9.26.2010

A song for 'tnlib'

THE TENNESSEE LIB
(The Tennessee Stud by Doc Watson)

Back about nineteen and sixty-five,
I  left college very much alive.
I never would have made it through the protests and fibs
If I hadn't been thinking like the Tennessee Lib.

I had some trouble with my country’s war;
One of my brothers was about to spar.
I wrote a letter to my Uncle Sam
In the spirit of the Tennessee Lib, by damn.

CHORUS:

The Tennessee Lib is bloggin’ away,
As bright as the sun in the middle of the day.
She has the nerve and she has the glib,
And there never was a wrtier like the Tennessee Lib.

Drifted on down into no man's land,
Worked for civil rights and equality of man.
I rallied the people and got ‘em to the polls
And I didn’t stop ‘til the dream took hold.

Me and the governor we couldn't agree;
We got in a fight over equality.
I stood my ground an' poked him in the rib.
It was all in the spirit of the Tennessee Lib.

CHORUS

The Tennessee Lib is bloggin’ away,
As bright as the sun in the middle of the day.
She has the nerve and she has the glib,
And there never was a writer like the Tennessee Lib.

I walked that day across Selma’s bridge.
Watched what went down at Ruby Ridge.
I learned there was a reason to care.
For some in this country, life just ain’t fair.

CHORUS

The Tennessee Lib is bloggin’ away,
As bright as the sun in the middle of the day.
She has the nerve and she has the glib,
And there never was a writer like the Tennessee Lib.

Petty little people make my temper flare.
It was long ago that I learned to care.
I love this country, and that’s no fib,
And it’s all in the spirit of the Tennessee Lib.

CHORUS

The Tennessee Lib is bloggin’ away,
As bright as the sun in the middle of the day.
She has the nerve and she has the glib,
And there never was a writer like the Tennessee Lib.

I saw Doc Watson sing “The Tennessee Stud” at the Atwood Bluegrass Festival on the banks of the Pearl River in Monticello, Miss. You can watch him perform it on YouTube. 'tnlib' blogs at Parsley's Pics.

10 comments:

Sue said...

Yee HA!! Love it!

Leslie Parsley said...

Awww. Big Red Blush. I love it but you give tnlib way too much credit. Thank you.

Ahab said...

Toe-tappin' goodness!

Leslie Parsley said...

Meant to tell you how much I enjoyed the video. Toe tapping and foot stomping.

B.J. said...

That song just stayed with me through the years since I heard Doc Watson sing it. I kept trying to think of a song for you – and “The Tennessee Stud” and “The Tennessee Waltz” (Patti Paige) kept coming up. Neither worked, so I thought I’d write my own words. All in fun, my friend! Just wait until I get Sue, LOL.

Sue said...

ut oh... a song for moi??? I can't even imagine, but look forward to it!

Tiny said...

Tiny's hat is off to both of you gals. Love the new lyrics! And who could ever forget Doc Watson? Those ole Hillbillys that evolved into Country and Western genre just had a sound and style all their own just got better with age. Hovever, Hillbilly and C&W sounded the same with these folks. Tiny still loves that good ole foot stompin' music.

(O)CT(O)PUS said...

A very fine tribute to TNLIB, whom we all love and admire. And you too B.J.. Although this is my first comment here, I have admired you from afar too.

B.J. said...

Octopus, I’ve read your comments on other blogs and on The Swash Zone. Coming from you what a nice compliment!

Frodo, whistlin' a happy tune said...

Frodo tried it a couple of ways, once to the tune of "Sixteen Tons," which really seemed inappropriate, but he thinks he hit it pretty good when he used the tune from "The Beverly Hillbillies."