The Marshall Tucker Band is a Southern rock band. Originally from Spartanbu… Read Full Bio ↴The Marshall Tucker Band is a Southern rock band. Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, the band formed in 1971, and soon signed with Capricorn Records. In 1973 they released their first EP, simply titled 'The Marshall Tucker band.

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."

Texas on My Mind
The Marshall Tucker Band Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't believe this time I'm leaving
All along you'd thought I'd stay
But a man's got to do what his heart
Tells him to come what may

So I guess this time tomorrow
I'll be on my way
'Cause I got Texas on my mind again today

I can't deny I've had this feeling
Every minute I've been gone
But someday you will see
You will forget me moving on

So when the sun comes up tomorrow
That's the end of my stay
'Cause I had Texas on my mind again today

Every time I hear an old guitar
Fiddled in harmony
It takes me back to what I long for
A place I long to be

So I guess I'll take this old guitar
I'll be up and on my way
'Cause I got Texas on my mind

Lord, I got Texas on my mind
I got Texas on my mind again today

Overall Meaning

The Marshall Tucker Band's "Texas on My Mind" is a song about leaving and the feelings that come along with it. The singer is leaving, and while he can't believe that it is happening, he knows that he has to follow his heart. The song is about the fact that sometimes we have to make tough choices, and we have to be willing to take a chance on our dreams, even if it means leaving the people we love behind.

The singer is wistful and nostalgic about leaving, but he knows that it is for the best. He has Texas on his mind, and he can't deny the feeling that he has had since he left. He knows that he will be missed, but he hopes that someday the people he loves will understand why he had to go.

The song is a powerful reminder that sometimes we have to take a leap of faith and follow our dreams, even if it means leaving behind the people we love. It is a song about the power of dreams and the importance of following our hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't believe this time I'm leaving
I am surprised that I am leaving this time

All along you'd thought I'd stay
You had always believed that I would remain here

But a man's got to do what his heart
A person has to follow their heart

Tells him to come what may
Whatever the situation, he has no choice but to listen to his heart

So I guess this time tomorrow
I suppose that by this time tomorrow

I'll be on my way
I will already be on my journey

'Cause I got Texas on my mind again today
Because, once again today, I cannot stop thinking about Texas

I can't deny I've had this feeling
I cannot hide or ignore this emotion I have been experiencing

Every minute I've been gone
Every moment that I have spent away

But someday you will see
However, there will come a time when you will understand

You will forget me moving on
And you will forget that I have moved on