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China Grove Lyrics
When the sun comes up on a sleepy little town
Down around San Antone
And the folks are risin for another day
Round about their homes
The people of the town are strange
And they're proud of where they came
Well, you're talkin bout china grove
Oh, china grove
Well, the preacher and the teacher
Lord, they're a caution
They are the talk of the town
When the gossip gets to flyin
And they ain't lyin
When the sun goes fallin down
They say that the Father's insane
He's dating Miss Perkins again
Were talkin bout the china grove
Oh, china grove
But every day theres a new thing comin
The ways of an oriental view
The sheriff and his buddies
With their samurai swords
You can even hear the music at night
And though it's a part of the lone star state
People don't seem to care
They just keep on lookin to the east
Talkin bout the china grove
Oh, china grove
Down around San Antone
And the folks are risin for another day
Round about their homes
And they're proud of where they came
Well, you're talkin bout china grove
Oh, china grove
Lord, they're a caution
They are the talk of the town
When the gossip gets to flyin
And they ain't lyin
When the sun goes fallin down
He's dating Miss Perkins again
Were talkin bout the china grove
Oh, china grove
The ways of an oriental view
The sheriff and his buddies
With their samurai swords
You can even hear the music at night
People don't seem to care
They just keep on lookin to the east
Oh, china grove
Song Info
Submitted by
palmdogg10 On Apr 26, 2002
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great song, nice riff. although the doobies seem to have gotten china and japan mixed up. "samurai swords?"
@F00D You do know what doobie means, do you?
@F00D You do know what doobie means, do you?
classic rock...classic.
Listening to this song never gets old!!
and F00D that's probably because the doobies were high when they wrote this. ;]
I love this song. I think that it just talks about what small town life is like with all the eccentric people that creep in and out and also the scandal that can spread like wildfire. Anyone who has ever grown up in a small town can relate to this song, I think.
@redlips Nailed it!
@redlips Nailed it!
Well, it is about China Grove, Texas, or at least Tom Johnston's flight-of-fancy imagination takeoff on the town's name. I always liked how imaginative it is--plus it's a good rocker, definitely a classic.
It’s: They say that the Father’s insane He’s datin’ Mrs. Perkins again
It might help some understand the lyrics if you spell "father" "Father". He's "The Preacher"; Miss Perkins "The Teacher"
Only two comments on this song? The Doobie Brothers are better than this site gives credit.
I always thought this song was about a little town in TX filled with asians. Sort of a Chinatown of TX. Well I was only 1/2 right. It actually only has less then a 1% asian population. It is a little town though, only 1200 people live there and its 4 miles long.
The Doobies rule, straight out, and nothing you say can change that! Great riff!!