“Back To Texas” was a pop country song that was released in 2007 by Kacey Musgraves. Now, if you are not a huge fan of country music, you may be asking yourself “who is Kacey Musgraves?.” Well, I am here to tell you that and all about “Back To Texas”. Kacey Musgraves grew up in Sulphur Springs, Texas and began songwriting at the age of 8. Later, she began to take guitar lessons and is known to say that guitar lessons changed her life. When she was younger, her mom would take her to local festivals to perform Western Swing music. Musgraves, along with fellow classmate, Alina Tatum formed a duo called “Texas Two Bits.” They would travel throughout Texas performing and even released an album in 2000. This album caught the attention of former President George W. Bush. When she was 18, Musgraves moved to Austin Texas where she was eventually discovered by Monte Robison. When listening to “Back To Texas” you may hear some ideas and images that you may not be familiar with. This song contributes to Texan identity and culture through the images she talks about. For example, in the beginning of the song she talks about how she needs “some real air to breathe” and how she misses THAT southern sky. In the second verse she speaks about how she wants to be back in that one light town on the front porch swing. As someone who is from a town with no stoplights, I can completely understand what she is talking about. There is something about living in a town with one light that some people just can’t relate to. She also talks about how she wants to be in a Texas bar with the lone star beer. Lone star beer “… built in 1884, was the first large mechanized brewer in Texas. Lone Star is The Nation Beer of Texas. The brand has endured and refreshed generations of Texans. The beer “from the big country” is always abundant at back yard hangs, enjoying Texas’s plentiful waters, and front row at your favorite show.”
Now when it comes to thinking about how Texas is represented and what this song says about Texas, you may remember one line in the chorus. “You can stay here in hell, as for me I’m going back to Texas.” In case you didn’t know, that one line is actually said by Davy Crockett. According to texasstandard.org “Davy Crockett said this angrily after losing his Tennessee bid for U.S Congress.” This line plays a big role in what Texas means to Kacey as well. It makes you believe that Texas is Kacey’s home, and she would rather leave her people where she is to go back to Texas. Immediately in verse one she states that she hates the way they look at me. You can imagine that she is talking about how the Texans look at her in a loving way, whereas the people in the place she is in now, do not. Even if you are not from Texas, this song can relate to you in one way. That way being that no matter where you are, home is always the best place to be.
I need some real air to breathe
I hate the way they look at me
A part of me is so far away
And I miss that Southern sky
Love took me where you wanted to go
Down a real bad stretch of road
You leave me here most every night
I can’t stand this cold
You can have these memories
You can try to take me down
You can stay here in hell
As for me, I’m going back to Texas
Give me a one-light town
Put me in a front porch swing
Give me a Lone Star Beer in that Texas bar
That’s the way it should be
Lord knows how you’re gonna end
And I won’t let you pull me in
I’ve spent too long away from what I know
You can have these memories
You can try to take me down
You can stay here in hell
As for me, I’m going back to Texas
I’m going back to Texas
Take me home
I’m going home, I’m going home
Works Cited
“Back To Texas – Kacey Musgraves.” YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rs3F2bfULw.
“Kacey Musgraves.” Kacey Musgraves, web.archive.org/web/20140208013719/kaceymusgraves.com/about.
Lone Star Beer Store, www.lonestarbeer.com.
“Proud of East Texas: Kacey Musgraves’ Early Years.” Https://www.kltv.com, 27 Sept. 2015, www.kltv.com/story/30126978/proud-of-east-texas-kacey-musgraves-early-years/.
Strong, W. F. “‘You May All Go to Hell’ And 9 More Great Texas Quotes.” Texas Standard, 6 Mar. 2019, www.texasstandard.org/stories/you-may-all-go-to-hell-and-9-more-great-texas-quotes/.
“Texas Two Bits.” Discogs, www.discogs.com/es/artist/6688860-Texas-Two-Bits.
