1991
Tony Rivers Lyrics
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Get you a copper coil.
Fill it with new made corn mash
And never more you'll toil.
You'll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
Build you a fire with hickory,
Hickory, ash, and oak.
Don't use no green or rotten wood,
It'll get you by the smoke.
We'll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight.
My daddy, he made whiskey.
My granddaddy, he did too.
We ain't paid no whiskey tax
Since 1792.
We'll just lay there by the juniper,
While the moon is bright.
Watch them jugs a-filling
In the pale moonlight.
The lyrics to "1991" by Tony Rivers tell a story of moonshine-making in the rural South with vivid imagery of laying by the juniper and watching the jugs fill in the pale moonlight. The opening lines suggest that making moonshine requires specific tools like a copper kettle and coil, and the repeated line, "You'll just lay there by the juniper, While the moon is bright," adds a sense of ease and relaxation to the process. The use of specific types of wood to build the fire reflects the need for attention to detail in making high-quality moonshine. The last verse of the song highlights the illegal nature of moonshine-making with reference to the whiskey tax that hasn't been paid since 1792.
The song captures the spirit of a bygone era and the folklore surrounding moonshine, often romanticized in popular culture. However, it also highlights the harsh realities of living in rural poverty and relying on alcohol production to make a living. "1991" speaks to the enduring appeal of moonshine and its cultural significance in the South.
Line by Line Meaning
Get you a copper kettle,
Acquire a copper cooking pot,
Get you a copper coil.
Procure a copper distillation spout,
Fill it with new made corn mash
Fill the pot with fresh cornmeal,
And never more you'll toil.
Then cease working endlessly to make ends meet.
You'll just lay there by the juniper,
You can relax by the juniper tree,
While the moon is bright.
When the moon is shining,
Watch them jugs a-filling
Observe the jugs filling up,
In the pale moonlight.
Amidst the pale glowing light.
Build you a fire with hickory,
Construct a fire making use of hickory branches,
Hickory, ash, and oak.
A combination of hickory, ash, and oak,
Don't use no green or rotten wood,
Do not employ fresh or spoiled wood,
It'll get you by the smoke.
Otherwise, the smoke will be hazardous.
My daddy, he made whiskey.
My father produced alcoholic spirits.
My granddaddy, he did too.
My grandfather also did the same.
We ain't paid no whiskey tax
We haven't paid a tax on whiskey
Since 1792.
From the year 1792.
We'll just lay there by the juniper,
We can recline by the juniper tree,
While the moon is bright.
When the moon is shining,
Watch them jugs a-filling
Observe the jugs filling up,
In the pale moonlight.
Amidst the pale glowing light.
Writer(s): A.f. Beddoe
Contributed by Bentley V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Munatix
Nice easy listening synthesizer music. Love it! Keep it up!
Boga Dufour M.
／／ ｎｉｎｅｔｙ ｏｎｅ ／／