Cherokee Fiddle
Cherokee Fiddle: Tales of Whiskey and Railroad Dreams
Lyrics
When the train pulled into the station
Arrival of a train at the station
He rolled up his sleeve, rosined up his bow
Preparation for playing the fiddle, getting ready
Fiddle upside-down, Orange Blossom Special
Playing the fiddle in a distinctive way, referencing a specific song ("Orange Blossom Special")
If you want to make a living then you've got to put on a good show
Emphasizing the need for a captivating performance to earn a living
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Sensing the signs of a locomotive, possibly a steam train
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Grooming oneself, getting ready for a performance
Played Cherokee Fiddle, played for the whiskey
Playing a specific tune, "Cherokee Fiddle," and performing for whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
Whiskey is a constant companion, providing stability
He was always there playing for the miners
Consistently playing music for miners
Devil's Dream was a tune they all understood
Reference to a tune, "Devil's Dream," understood by the audience
Then he'd go back to Oklahoma
Returning to Oklahoma during breaks in the performance circuit
And wait 'till the trains were runnin' and the weather was good
Waiting for favorable conditions to resume performances
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Sensing the imminent arrival of a train
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Preparing for another performance
Played Cherokee Fiddle, played for the whiskey
Playing "Cherokee Fiddle" again, tied to whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
Whiskey as a constant, ensuring continuity in the musician's life
Now the Indians are dressin' up like cowboys
Observation of cultural shifts, Indians adopting cowboy attire
And the cowboys are puttin' leather and turquoise on
Cowboys incorporating Native American elements into their style
And the music is sold by the lawyers
Critique of commercialization, lawyers profiting from music
And the fools who fiddled in the middle of the stations are gone
Reflection on the disappearance of traditional performers
Some folks say they'll never miss them
Debating the impact of the disappearing musicians
The fiddle screeched like the engine break
Describing the fiddle's sound, likening it to a train's brakes
Ol' Cherokee Fiddle gone forever
Expressing the loss of the traditional "Cherokee Fiddle"
Like the music that the whistle on an old locomotive make
Comparing the disappearance of the fiddle to the fading sound of a train whistle
So when you smell the smoke and the cinders
Sensing the signs of a train again
Slick your hair back, open up your case
Getting ready for another performance, repeating the process
Play Cherokee Fiddle, play it for the whiskey
Playing "Cherokee Fiddle" for whiskey, emphasizing continuity
Good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Stating the reliability of whiskey in maintaining one's place or stability
No, good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Reaffirming the dependability of good whiskey
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