Garage Rock

The song “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens is part of the sixties British music invasion of America. The Nashville Teens were a British band with an American name. It was part of the 1960s British Invasion phenomenon, where the Brits, who grew up listening to American blues, R&B, folk, and rock and roll, then came across the Atlantic and played their version of it back to America. “Tobacco Road” was a semi-autobiographical song written by the country and pop John D. Loudermilk about growing up in Durham, North Carolina. Loudermilk recorded it in 1960, and the song was a minor hit for him. The Nashville Teens, though gave it a whole other feel with a harder edge (with some help from Mickie Most, who also produced The Animals). In 1964, “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens went to #6 on the U.K. Singles chart and #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Over the years, many artists have covered the song, including Lou Rawls, Jefferson Airplane, Edgar Winder, Eric Burdon & War, Eric Burdon & The Animals, David Lee Roth, Blues Magoos, Rare Earth, and many more.

The Nashville Teens formed in Weybridge, Surrey, U.K., in 1962. There have been numerous changes in the lineup over the years. For “Tobacco Road,” they were Art Sharp, Ray Phillips, John Hawken, John Allen, Pete Shannon Harris, and Barry Jenkins.

Here are the lyrics to “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens:

“I was born in a trunk
Mama died and my daddy got drunk
Left me here to die alone
In the middle of Tobacco Road

Growin’ up rusty shack
All I had was hangin’ on my back
Only you know how I loathe
This place called Tobacco Road

But it’s home, the only life I’ve ever known
Only you know how I loathe Tobacco Road

Gonna leave, get a job
With the help and the grace from above
Save some money, get rich and old
Bring it back to Tobacco Road

But it’s home, the only life I’ve ever known
Only you know how I loathe Tobacco Road

Bring dynamite and a crane
Blow it up, start all over again
Build a town, be proud to show
Give the name Tobacco Road

But it’s home, the only life I’ve ever known
I despise and it’s filthy, but I loves it because you’re home”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ commercial free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens.