- published: 03 Oct 2009
- views: 11321900
Hillbilly is a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of Appalachian heritage.
Origins of the term "hillbilly" are obscure. According to Anthony Harkins in Hillbilly: A Cultural History of an American Icon, the term first appeared in print in a 1900 New York Journal article, with the definition: "a Hill-Billie is a free and untrammeled white citizen of Alabama, who lives in the hills, has no means to speak of, dresses as he can, talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it, and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him."
The Appalachian region was largely settled in the 18th century by the Scotch-Irish, the majority of whom originated in the lowlands of Scotland. Harkins believes the most credible theory of the term's origin is that it derives from the linkage of two older Scottish expressions, "hill-folk" and "billie" which was a synonym for "fellow", similar to "guy" or "bloke".
(alan rose, don helms)
One day the train was passing, I caught it comin' by
To look this old world over, under god's blue sky
My darlin' stood there weepin' as I was lookin' back
I kissed my baby cryin' in the smoke along the track
Chorus:
Bye, bye, so long, there's something down the track
It's callin' me
Bye, bye, so long, I guess that's just the way
I'll always be
Now when I get this feelin'
Don't try to hold me back
I'll only leave you cryin'
In the smoke along the track
I like to keep on goin', it helps me when I'm blue
I get the urge to travel, that's all I want to do
I know I just can't settle down because I like to roam
And when I hear that whistle blow I gotta move along
Chorus:
Bye, bye, so long, there's something down the track
It's callin' me
Bye, bye, so long, I guess that's just the way
I'll always be
Now when I get this feelin'
Don't try to hold me back
I'll only leave you cryin'
In the smoke along the track
I know my baby loves me, I love my baby too
But she don't understand me when I'm feelin' blue
And when I hear that whistle blow I hurry home to pack
And kiss my baby cryin' in the smoke along the track
Chorus:
Bye, bye, so long, there's something down the track
It's callin' me
Bye, bye, so long, I guess that's just the way
I'll always be
Now when I get this feelin'
Don't try to hold me back
I'll only leave you cryin'
In the smoke along the track