Copperhead Road
Moonshine Legacy: Tales from Copperhead Road
Lyrics
Well my name's John Lee Pettimore
Introduction of the narrator as John Lee Pettimore.
Same as my daddy and his daddy before
Highlighting the generational name continuity in the family.
You hardly ever saw Grandaddy down here
Grandaddy rarely visited the narrator's location.
He only came to town about twice a year
Grandaddy's infrequent town visits (twice a year).
He'd buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line
Purchase of materials for moonshine production (yeast and copper line).
Everybody knew that he made moonshine
Community awareness of Grandaddy's moonshine activities.
Now the revenue man wanted Grandaddy bad
Government interest in Grandaddy's moonshine activities.
He headed up the holler with everything he had
Grandaddy's attempt to escape authorities with all his possessions.
It's before my time but I've been told
Referring to events before the narrator's birth.
He never came back from Copperhead Road
Grandaddy's disappearance after heading to Copperhead Road.
Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big block Dodge
Daddy's involvement in whiskey transportation using a Dodge vehicle.
Bought it at an auction at the Mason's Lodge
Purchase of the vehicle at a Mason's Lodge auction.
Johnson County Sheriff painted on the side
Identification of the vehicle with law enforcement markings.
Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside
Examining the vehicle's interior, finding it suitable for whiskey transport.
Well him and my uncle tore that engine down
Memorable moment of engine dismantling with the narrator's uncle.
I still remember that rumblin' sound
Recollection of the powerful sound during the engine work.
Well the sheriff came around in the middle of the night
Sheriff's visit after hearing disturbances in the night.
Heard mama cryin', knew something wasn't right
Mama's distress indicating something amiss.
He was headed down to Knoxville with the weekly load
Daddy's journey to Knoxville with a weekly whiskey load.
You could smell the whiskey burnin' down Copperhead Road
Noting the distinctive smell of burning whiskey on Copperhead Road.
I volunteered for the Army on my birthday
Narrator's voluntary enlistment in the Army on his birthday.
They draft the white trash first,'round here anyway
Comment on the local tendency to draft white individuals first.
I done two tours of duty in Vietnam
Narrator's service in Vietnam through two tours of duty.
And I came home with a brand new plan
Returning home with a new plan after military service.
I take the seed from Colombia and Mexico
Engaging in drug cultivation with seeds from Colombia and Mexico.
I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road
Planting drugs up the holler on Copperhead Road.
Well the D.E.A.'s got a chopper in the air
Government surveillance with a DEA chopper in the air.
I wake up screaming like I'm back over there
Narrator's traumatic experiences leading to nightmares.
I learned a thing or two from ol' Charlie don't you know
Learning survival skills from experiences in Vietnam.
You better stay away from Copperhead Road
Warning to stay away from Copperhead Road.
Copperhead Road
(Refrain) - Repeated emphasis on Copperhead Road.
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