About The Song
Johnny Cash’s “Texas, 1947” is a poignant ode to simpler times, painting a vivid picture of rural life in the American South. Released in 1975, this song has become a beloved classic, transporting listeners to a bygone era with its heartfelt lyrics and nostalgic melody.
Written by the talented Guy Clark, the song tells the story of a young man growing up in rural Texas during the aftermath of World War II. Cash’s deep, resonant voice and the song’s melancholic tone perfectly capture the bittersweet feelings of nostalgia and longing for a simpler past.
The lyrics of “Texas, 1947” evoke vivid imagery of small-town life, from the dusty roads and cotton fields to the close-knit community and the rhythms of everyday life. The song’s narrator reflects on his childhood memories, painting a picture of a time when life was slower and people were more connected.
What makes “Texas, 1947” so special is its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia in listeners, regardless of their personal experiences. The song’s universal themes of growing up, leaving home, and longing for the past resonate with people from all walks of life.
Cash’s version of “Texas, 1947” has become a staple of the country music canon, and it’s easy to understand why. The song’s combination of heartfelt lyrics, beautiful melody, and Cash’s iconic vocals creates a truly timeless piece of music. It’s a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling and the importance of cherishing our memories.
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Lyric
Being six years old I had seen some trains before
So it’s hard to figure out what I’m at the depot forTrains are big and black and smoking steam screaming at the wheels
Bigger and anything there is least that’s the way she feels
Trains are big and black and smoking louder July 4th
But everybody’s acting like this might be something more
Than just picking up the mail or the soldiers from the war
Something even old man Wyman’s never seen before
And it’s late afternoon on a hot Texas day
Something strange was going on and we are all in the way
There are fifty or sixty people just setting on their cars
And the ole men left their dominoes and come down from the bars
And everybody’s checking old Jack Kittrell checks his watch
And us kids put our ears to the rails to hear them pop
So we already know it when they finally said train time
You’d have thought that Judgment Day was rolling down the line
Because things got real quiet and mama jerked me back
But not before I get the chance to lay a nickel on the trackLook out here she comes she’s coming look out there she goes she’s gone
Screaming straight through Texas like a mad dog cyclone
Big and red and silver she don’t lay no smoke
She’s a fast rolling streamline come to show the folks
I said look out here she comes she’s coming look out there she goes she’s gone
Screaming straight through Texas like a mad dog cycloneLord she never even stopped
She left fifty or sixty people still setting on their cars
Wondering what it’s coming to and how it got this far
And me I got a nickel smashed flatter than a dime
By a mad dog runaway red silver streamline train