's all good fun with a great purpose - recognizing people for their outstanding contributions to sports, film and music.
On midnight, September 30th, voting stops for the current round of nominees. The Marshall Tucker Band is in the 3rd spot for induction unless another nominee overtakes. Don't let this happen! Vote!
Let's get the Marshall Tucker Band the long overdue recognition they deserve.
Thank you 🌈
@TonyFormicola-tm3rl
Everything timeI saddled my horse this song played in my head God how I miss those days and this music takes me back to that Arizona high country
@peekee186
a great album by one of the best bands of all time, it doesn't get a whole lot better...on top of being incredible musicians they were down-to-earth good guys too
@blackholeentry3489
Hard to believe this song is closing in on being 50 years old.
@richardturner5594
You hit the nail on the head , I got this Album in my Top 5 . Not a single weak cut on it , I got it up with CSN&Y - Deja Vu , Fleetwood Mac - Rumors , Charlie Daniel's- Fire On The Mountain ! That's pretty fair company
@charleshuffman8579
If you don't like this,you just don't like some of the best sounds that a band can put together,listen to the separation of instruments.God.bless and thanks for MTB.
@pd2210
its funny you say that. In the 70's me and my friends lived for this shit, seen them 5 times in concert, we knew every song and every word to every song. now here I am 35+ years later and I am listening to this for the first time in at least 25+ years and they are incredible. The memories it brings back are things I havent thought of in many years. I feel a sense of calm. point is, these bands have such an impact on us, but we grow up and loose touch with the feelings they left us with!
@davidwise1802
The Marshall tucker band belongs in the rock and roll Hall of fame..
@blackholeentry3489
This is as about as good as COUNTRY gets and would not classify it as rock.
@MrAitraining
Great track and Album!
@danbryant3800
There's no one better with pure Southern rock as the Marshall Band
They use to come to a little bicker bar in Greenville SC called Chews and just show up
G00d times
'