Outlaws – Green Grass & High Tides

Song

"Green Grass and High Tides" is a song by the Southern rock band Outlaws. It is the tenth and final track on the band's debut album, Outlaws. The song is one of their best known, and has received extensive play on album-oriented radio stations, although it was never released as a single. The song is notable for having two extended guitar solos that stretch the song to nearly 10 minutes.

Outlaws founding member Hughie Thomasson said:

I wrote that song in Saint Augustine, Florida. We went to a cookout on the beach and everybody forgot to bring their guitars. I was standing by the ocean and there was a breeze and the words kept coming to me. It’s about all the rock stars I liked that died had come back and were playing a show just for me. Like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. And eventually more of course.

Marijuana

Henry Paul told Songfacts that this song is not about marijuana, but about deceased rock and roll luminaries, and the title, he says, was taken from the 1966 "Best Of" collection by the Rolling Stones called Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass):

"From what I gather, there was an album out, the best of The Rolling Stones, called High Tides and Green Grass. That was the name of the Rolling Stones' greatest hits - this is like 1966 - and I think it was a manifestation of that title turned in reverse, 'Green Grass and High Tides.' I know that much. And I know that it was a song written for rock and roll illuminaries, from Janis Joplin to Jimi Hendrix, and it had nothing to do with marijuana.

But it had to do with, I think, a specific person's [Thomasson's] lyrical look at rock and roll legends. 'As kings and queens bow and play for you.' It's about Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. 'Castles of stone, soul and glory.' A lot of it is just sort of a collage of words that really don't have all that much to do with anything, they just fit and sounded right. But I have to say it's one of my favorite lyrics.

My songwriting is more Steinbeck, really rooted in accuracy and reality; this is definitely Alice In Wonderland. It's the whole 'White Rabbit.' It's sort of like one of those magic lyrical moments that will forever be mysteriously, unclearly conceived."

Live

"Green Grass and High Tides" was the usual show closer for the Outlaws and the 20 minute+ version can be found on the concert album Bring It Back Alive (1978). The song is mentioned in Molly Hatchet's song "Gator Country", on Molly Hatchet (1978), and was featured on the Harley Davidson Road Songs album in 1995.

The song also featured as a tribute to the recently departed from Lynyrd Skynyrd. Intro was "We'd like to take a minute to remember some very good friends of ours, and friends of yours--the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band."

Actually, the tribute says, specifically, "We'd like to take just a minute here. We're gonna dedicate a song. We've dedicated it every night since we've been on this tour. Some real good friends of ours and I'm sure they're friends of yours - the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band."

Album

Outlaws è il primo album degli The Outlaws, pubblicato dalla Arista Records nel 1975. Il disco fu registrato nel marzo del 1975 all'Elektra Sound Recorders di Los Angeles, California (Stati Uniti).

All'interno del disco vi sono presenti alcune delle canzoni più famose del gruppo quali There Goes Another Love Song, Green Grass and High Tides, Song For You e la strumentale Waterhole.

Artist

Gli Outlaws sono un gruppo southern rock fondato a Tampa Florida, USA nel 1972 da Hughie Thomasson (Voce e Chitarra), Henry Paul (Voce e Chitarra), Frank O'Keefe (Basso) e Monte Yoho (Batteria) cui si aggiunse nel 1973 il chitarrista e cantante Billy Jones.

In a place you only dream of
Where your soul is always free
Silver stages, golden curtains
Filled my head, plain as can be
As a rainbow grew around the sun
All my stars of love who died
Came from somewhere beyond the scene you see
These lovely people played just for me

Now if I let you see this place
Where stories all ring true
Will you let me past your face
To see what's really you
It's not for me I ask these questions
As though I were a king
For you have to love, believe and feel
Before the burst of tambourines take you there

Green grass and high tides forever
Castles of stone souls and glory
Lost faces say we adore you
As kings and queens bow and play for you

Those who don't believe me
Find your souls and set them free
Those who do, believe and love
This time will be your key
Time and time again I've thanked them
For a piece of mind
They helped me find myself
Amongst the music and the rhyme
That enchants you there

Green grass and high tides forever
Castles of stone souls and glory
Lost faces say we adore you
As kings and queens bow and play for you
Yeah, they play just for you

In un posto che sogni solo
Dove la tua anima è sempre libera
Palchi d'argento, tende dorate
Mi ha riempito la testa, chiaro come può essere
Mentre un arcobaleno cresceva attorno al sole
Tutte le mie stelle dell'amore che sono morte
È venuto da qualche parte oltre la scena che vedi
Queste persone adorabili hanno suonato solo per me

Ora se ti faccio vedere questo posto
Dove le storie suonano tutte vere
Mi lascerai passare la faccia
Per vedere cosa sei veramente tu
Non è per me che faccio queste domande
Come se fossi un re
Perché devi amare, credere e sentire
Prima che lo scoppio di tamburelli ti porti là

Erba verde e alte maree per sempre
Castelli di anime di pietra e gloria
I volti perduti dicono che ti adoriamo
Come re e regine si inchinano e giocano per te

Quelli che non mi credono
Trova le tue anime e liberale
Coloro che lo fanno, credono e amano
Questa volta sarà la tua chiave
Di volta in volta li ho ringraziati
Per un pezzo di mente
Mi hanno aiutato a ritrovarmi
Tra la musica e la rima
Questo ti incanta

Erba verde e alte maree per sempre
Castelli di anime di pietra e gloria
I volti perduti dicono che ti adoriamo
Come re e regine si inchinano e giocano per te
Sì, suonano solo per te