Story Behind The Song
Christy's father was a travelling Baptist minister and so her family moved frequently from small southern rural towns to big cities in the northern U.S.
Song Description
Christy Howard sings about events in her life that shaped her musical career in Country and Blues.
| Song Length |
3:58 |
Genre |
Blues - Country, Country - Honky Tonk |
| Tempo |
Multiple Tempos |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
In High Spirits, Pleasant |
Subject |
Happiness, I, Me, Mine |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
I Crossed the Tracks �© 2005 Christy D. Howard and Jeffrey L. Howard
slow - intro
When I was a young girl, I crossed the tracks
To see my friends, in their run-down shacks
They had their guitars, harmonicas too
Just sittin' on the front porch, singing the blues
They'd sing: "I'm lonesome, all the time
All I've got's the blues, on my mind"
slow turn-around -- breakdown
fast
Moved to Chicago, when I was nine
Still got the blues, on my mind
My teacher told me: "You got it right"
So keep on singin', all the time
When I was fifteen, moved to Tennessee
I'm a little bit country, as you can see
fast turn-around
fiddle solo
Moved up to Detroit, and I met a man
Walkin' with a guitar, in his hand
You know he asked me: "What you got to lose?
If you can sing country, you can sing the blues"
Now I sing country, all the time
Still got the blues, on my mind
fast turn-around
guitar solo
fast turnaround -- breakdown
slow
Now I'm singin', all the time
About being on both sides, of the line
I'm sittin' on the front porch, singin' the blues
With our guitars, harmonicas too
I sing: "I'm lonesome, all the time
All I've got's the blues, on my mind" (abrupt end)