Copperhead Road

Steve Earle

About Copperhead Road

"Copperhead Road" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Steve Earle. It was released in 1988 as the first single and title track from his third studio album of the same name. The song reached number 10 on the U. S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and was Earle's highest-peaking song to date on that chart in the United States. The song has sold 1.1 million digital copies in the United States as of September 2017.


Year:
2006
4:30
93 

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Well my name's John Lee Pettimore
Same as my daddy and his daddy before
You hardly ever saw Grandaddy down here
He only come to town about twice a year
He'd buy a hundred pounds of yeast and some copper line
Everybody knew that he made moonshine
Now the revenue man wanted Grandaddy bad
He headed up the holler with everything he had
It's before my time but I've been told
He never come back from Copperhead Road

Now Daddy ran the whiskey in a big black Dodge
Bought it at an auction at the Mason's Lodge
Johnson County Sheriff painted on the side
Just shot a coat of primer then he looked inside
Well him and my uncle tore that engine down
I still remember that rumblin' sound
Well the sheriff came around in the middle of the night
Heard mama cryin', knew something wasn't right
He was headed down to Knoxville with the weekly load
You could smell the whiskey burnin' down Copperhead Road

I volunteered for the Army on my birthday
They draft the white trash first,'round here anyway
I done two tours of duty in Vietnam
And I came home with a brand new plan
I take the seed from Columbia and Mexico
I plant it up the holler down Copperhead Road
Well the D.E.A.'s got a chopper in the air
I wake up screaming like I'm back over there
I learned a thing or two from ol' Charlie don't you know
You better stay away from Copperhead Road

Copperhead Road
Copperhead Road
Copperhead Road

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Steve Earle

Steve Earle ( /ˈɜrl/; born Stephen Fain Earle on January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor. Earle grew up near San Antonio, Texas, and began learning the guitar at age 11. more »

4 fans

Written by: Steve Earle

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


5 facts about this song

Release and Ranking
"Copperhead Road" was released in 1988 by American country artist Steve Earle. It was the title track of his third studio album. - The song reached a peak of number 10 position on the Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1989, making it Steve Earle's only Top 10 hit on the chart.
Song's Theme
The song tells the story of a Vietnam veteran who comes from a family long involved in moonshining (illegal alcohol brewing). After returning from war, the main character of the song decides to use that knowledge to create a marijuana crop. - The song title "Copperhead Road" is significant as it suggests the snake-like dangerous path the song's character has chosen, and is presumably the location of his marijuana crop.
Live Performances
"Copperhead Road" is one of Steve Earle's most popular songs and is a staple at his live performances. - Earle typically introduces the song at his concerts by saying, "This is the first song off the first record I made after I got clean and sober."
Musical Genres
The song blends in several musical genres like Rock, Country, and Folk music which showcased a rebellious side of traditional-style of Country music. This was a significant move away from mainstream country and showed a turn towards 'Country rock' or 'Alternative Country'. - The use of bagpipes in the song adds a unique sound, symbolising the main character's Scotch-Irish ancestry.
Influence and Legacy
Over time, "Copperhead Road" has become a well-known song and is particularly popular in the line-dancing scene in Britain. - The song has also been used as entrance music for several professional sports teams and athletes.

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