1. Tommy Scott -… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three artists named Tommy Scott:
1. Tommy Scott - Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer was born in Glasgow, and worked initially in the Clydeside Shipyards.
His musical career began with appearances in theatre, radio and TV with many of Scotland's legendary entertainers, including Andy Stewart*, Chic Murray, and Lex McLean. He travelled the length and breadth of the country with "The White Heather Club", Jimmy Shand, Willie Starr and Jack Radcliffe, and also performed the cabaret circuits in England, Germany, France and Holland.
In demand as a producer and one of Britain's most consistent hit makers, charting no fewer than 34 times. Now with sales soaring over the million mark this truly does make Tommy Scott a Star.
2. Ramblin' Tommy Scott (June 24, 1917 – September 30, 2013),[1] aka "Doc" Tommy Scott, was an American country and rockabilly musician.
"Ramblin'" Thomas Scott was born outside of Toccoa, Georgia, United States, and began playing the guitar at age ten. After high school he joined Doc Chamberlain's medicine show, and got his first job in radio on WTFL in Athens, Georgia in 1933. He also sold Vim Herb on the radio. After Chamberlain retired and gave Scott the patent medicines, he landed a regular job fronting the Uncle Pete and Minervy show on Raleigh, North Carolina's WPTF, and soon after this he was offered a job with Charlie Monroe becoming the first Kentucky Partner as a feature act - Rambling Scotty. He performed on the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia with Monroe and was also a frequent soloist there, and did skits involving ventriloquism and blackface. Monroe and Scott started the Man-O-Ree medicine company selling Scott's patent laxative over the radio. The group moved to WHAS in Louisville, Kentucky, where he did the early morning show. His medicine and musical partnership came to an end with Monroe and he soon launched a tent show with Curly Seckler.
He married his wife Frankie in 1940; the couple had a daughter, Sandra; both women became part of his stage show, his films and TV shows. In the 1940s he did radio transcriptions which were broadcast nationwide. By 1942 he had his own stage show traveling coast to coast, 'Ramblin' Tommy Scott's Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree'. He began the Herb-O-Lac Medicine Company and later Katona Medicine Company selling laxatives and liniments. He soon joined the Grand Ole Opry and later went to Hollywood to begin a career in film and TV.
Beginning with Carolina Cotton in 1949, Scott's road show, which operated six days per week from January through early December, featured Scott with some guest stars from film and TV. Amongst those appearing were "Fuzzy" Al St. John, David "Stringbean" Akeman, Tim McCoy, Clyde Moody, Johnny Mack Brown, Sunset Carson, and Randall Franks. The show traveled consistently until the mid-1990s.
Bluegrass Music Hall of Famer Curly Seckler recorded with Scott numerous times throughout his career. Earliest recordings date to the 1940s with the most recent in the 1980s. Scott recorded consistently from the 1930s-2000s and released a number of solo sides in the 1950s and 1960s which branched into rockabilly. According to the introduction of his autobiography, Snake Oil, Superstars and Me, published in 2007, Scott was then 90 years old. His wife died in 2004.
Scott died in September 2013.
3. The lead singer of the band Space. In the mid 2010s, Scott began making sporadic gig appearances in his own name, and featured on a couple of guest appearances. To date, he has not released any solo material.
Wild Side Of Life
Tommy Scott Lyrics
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You asked me not to call you on the phone
There's something I've been waiting for to tell you
So I wrote it in the words of this song
You never knew there were honky tonk angels
Or you might have known I'd never make a wife
You walked out on the only one who ever loved you
Now the glamor of the good life always lead me
To the places where the wild liquor flows
I tried to be your one and only angel
But I'm not that kind of angel, heaven knows
I cried so hard the day you went and left me
'Cause some things you said, they cut me like a knife
What you wanted was another kind of angel
And you should be back to the wild side of life
No, well, I guess I'm just a honky tonk angel
I might have known I'd never make a wife
Well, you left the only one who ever loved you
And I'm back here on the wild side of life
I'm only a honky tonk angel
I might have known I'd never make a wife
You walked out on the only one who ever loved you
And you left me here on the wild side of life
In "Wild Side of Life," Tommy Scott paints a vivid picture of heartache, self-reflection, and the bittersweet nature of love and regret. The song opens with a profound sense of resignation as the singer acknowledges the futility of trying to communicate with the subject of his affections. He recognizes that regardless of his feelings or the heartfelt letters he might write, they would go unread. This establishes a poignant emotional distance and speaks to a deeper frustration; the singer is longing to connect but is met with barriers. The act of turning to song as a means of expression emphasizes his desperation and desire to convey something significant that has not found an audience in their past interactions.
As the narrative unfolds, the song delves into the idea of identity and the dichotomy between good and bad lives. The reference to "honky tonk angels" illustrates a world filled with rough edges and the allure of a wild lifestyle that contrasts with traditional notions of love and fidelity. The singer reflects on how his past efforts to fit into the mold of an ideal partner—“the one and only angel”—were ultimately futile. This highlights a fundamental incompatibility in their relationship; the singer recognizes that he cannot fulfill the romantic ideals that the other person seeks. The acknowledgment serves as both an admission of his own flaws and a recognition of the complexities of human relationships, wherein desire and reality may not always align.
The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the dichotomy of being a "honky tonk angel," underscoring themes of unworthiness and acceptance of one's place in the world. The singer's repeated refrain about being someone who cannot be a wife suggests he understands and accepts the role he fits into—a person whose love, though deep and genuine, is not aligned with societal expectations or romantic ideals. This understanding of himself, but also his situation of being abandoned by someone he loved, triggers a sense of mourning not just for the lost relationship but for the deeper, unfulfilled yearning for love that matches his own.
In the closing lines, a deep sense of sorrow surfaces. The singer’s contemplation about being "left" ties together feelings of abandonment with a recognition that sometimes, love requires an alignment of desires that simply do not coexist. His journey back to the "wild side of life" is not just a physical return to a lifestyle of indulgence and recklessness; it symbolizes an emotional regression to a state of self-preservation after heartbreak. Thus, Scott’s song poignantly captures the complexities of romantic relationships, blending themes of regret, acceptance, and the struggle to reconcile one's identity with the expectations of love. The mixture of vulnerability and resignation leaves the audience with a genuine reflection on the nature of love and the paths we take when cherished connections come undone.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you wouldn't read my letters if I wrote you
I realize that even if I tried to communicate my feelings through letters, you wouldn't be interested in reading them.
You asked me not to call you on the phone
You specifically requested that I refrain from contacting you directly, which indicates your desire for distance.
There's something I've been waiting for to tell you
I have important thoughts and feelings that I've been holding back, wanting to share with you.
So I wrote it in the words of this song
To express what I feel, I've chosen to convey my message through the lyrics of this song instead.
You never knew there were honky tonk angels
You lacked awareness of the existence of women like me, who live a carefree lifestyle, often found in bars and dance halls.
Or you might have known I'd never make a wife
If you had recognized this aspect of my life, you might have understood that I am not suited for the traditional role of a wife.
You walked out on the only one who ever loved you
You left me behind, even though I was the only person who truly cared for you unconditionally.
So I went back to the wild side of life
In response to your departure, I've returned to a reckless, uninhibited lifestyle that I am familiar with.
Now the glamor of the good life always lead me
The allure of a sophisticated and glamorous life has continuously drawn my attention and tempted me.
To the places where the wild liquor flows
This fascination often leads me to environments filled with partying and excessive drinking.
I tried to be your one and only angel
I made an effort to be your perfect partner, someone you could rely on and cherish.
But I'm not that kind of angel, heaven knows
Unfortunately, I am not the idealized version of a partner you were looking for; I fall short of that expectation.
I cried so hard the day you went and left me
Your departure caused me profound sorrow, leading to tears that illustrated my heartbreak.
'Cause some things you said, they cut me like a knife
The hurtful words you spoke inflicted deep emotional pain, leaving lasting scars.
What you wanted was another kind of angel
Your desires were aimed at a different type of partner, someone who could fulfill your specific expectations.
And you should be back to the wild side of life
This suggests that you are more suited to the liberating, unrestrained lifestyle that I have returned to.
No, well, I guess I'm just a honky tonk angel
I've come to accept that I embody the persona of a woman who thrives in the nightlife and its associated culture.
I might have known I'd never make a wife
Deep down, I suspected that I was never destined to fulfill the traditional role of a devoted wife.
Well, you left the only one who ever loved you
You abandoned the only person who genuinely cared for your well-being and happiness.
And I'm back here on the wild side of life
In light of your departure, I've returned to my previous carefree existence, where I feel most at home.
I'm only a honky tonk angel
I acknowledge that I fit the description of a woman whose life revolves around honky tonk bars and loose morals.
I might have known I'd never make a wife
I realize now that I was never cut out for the conventional role of a spouse.
You walked out on the only one who ever loved you
You chose to depart from a relationship with the only person who truly loved you for who you are.
And you left me here on the wild side of life
Your actions have led me back to the chaotic and free-spirited lifestyle I had once embraced.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Buddy Guy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind