Welch, Gillian - Tennessee Lyrics

If Girls in Tennessee are like Gillian, I'd consider moving there :-)

What's with the Baphomet pose? I think maybe she should have paid attention in Sunday School.

wiskey boot hill down beauty

Soul-wrenching. If there ever were a track that could tear your soul apart, this would be it.

a masterpiece

damn...

david rawlings and that stupid mini guitar. absolutely amazing!

god blessed

What an album, gosh!

The brightest moment in the Oscars this year was seeing Gillian Welch play the Oscars 2019. What a pleasant surprise that made my day. Here's to Gillian Welch!

I don't know how ANYONE could dislike this. This is masterful.

I'd really like to live inside this album

The first time I heard it, I wasn't in the right place to enjoy its timeless beauty. Often with music, it's like everything in life. It's all about timing. If you are lucky enough, a great album will come along that resonates with every emotion you are living through at that particular moment in time. It's overwhelmingly powerful.

david rawlings can play guitar

Is this song in 6/8 time?

"Revelator" makes clear that they're inspired by Neil Young, but I'm hearing Neil in this one too, specifically "Country Girl."

Shes the best. Rawlings aint bad either, mind

Going to her concert tonight!

well, pretty much as good as it gets

No one can top Gillian Welch-- I hope she stays true to her music and not follow the junk that is being sung elsewhere

if my life could sing it would be you're song's

Magnificent.

Like your statement to support the musicians and song writers. Most people do not know how the business works. Many times the singer/group "making all the money" did not write the songs so the songwriters are not getting their pay when songs are illegally downloaded/copied/shared.

Country Girl?

The song "Tennessee" seems to be , i think, in some kind of minor key.......does anyone know if that's straight tuning, or if she's playing in open G, or anything like that?

Jeff Barouch It is played in the Am position, capoed on the second fret and is in standard tuning I'm fairly sure.

i found this on ultimate guitar.com:
Capo at 4th Fret, all chords relative to capo
Chords Used, well the strange ones:

Am: (x02210)
D6: (x04430)
B11/A: (x05550)
D7/F#: (2x021x)
E: (022100)
A: (x02220)
G: (320003)
F: (133211)
C: (x32010)

[Intro]
Am D6 B11/A D6 x2

etc.

Wow, this shakes my soul. I cant believe i've never heard of her

The moment I heard her voice I was hooked. But when I listened to her lyrics, I was transformed

The lyrics to some of her songs are poetry. That's an overused word, but it definitely applies in her case.

"sweet heaven when I die...."

Those songs are eternal.

But of all the little ways I've found to hurt myself
Well you might be my favorite one of all

Best damn thing I've heard lately!

I awoke this morning with this song in my head. A fan since 1996. I had the joy of being in their presence last spring, in Bloomington, IN. All I can say is it was Awesome!! I had the grace and privilege to meet them both after the concert. They took my hands in theirs, looked me in the eyes, they are so real!! My husband of 35 years actually got jealous when I talked about David Rawlings holding my hands!!!! LMAO!! No worries, David I was just overwhelmed the next morning, that all the times I've watched you play, and admired how you interact with your instrument ... and I blurted out, those hands touched mine!! I'm sure you hear this all the time. *s* Gillian, I felt a real connection with you, you complimented my "Friendship 1996 shirt, and I so wish I had brought your CD from 1996!! I am a forever fan of you both! Heartfelt compliments and blessings!! Love you both and love the music you make!

I just heard this song two nights ago when I was working with a friend. I asked, "Who is this?" I was immediately obsessed with this song. I had never heard of this lady.

All their cd's are excellent! I highly recommend this duo!

Also recommend checking out their dvd and videos. It is amazing to watch David Rawlings play his instrument.. It's like it's playing HIM ... he dances with it like he can barely keep hold of it. It is truly amazing! And Gillian and her voice ... pure molasses, caramel and honey. Been a fan for over 20 years now. If you get a chance to see them perform live, don't miss it!!! This music spans generations. The old folks like it, and so do the millennials. They are magic, for sure.

Why is there a lyric pulled from "Rye Whiskey" in this song?

Allusion

Sweeeeeeet !! No words

It's a love song I guess. Dave and Gillian tell a story. Timeless me thinks.

******

I kissed you 'cause I've never been an angel
I learned to say hosannas on my knees
But they threw me out of Sunday school when I was nine
And the sisters said I did just as I pleased

Even so I try to be a good girl
It's only what I want that makes me weak
I had no desire to be a child of sin
Then you went and pressed your whiskers to my cheek

Fa la la la
Fa la la lee
Now let me go, my honey oh
Back to Tennessee
It's beef steak when I'm working
Whiskey when I'm dry
Sweet heaven when I die

Now I've tried drinking rye and gamblin'
Dancing with damnation is a ball
But of all the little ways I've found to hurt myself
Well you might be my favorite one of all

Fa la la la
Fa la la lee
Now let me go, my honey oh
Back to Tennessee
It's beef steak when I'm working
Whiskey when I'm dry
Sweet heaven when I die

Why can't I go and live the life of riley?
Why can't I go back home to apple pie?
'Cause your affront to my virtue was a touch too much
But you left a little twinkle in my eye

Fa la la la
Fa la la lee
Now let me go, my honey oh
Back to Tennessee
It's beef steak when I'm working
Whiskey when I'm dry
Sweet heaven when I die

Now some will come confessing of transgressions
Some will come confessing of their love
You were there strumming on your gay guitar
You were trying to tell me something with your thumb

Fa la la la
Fa la la lee
Now let me go, my honey oh
Back to Tennessee
It's beef steak when I'm working
Whiskey when I'm dry
Sweet heaven when I die
It's beef steak when I'm working
Whiskey when I'm dry
Sweet heaven when I die

SempreGumby I think the meaning is a lot darker than a love story 💘

So Beautiful !

Hey fans of Gillian & Dave, come check out our website & facebook page. We'll leave the light on! http://fans.gillianwelchanddavidrawlings.com/ & https://www.facebook.com/GillianWelchAndDavidRawlings/

Gillian & Dave fan? http://fans.gillianwelchanddavidrawlings.com/members/home & https://www.facebook.com/GillianWelchAndDavidRawlings/?fref=ts

Love where it takes me!

perfect:)

back to Tennessee (Jed)

how does one actually, "buy the original?"

this is the sh--

hey, she means it.

speak to me as they always do

I find this one but this is really fantastic music i do really love it.

I am borderline obsessed with this song and this album! Thank you Gillian and David, I love your sound! 

it's amazing!

bobbi jo oatway me too mate! love the album art too...

Whoever disliked this gem needs intensive therapy!

I don't usually do folk music and this is incredible

More like a slap to the face follows by a night of bourbon shots.

.041 percent of the thumbs are down... thats equal to a tiny batch of nothings from an equal batch of nobodies

Who was the original writer of the "beef steak, whiskey/tall and cool, heaven..." those lyrics make the song but I found a few people who use it in theirs

Its from a standard.. the line has been used in many songs from Norman Blake to Bill Monroe but are public domain as they surely date back to the mid 1800s..

and the shame of it all is that tim might actually be able to sing with some coaching and some real musicians to show him how to do it.

who the fk is "Tim"?

^ this guy

brad mehldau and chris thile played scarlet town which eventually brought me here. god music is awesome...

Whilst I reside in Distant Ophir, I would suggest its churlish to narrowly label this as "country"....Accents are one thing but this is just a bloody good lament to nostalgia.

I don't care if you label it "country" , "pop", "rock", "metal", "bluegrass", or "buffoonery", I love this song.

what is this lame witchcraft

Makes a 'ol Tennessee-boy cry every time! God bless our land of smoky ridges and wide river plains.

East Tennessee girl here!! ❤ her

Spyros Ale/ thanks for posting !! the CD is awesome/ have all of Gillian Welch's CD's and David Rawling's -- & Old Crow Medicine Show's / each one I say is the BEST YET!!

A lil Blotted I b

The Best ov d best..I tru bluely luv u...U Both

put a 36 guy in your list too.

im not sure how i lived 34 years without hearing this. wow.

Efff anyone who hates on Gillian Welch. Her music touches the soul....

yeah...sure...she's posing as an appalachian girl for all millions of dollars and publicity she gets ^__^ I live in at the foot of the blue ridge mts. and everyone i've ever listened to gillian with loves her style. She is always welcome in the foothills from Asheville to Greenville Who cares where she grew up?

Don't forget to put your tinfoil hat back on when you're on your way out, OK?

I've heard her in an interview, and the accent is real. I'm an actor and student of accents, and if she's faking it, then she deserves an award for it. It's her natural speech, and thus her natural singing voice. As a trained vocalist, I can tell you she could turn off the accent when singing, but simply chooses not to. Don't disrepsect people you don't know.

who gives a shit. shut up and enjoy the music

You really couldn't be more wrong. We all talk that way, one way or another. Simply relax your tongue when you enunciate. It's the Southern heat. It gets so hot and muggy that ppl are to tired and to lazy to work harder at moving their lips and mouths. At least that's a theory among many. I lived over seas and came back sounded like a foreigner. Accents are so easy to pick up.

This is so beautifully innocent and raw. No one can capture this again. Unique and priceless.

Like, what do you make, though, of her marketing herself as "Appalachian" when she's never been out of NYC-LA, and was raised in a big city media family, and is faking that accent completely---- and then all the mason signals on the record cover (secret telling, owl, hand signal, etc, etc.) What DO YOU make of all that stuff?

Doesn't the fake southern accent get on your nerves? She thinks she's talking like Appalachians, lol, and actually marketing herself that way. It's so fake and poseur-ee

Her music reminds me of Neil young s first couple albums. It really is precious stuff. I am too glad to put in words SOMEONE is keeping the songwriting craft alive.

Thanks for this blessed stuff - this is so good

is there (aversion) of this in rap sooooo I can understand

I love the hyperbole of the comments here on you tube!!

Well said and I agree

why do we do it!

Yep, I had to send this song to someone just because of that line.

She is by far the Greatest female artist. Never has there been a singer that I could listen to every song they made, until I listened to her music. That is saying alot I know but Gillian is Blessed in so many ways. Thanks for the music keep it coming. CTG

buy the album .now beautiful songs

...but of all the little ways I find to hurt myself, you might be my favourite one of all...
yep that's about right

Yep. Or the Louvin Brothers. Gillian called it specifically that "brother singing" in an interview with that Seattle hipster station (KXPW or sth...). Tight, tight harmonies and the guitar arrangements are so subtle, but so damn excellent. Awesome stuff.

The interviewer kept asking about her "branching out" or "doing a different style" and she finally (very nicely) just said "I just really like what David and I do, so I'm sticking with that for the next album." Thanx, Gillian.

She is using the word in its now-anachronistic sense of outwardly happy. Would've been a perfectly good usage back in the 30s and 40s.

Is that allowed? As far as I'm concerned, Gillian and David can do anything they want...drive drunk, keep exotic animals as pets, store nuclear weapons in their basement, anything. How can you not trust them?

Heaven's. Funny.

Ha ha ha... true!

sooooo very good... what a beautiful chorus too.

so hypnotic...

nice tune!

@GrigoriZhukov Well, let's just say that they're a couple at the opposite end of the scale in regards to integrity of material, talent, and unfortunately, commercial success.

@yvwic50 who're they? seriously...don't much listen to 'country' if it's newer than the nashville sound.

fantastic

On a parallel Earth, one where Justice always prevails, Gillian and David are the best-known couple in country music. Meanwhile, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are fighting over tips while they bus tables.

Give a ear to her singing Annabell

I send my accolades beyond all norms...!!!!

So glad this album has been nominated for a Grammy!

Thank you Gillian and Dave for the greatest abum in the last 14 years.Saw her live in 2001 when i was young. I went to the toilet during the interval and i said to my dad "Why did Gillian Welch go all the way from america just for one show? "Oblivious to the fact David Rawlings was using the toilet and heared every word. I then met them both after the show, he asked me if i was the person who said that lol ! Went to the show in brighton this year, didn't meet her but the show was brilliant.

‘It’s beefsteak when I’m working / Whiskey when I’m dry’

her voice is so pure ,

@hereward2 No comparison!! Those girls need makeup, dance moves, and tight outfits, as well as provocative lyrics to keep an audience. This song is well written and beautifully perfomed. Simple and beautiful, no need to be overproduced, I could listen to songs like this for hours.

This singer should have been more apart of my life for longer

And people say modern day music sucks!

This one song is 10 times sexier than the combined discography of Britney Spears, Ke$ha, Fergie, Christina Aguilera, and Katy Perry.

That chorus gives me the sweetest chills