The South's Gonna Do It Again

Album: Fire On The Mountain (1975)
Charted: 29
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  • Well, the train to Grinder's Switch is runnin' right on time
    And them Tucker Boys are cookin' down in Caroline
    People down in Florida can't be still
    When ol' Lynyrd Skynrd's pickin' down in Jacksonville
    People down in Georgia come from near and far
    To hear Richard Betts pickin' on that red guitar

    So gather 'round, gather 'round children
    Get down, well just get down children
    Get loud, well you can be loud and be proud
    Well you can be proud, hear now
    Be proud you're a rebel
    'Cause the South's gonna do it again and again

    Elvin Bishop sittin' on a bale of hay
    He ain't good lookin', but he sure can play
    And there's ZZ Top and you can't forget
    That old brother Willie's gettin' soakin' wet
    And all the good people down in Tennessee
    Are diggin' barefoot Jerry and C.D.B

    So gather 'round, gather 'round children
    Get down, well just get down children
    Get loud, well you can be loud and be proud
    Well you can be proud, hear now
    Be proud you're a rebel
    'Cause the South's gonna do it again and again Writer/s: CHARLES EDWARD DANIELS
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 16

  • Tim from The South (dixie))Hes not referring to the "band" Grinderswitch in the song. Read the lyrics. Its obvious. "Well the train to grinderswitch is running right on time".
  • Hippymtnbkr from NcKind of hard to include bands that were not around in 1972-73, when the tuned was penned. I always thought he said Brothers Winters in the second verse, another band that recorded for Capricorn records.
  • Barry from New York, NyI find the lyrics regarding Elvin Bishop rather insulting. “Not good looking but he sure can play”. How uncool is that!
  • Richard from Warner Robins, GaYeah, Barefoot Jerry was formed in Nashville in 1971 with guitarist, Wayne Moss the driving force behind the band. Also, Grinderswitch had more than one album. They recorded seven albums between 1972 and 1982 for Capricorn and Atlantic records.
  • Cory from Nashville, Tn@Greg
    agreed. kinda wish he would have put in Molly Hatchet, the Outlaws, and .38, but hey, it's his song haha
  • Valentin from Beijing, China"Gator Country" by Molly Hatchet (another great southern rock band m/) is probably based on this song!
  • Todd from Duquoin, IlReferring to Barefoot Jerry, I always thought that was referring to Jerry Reed, who always performed barefoot, on stage.....any comments?
  • Michael from Summerdale, AlWhen I play it on stage, I do all the fiddle work on guitar with a pile of effects. Sounds ok but it aint no fiddle.
  • James from Tracy, CaWoah, Foghat? I've never considered them Southern rock.
  • Mike from Poland, NyIt seems that only people who listen to / appreciate Southern Rock understand it. Most people see the title and automatically assume it's a racist song.

    And I agree on CDB being an awesome Southern Rock band. I was a huge fan before I even got into southern rock.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI never counted the number of bands mentioned in that song, and actually I missed some of those references.
  • Jeff from Columbia, ScCDB is an awesome band and one of the only real great Southern Rock/Country bands-they also do gospel.
  • Bob from Virginia Beach, VaJust a couple of notes, first Elvin Bishop is from Tulsa, OK. Seconly there are 9 bands mentioned in the song. It is a great song, and I have heard Charlie do versions where he mentions even more.
  • Greg from Shelbyville, KyThere are actually eleven bands mentioned in whole or in part in the song. Here are the annotated verses:
    Well, the train to Grinder's Switch (in 1969, they released one album, Grinder's Switch Featuring Garland Jeffreys, before breaking up in 1970. Also, Grinder's Switch is the place that Minnie Pearl referred to as home in her comedy. It is a real place in TN)is runnin' right on time
    And them Tucker Boys (The Marshall Tucker Band, check out www.tuckerhead.com/tucker_tales_link.htm) are cookin' down in Caroline
    People down in Florida can't be still
    When ol' Lynyrd Skynrd's (Lynrd Skynrd) pickin' down in Jacksonville
    People down in Georgia come from near and far
    To hear Richard Betts (Allman Brothers Band)pickin' on that red guitar
    Chorus(omitted)

    Elvin Bishop (guitarist whose band featured Mickey Thomas, later of starship as vocalist) sittin' on a bale of hay
    He ain't good lookin', but he sure can play
    And there's ZZ Top (ZZ Top) and you can't forget
    That old brother Willie's (Wet Willie) gettin' soakin' wet
    And all the good people down in Tennessee
    Are diggin' Barefoot Jerry ( great band of formere studio musicians whose music is not availabe in record stores anymore, but is availableonline. Definitely worth listening to) and the CDB (the Charlie Daniels Band)

    I think it would have been great if Charlie had written a third verse. He could have chosen from The Atlanta Rythm Section, the Outlaws, Foghat, Pure Prairie League as well as 38 Special, Black Oak Arkansas, Sea Level, Rossington Collins, Molly Hatchett, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and more. Some of those names would have been hard to fit into a verse, but it would have been neat.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScThis song's cool. It's got a cool beat.
  • Matt Adkins from Huntington, WvAmazing song......thats all i have to say
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