Hi there.
"HOME FOLKS THINK I'M BIG IN DETROIT CITY..."
1. Is 'I'm big in a city' a common usage? Is it OK to say I'm big in N.Y. to mean I'm famous in the city?
"BY DAY I MAKE THE CARS BY NIGHT I MAKE THE BARS IF THEY COULD
ONLY READ BETWEEN THE LINES"
2. Does 'by day' mean during the day time, 'by night' mean during the night time? Is 'by day/night' a common usage? Do you say it often?
2'. What does 'make the bars' mean? Is it a common usage?
3. What does 'can read between the lines' mean? Does it simply mean even his parents are old but still able to read. (good eyesight) Is it a common usage?
Note: Sounds that it should be IF
ONLY THEY COULD READ ....
"CAUSE YOU KNOW I ROAD A FREIGHT TRAIN NORTH TO DETROIT CITY"
4. I think there's a misspelling on 'cause you know I
rode a freight ....'
"I'LL TAKE MY FOOLISH PRIDE AND PUT IT ON A SOUTH BOUND FREIGHT..."
5.
'to take sb's pride and put it on somewhere/something' Is it a common usage? Do you say or write it often?
"RIDE AND GO BACK TO THE LOVED ONES
THE ONES I LEFT so far BEHIND"
6. Does 'ones' refer to the writer's parents, siblings, girl friend and friends maybe. Since 'ones' appear in plural, it must more than one person. Am I right?
Thanks in advance.
___________
The Song
Bobby Bare, Detroit City Tabs, Chords, Lyrics