“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” is a country song that was released in 1972 by American singer-actress Vicki Lawrence. The song was written by Jerry Crutchfield and Billy Sherrill, and it was produced by Sherrill. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and was also a minor hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song tells the story of a man named Jim who is accused of murdering his wife. Jim is found guilty and sentenced to death. The song ends with the man being executed on the electric chair.

The song was a controversial hit when it was released. Some people criticized the song for its graphic content, while others praised it for its storytelling. The song was also criticized for its portrayal of violence against women.

Musical Style

“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” is a country ballad. The song is characterized by its slow tempo, its use of acoustic guitar, and its mournful melody. The song also features a gospel choir in the background.

The song’s production is typical of country music from the 1970s. The song features a lot of reverb and echo, and the vocals are often doubled.

Lyrics

The lyrics of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” tell the story of a man named Jim who is accused of murdering his wife. Jim is found guilty and sentenced to death. The song ends with the man being executed on the electric chair.

The lyrics of the song are very graphic. The song describes the murder in detail, and it also describes the execution. The lyrics of the song are also very emotional. The song expresses sympathy for Jim and his family.

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The song’s chorus is as follows:

Oh, the night the lights went out in Georgia A young man died, a victim of the law He was innocent, they say, but they couldn’t prove it So they took his life, and that was all

Cultural Impact

“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” was a controversial hit when it was released. Some people criticized the song for its graphic content, while others praised it for its storytelling. The song was also criticized for its portrayal of violence against women.

Despite its controversy, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” was a commercial success. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and was also a minor hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has since been covered by many other artists, including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Kenny Rogers.

The song’s cultural impact can be seen in its continued popularity. The song is still often played on country radio stations, and it is also included on many country music compilation albums.

Conclusion

“The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” is a controversial but popular country song that was released in 1972 by Vicki Lawrence. The song tells the story of a man who is accused of murdering his wife and is subsequently executed. The song’s lyrics are graphic and emotional, and the song’s production is typical of country music from the 1970s.

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The song’s cultural impact can be seen in its continued popularity. The song is still often played on country radio stations, and it is also included on many country music compilation albums.

He was on his way home from CandletopBeen two weeks gone, and he’d thought he’d stopAt Web’s and have him a drink ‘fore he went home to herAndy Warlord said, “Hello”He said, “Hi, what’s doin’?”Wo said, “Sit down, I got some bad news and it’s gonna hurt”
He said, “I’m your best friend, and you know that’s rightBut your young bride ain’t home tonightSince you been gone, she’s been seeing that Amos boy, Seth”Well he got mad, and he saw redAndy said, “Boy, don’t you lose your head‘Cause to tell you the truth, I’ve been with her myself”
That’s the night that the lights went out in GeorgiaThat’s the night that they hung an innocent manWell, don’t trust your soul to no backwoods, southern lawyer‘Cause the judge in the town’s got blood stains on his hands
Well Andy got scared, and left the barWalkin’ on home, ’cause he didn’t live farSee, Andy didn’t have many friends and he just lost him oneBrother thought his wife musta left townSo he went home and finally foundThe only thing Papa had left him, and that was a gun
And he went off to Andy’s houseAnd slippin’ through the back woods quiet as a mouseCame upon some tracks too small for Andy to makeHe looked through the screen at the back porch doorAnd he saw Andy lyin’ on the floorIn a puddle of blood, and he started to shake
Well, the Georgia patrol was making their roundsSo he fired a shot just to flag ’em downAnd a big-bellied sheriff grabbed his gun and said, “Why’d you do it?”And the judge said “guilty” in a make-believe trialSlapped the sheriff on the back with a smileSaid, “Supper’s waitin’ at home, and I gotta get to it”
That’s the night that the lights went out in GeorgiaThat’s the night that they hung an innocent manWell, don’t trust your soul to no backwoods, southern lawyer‘Cause the judge in the town’s got blood stains on his hands
Well, they hung my brother before I could sayThe tracks he saw while on his way to Andy’s house and back that night were mineAnd his cheatin’ wife had never left townAnd that’s one body that’ll never be foundSee, little sister don’t miss when she aims her gun
That’s the night that the lights went out in Georgia, oh, oh-ohThat’s the night that they hung an innocent man, uh huhWell, don’t trust your soul to no backwoods, southern lawyer‘Cause the judge in the town’s got blood stains on his hands, oh

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