The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Back about 1825 I left Tennessee very much alive
I never would've got through the Arkansas mud
If I hadn't been a ridin' on the Tennessee Stud
I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa one of his
brothers was a bad outlaw
I send her a letter by my Uncle Fudd and I rode away on the Tennessee Stud
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean the color of the
sun and his eyes were green
He had the nerve and he had the blood
And there never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud
We drifted on down onto no man's land we crossed the
river called the Rio Grande
I raced my horse with a Spaiard foal till I got me
a skin full of silver and gold
Me and a gambler we couldn't agree we got in a fight over Tennessee
We jerked our guns and he fell with a thud and I got
away on the Tennessee Stud
Well I got just as lonesome as a man can be dreamin'
of my girl in Tennessee
The Tennessee Stud's green eyes turned blue
Cause he was dreamin' of his sweetheart too
We loped right back across Arkansas I whipped her brother
and whipped her pa
I found that girl with the golden hair and she was
a ridin' on the Tennessee Mare
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean...
Stirrup to stirrup and side by side we crossed the
mountains and the valleys wide
We came to Big Muddy and we forded the flood
And the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud
A pretty little baby and the cabin floor a little horse
cold playin' round the door
And I love the girl with the golden hair
And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean...
I never would've got through the Arkansas mud
If I hadn't been a ridin' on the Tennessee Stud
I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa one of his
brothers was a bad outlaw
I send her a letter by my Uncle Fudd and I rode away on the Tennessee Stud
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean the color of the
sun and his eyes were green
He had the nerve and he had the blood
And there never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud
We drifted on down onto no man's land we crossed the
river called the Rio Grande
I raced my horse with a Spaiard foal till I got me
a skin full of silver and gold
Me and a gambler we couldn't agree we got in a fight over Tennessee
We jerked our guns and he fell with a thud and I got
away on the Tennessee Stud
Well I got just as lonesome as a man can be dreamin'
of my girl in Tennessee
The Tennessee Stud's green eyes turned blue
Cause he was dreamin' of his sweetheart too
We loped right back across Arkansas I whipped her brother
and whipped her pa
I found that girl with the golden hair and she was
a ridin' on the Tennessee Mare
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean...
Stirrup to stirrup and side by side we crossed the
mountains and the valleys wide
We came to Big Muddy and we forded the flood
And the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud
A pretty little baby and the cabin floor a little horse
cold playin' round the door
And I love the girl with the golden hair
And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare
The Tennesee Stud was long and lean...
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
Tennessee Stud Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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