☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the singer's memories of his childhood in the cotton fields of his homeland.
- It describes the singer's close connection to cotton and the associated life experiences.
- The lyrics emphasize the importance of the cotton fields to the singer's identity.
- It expresses nostalgia and longing for childhood and the cotton fields.
- The song lyrics are a tribute to the past and the significance of cotton in the singer's life.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "In Them Old Cottonfields Back Home" by
Johnny Cash are about the singer's memories of his childhood in the cotton fields of his home. The text describes how his mother rocked him in his crib when he was a baby and how he grew up and started picking cotton himself.
"When I was a little baby,
My mama rocked me in my crib
In them old cottonfields back home."
The text shows the importance of cotton in the region and how it is closely connected to the singer's life experiences. It describes the problems that arise when the cotton bolls rot and you can't pick much cotton anymore.
"When the cotton bolls rot,
You can't pick much cotton
In them old cottonfields back home."
The song lyrics also mention the place Louisiana, which is only about a mile away from Texarkana. This establishes the geographical connection to the theme of cotton and the singer's home.
"It was in Louisiana,
Just about a mile from Texarkana.
In them old cottonfields back home."
The song lyrics repeat these verses, expressing the nostalgia and longing for childhood and the cotton fields. It is a tribute to the past and the importance that cotton had in the singer's life.
The text conveys the simple message that the cotton fields and the associated memories are an important part of the singer's identity and life. He fondly remembers his childhood in the cotton fields and values the significance and worth of those experiences.
"In them old cottonfields back home."