☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a father and his son who illegally distill moonshine.
- They operate their own distillation equipment in secret and produce the moonshine.
- The moonshine is so strong that it can hit like a lightning bolt.
- A taster immediately falls to the ground after drinking the moonshine.
- The lyrics depict the close relationship between father and son and the dangers and myth surrounding the moonshine.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "White Lightning" by
George Jones tell the story of a father and his son who illegally distill moonshine in the hills of North Carolina. The father is an expert in the production of "White Lightning", a strong alcoholic drink made from corn. The lyrics describe how they secretly operate their own distillation equipment and produce the moonshine.
The lines "Me and my old pappy had a hand in a still, We brewed white lightnin' 'til the sun went down" show how closely the son works with his father to produce the moonshine. However, they do this in secrecy as the government and the police are after them.
There is also a scene where a townsperson wants to taste the moonshine. He drinks it and immediately falls to the ground. The lyrics say: "He took one glug and drank it right down, And I heard him a moanin' as he hit the ground". This shows how strong and dangerous this moonshine is.
The lyrics also use the expression "white lightnin'" to describe the moonshine. The son asks his father why he calls it that, and the father explains that the moonshine is so strong that it can hit like lightning. The line "Lightnin' started flashin' and thunder started crashin'" illustrates this notion.
Overall, the lyrics of the song "White Lightning" tell the story of an illegal moonshine operation and depict the dangers and mythology surrounding the moonshine. They describe the close relationship between the father and the son and show how they try to keep their illegal operation hidden from the authorities.