Detroit City
Dreams of Cotton Fields: Jerry Reed's Detroit City Reflection
Lyrics
I want to go home, I want to go home,
The singer expresses a strong desire to return home.
Oh Lord, I want to go home.
Repetition emphasizes the longing to go back home, seeking solace from the Lord.
Last night I went to sleep in Detroit city,
The narrator mentions falling asleep in Detroit city, setting the scene for the dream that follows.
And I dreamed about those cotton fields and home,
The dream involves memories of cotton fields and home, suggesting a deep nostalgia for a simpler, rural life.
I dreamed about my mother, dear old papa, sister and brother,
The dream includes thoughts of family members—mother, father, sister, and brother, highlighting a yearning for familial connections.
And I dreamed about that girl, who's been waitin' for so long
Reference to a girl waiting for a long time, possibly a romantic interest left behind.
I want to go home, I want to go home,
Reiteration of the strong desire to go back home.
Oh Lord, I want to go home
Repetition of the plea to the Lord to return home, emphasizing the emotional intensity.
Home folks think I'm big in Detroit city,
The singer suggests that people back home in Detroit perceive him positively, possibly as successful.
From the letters that I write they think I'm fine,
They form this perception based on the letters he writes, creating a contrast between appearance and reality.
But by day I make the cars, and by night I make the bars,
The narrator's daily life involves working in car manufacturing during the day and spending nights in bars.
If only they could read between the lines
Suggests a hidden struggle or dissatisfaction not evident in the letters sent home.
I want to go home, I want to go home,
Reaffirmation of the desire to return home.
Oh Lord, I want to go home
Repetition of the plea to the Lord, emphasizing the urgency of the desire.
SPOKEN: You know, I rode a freight train north to Detroit city,
Spoken interlude about taking a freight train to Detroit city, reflecting on wasted time.
And after all these years I find I've just been wasting my time,
The realization that the time spent in Detroit might have been unfulfilling or misguided.
So I think I'll take my foolish pride, put it on a southbound freight and ride,
Expresses a decision to return home, acknowledging past mistakes or misplaced pride.
Go on back to the ones I left, who've been waitin' for so long
Intent to reunite with those left behind who have been waiting patiently.
I want to go home, I want to go home,
Reiteration of the strong desire to go back home.
Oh Lord, I want to go home.
Final plea to the Lord to facilitate the return home, underlining the emotional significance of the journey.
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