BOWLING GREEN IN SONG
Beyond musical styles, Southcentral Kentucky – and its hub, Bowling Green – also directly inspired the lyrics of songwriters, past and present. The area’s natural beauty, folk tales, and simply traveling through on its rivers, railways, and highways has provided inspiration for lyrics that endure to this day. This section explores how musicians’ interpretations of Bowling Green aligns with locals’ and visitors’ experience of this unique place.
An Escape
Bowling Green is often discussed as a relaxing escape from the troubles of larger cities: a place of uncorrupted beauty, kind people, and somewhere to start a family. In Cousin Emmy’s “Bowling Green,” a vague, yet comforting feeling of homeyness is conveyed. In 1967, the Everly Brother also released a song entitled “Bowling Green,” but different from Emmy’s. In their song they discuss specific traits of the city including the warm sunshine and friendly people. Other musicians reference tangible and specific locations like Moon Taxi and Molly Tuttle in their song “Evergreen;” this song references iconic locations that many people are familiar with like Shanty Hollow.
“Bowling Green” by The Everly Brothers, 1967
Bowling Green folks treat you kind
They let you think your own mind
A man in Kentucky
Sure is lucky
In Bowling Green you walk your own line
Kentucky sunshine makes the heart unfold
It warms the body
And I know it touches the soul
Bluegrass is fine
Kentucky owns my mind
“Evergreen” by Moon Taxi and Molly Tuttle, 2002
High on the hilltop of the world
Fields of bluegrass and brown-eyed girls
There’s room to run outside these walls
Shanty hollows and waterfalls
Somethin’ here helps keep us young
Maybe the moon, maybe the sun
Will shine so bright right when we need
An extra light here on Kentucky
“C’mon Back to Bowling Green” by Government Cheese, 1987
Come on back to Bowling Green
And marry me
My mother’s on drugs
And I need somebody here to take care of me
Between the castles up above and the store and the club
So won’t you leave that New York City behind
And come on back and be that baby of mine
C’mon back to Bowling Green and marry me
So won’t you come on back
And be that baby of mine
C’mon back to Bowling Green and marry me
Folk Tales
Folk tales of the region have influenced many musicians. Perhaps the most famous inspiration for songs is the tale of Lost John, a Native American who became lost in Mammoth Cave. Though now linked to a mummified person found by anthropologists in 1935, the tale was first published by W.C. Handy in the song “Lost John” also known as “Long Gone (From Bowling Green)” in 1920. This suggests that there were stories of “John” long before he was found.
Thumbpicker Merle Travis also published and recorded a version of “Lost John” in 1947, varying greatly in its lyrics. With Handy’s and Travis’ songs being different genres in Blues and Thumbpicking, it suggests those inspired by or living in Bowling Green are part of a shared musical ecosystem. This quality of shared music is supported by a plethora of musicians from various genres (blues, soul, jazz, folk, and rock) who recorded “Lost John”: Sonny Terry, Van Morrison, Doc Watson, Cousin Emmy, Louis Armstrong, Woody Guthrie, and Etta Baker.
“Lost John” by Merle Travis, 1951
A-waitin’ for a freight train to come back
Along come a train skippin’ an’ a-flyin’
Missed the cowcatcher but he caught the blind
He was long gone
He was long, long gone from Bowlin’ Green
Now Lost John he walked in a woman’s house
Crept right in just quiet as a mouse
The woman said, “”Lost John, take a chair
And I’ll send the porter for a bucket o’ beer””
He said, “”Never mind the bucket an’ never mind the beer
The hound’s on my trail an’ I can’t stay here
Got to get along
I’m long gone. I’m long gone from Bowlin’ Green
“Long Gone (from Bowling Green)” by Louis Armstrong, recorded in 1954 and based on the original by W.C. Handy
Pops, did you hear the story of long John Dean?
Not yet drummer
A bold bank robber from Bowlin’ Green
Was sent to the jail house yesterday
But late last night he made his getaway
He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain’t he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin’ Green
While they offered a reward to bring him back
Even put bloodhounds on his track
Those doggone bloodhounds lost his scent
Now nobody knows where John went
A Region of Connection
Perhaps the most common theme among songs mentioning Bowling Green is that the city is a connector between other regions. With Bowling Green’s central location for rivers, roads, highways, and the L and N Railroad (Louisville and Nashville), it has historically been a crossroads for travel, leading to a mixture of musical genres. While Bowling Green is most commonly known for Bluegrass and Country music, Bowling Green’s location has made it an important spot in the production and evolution of many other musical genres: Soul, R and B, Jazz, Folk, and Rock to name a few others.
While highways are the main mode of transportation today, several connect Bowling Green to larger cities including Music City USA, aka Nashville. Because of the close proximity to Nashville, many Bowling Green natives move to Nashville to continue their careers as professional musicians.
“Bluegrass Express” by The Osbourne Brothers, 1965
Ridin’ the Bluegrass Express
Ridin the Bluegrass Express
This train will soon be gone
And I’m goin home
On the Bluegrass Express
He’ll cross the river in New Port Town
Louisville, Lexington, he’s south bound
Richmond, Winchester, Bowling Green
Prettiest place I’ve ever seen
“Man from Bowling Green” by Tammy Wynette, 1975
He sang her songs
And called her baby
‘Til that country girl went crazy
For that guitar picking man from Bowling Green
Well, he got what he was after
And after that, he left her
He packed up his guitar
And caught a westbound train
Bowling Green has been a topic of many songs for both local and globally recognized musicians. Some musicians establish Bowling Green as an important inspiration for producing music in their lyrical description of iconic locations and the natural beauty of the region. Others have written and recorded songs based on folk tales of the region and surrounding areas. Musicians often mention Bowling Green as a connector between larger cities such as Lexington, Louisville, and Nashville. Through all, Bowling Green has been a source of creativity and originality in music. What aspect of Bowling Green would captivate you to produce music?
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