Tim McGraw: Nashville Without You Meaning
Nashville Without You Lyrics
Streets would have a different sound
There'd be no honky tonks with whiskey rounds
No dreamers chasin' dreams down
No tourists takin' in the sights
No stetsons under broadway lights
No pickers playin' for...
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Fancy has got to be (the far superior) Bobbie Gentry original, no?
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I'm thinking that "Hey Georgia" could be either:
1.The Devil went down to Georgia-Charley Daniels (#3 Peak on charts)
2. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia-Vicki Lawrence (#1 Peak on charts) -
Joakim has the song pretty much nailed, except for the one line "no woman standing by her man" I believe this is referring I Tammy Wynettes song "stand by your man"
Willie Nelson also did a song "I've been to Georgia on a fat train" which could be the Georgia reference. Maybe. -
The reference to "No woman standing by her man" is surely a reference to "Stand by your man" by Tammy Wynette which, according to wikipedia, is one of the most covered songs in the history of country music and was placed at number one on CMT's list of the Top 100 Country Music Songs.
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Tim starts off describing the ambiance of Nashville Tennessee, and the flavor that country music spreads throughout the town ("Honkey tonks with whiskey rounds, Stetson's or cowboy boots, under broadway lights", people playing music in the street, which happens all the time in Nashville.
Next, Tim tells the awesome history of modern country music which second generation began in Nashville, with the opening of the grande ole Opry in 1925, Nashville was a major player in what we now know is country music.
Tim highlights many of country music's most historically recognized songs. Before introducing the song title, he says "hey" as if to send out a shot out to the song itself for making Nashville what it is today.
He starts with Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the rain." Next he describes Johnny Cash's ring of fire but changes it to "Fire... burning round a ring".
Next is "Crazy"- by the classic country artist Patsy Cline.
He then ends the course once again reiterating that Nashville wouldn't be the same without these artists and their songs influence, "Nashville wouldn't be Nashville without you."
Tim continues to acknowledge the great artist before with many different songs:
He once again references Johnny Cash, but says "no" before every line of this stanza as if to illustrate what Nashville wouldn't have without country music's influence. "No ghost of the man in black" Which was Johnny Cash's nickname because, according to Wiki he "He regularly performed dressed all in black, wearing a long black knee-length coat".
Next, is "No, Long White Cadillac" a classic Dwight Yoakam song.
"No Woman Standing by Her Man" I believe this is in reference to Travis Tritt's Love of a Woman.
"In the Place Where It All Began" This is again a suggestion that Country music was born and raised in Nashville (which it was!)
Tim continues the pattern with many more classic songs:
Good Lookin'- Hank Williams
Momma Tried - Merle Haggard
Gambler - Kenny Rogers (Tim omits the for rhythm purposes, it's really "The Gambler, but that's whatevs :p)
Country Boy Can Survive - Hank Williams Jr.
Jolene- Dolly Parton (Zach Brown also did an awesome rendition with the same title but the credit here is likely going to Dolly Parton, as this fits the pattern, But Zack's version rocks too.)
Georgia- I'm not certain but I would credit this to the great Ray Charles, which wasn't necessarily a country song, but could easily be considered one today.
Smokey Mountain Rain- Ronnie Milsap
Galveston- Glen Campbell
He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
Fancy- Reba McEntire.
The lyrics go back to the beginning and go full circle to finish with,
"It'd be just another river town
Streets would have a different sound"
This is a great song, hope you enjoyed the breakdown! -
Obviously he is giving credit where credit is due. He is honoring all of the greats in country music history, using song titles to weave a story. The only reference that is too broad to narrow is Hey Georgia. The rest are easy.
More Tim McGraw songs »
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