MICHAEL MURPHEY - "Carolina In The Pines" (1975)

[babycakes4711]

I love it thank you for posting this

[rclere1]

I just landed in Keflavik, Iceland, just in the Navy, and newly in love... played the hell out of this disc.!!!

[kenwayne96]

I don't know what if was about this song but the first time I heard it I actually cried. The song brought tears to my eyes. It's such a beautiful, joyfull song.

I love Michael Murphys music.

[kchogfan]

what a great song!

[nomobama]

Far out!

[78rlb]

Just another song that made the 70's a magical time for music. The lyrics and melody of this song makes me want to do some hiking in the mountains.

[Disco58]

Haven't heard this in far too long. KUUL-FM 101.3 in Davenport, IA has classic Casey Kasem ATF (70's on Sundays, 80's on Saturdays). Today's was from 27 Sep 75, and this song was playing (#29 I think). I was a junior in high school United Township High School, East Moline, IL baby!!). The songs, the memories, better days....

[MrTrashcan1]

@Disco58 WOGL 98.1 in Philly plays old AT40 every Saturday morning. This past Saturday I awoke to that song and for a second I though it amazing that the oldies station was playing it. Then I remembered it was AT40. Didn't hear the ranking, but based on the time I heard it, #29 sounds right. No chance you'd ever hear this on a regular playlist today. I was in college at the time. Better days is right.

[GHvoiceover]

Glad to see I'm not the only one, loves this song. It's just...pure. Puts me in mind, a bit, of Three Dog Night's "In the Country".

[kaylolina]

I have great memories of this song, played by the Jimmy Lewis Band of Black Hawk, CO, a small mining town. I came across it on the juke box at our neighborhood bar and ever since I've been kind of homesick. They always played it for me when I was there. Great song.

[southroncross]

This was the first song of MMM's that I ever heard, and, it made me a fan for life. Hearing it now brings back great memories of my childhood, listenng to country music with my Dad. Great times, and, I miss them so much now. Thanks for posting this, and, for bringing a smile to a North Carolina native's face. :)

[DaveWollenberg]

Michael hit #21 in Billboard, 10-25-75. God bless ya, for postin' it. Thanx!

[rosa4kiddos]

have you ever found a copy of MM performing Alleys of Austin?  i've looked everywhere i can find and can only buy it. nothing on youtube

[Lowactionhero]

Saw Michael Murphy in Woodstock, Illinois a couple years ago and was struck by the sheer joy of entertaining that he possessed. In an age where the talent performs to be admired, Murphy looked like the one who was grateful to be able to perform.

Geronimo's Cadillac and Carolina in the Pines are two of my all time favorites.

[27wingnut]

fantastic songwriting......

[scubarulz]

@70smusicman Good comparison...I believe Michael Martin Murphey had this and other great hits around the time Vince Gill was playing with Pure Prairie League.

[mrmsrv]

@scubarulz these songs were way before Vince Gill and Pure Prairie League

[scubarulz]

@mrmsrv Just to clarify, although Vince Gill didn't join PPL until September'78, PPL had a hit with "Amie" in late '74 and hit its' peak in early'75, same year as this great MM song.

[stihlhead1]

Love both the banjo and piano work in this song. Not too much....just enough at the right time. Though technicaly simple the banjo solo in this is beautiful and gives an old timey feel to this much underplayed peice of Americana/ country.

[Destroyer8259]

This song rocks!!!!!

[cindiarg]

I did my student teaching in Beaumont in 1976 under Winette Hogue. Her daughter is Carolina & the pines are the piney woods of east Texas

[fab4fan4ever64]

@70smusicman great imagery...

[jhnstn1]

Can't count the days my clock radio went off to the last 30 seconds of this song as Bill Mack's trucking show on WBAP 820 AM signed off. Always started my day with a smile.

[ewmegoolies]

@jhnstn1

Right on, I was usually driving to work when listening to Bill Mack sign off. Brought a tear when the day came I was listening to Bill's Carolina in the Pines for the last time when he retired. Then the listeners started a campaign and Hal Jay started using it as the intro for his show... wow.

[hardlines4]

Now this is REAL music!!!

[SnittyKittys]

Everybody is right; I remember when Michael (Martin) Murphey and John Denver were being played on the ATT 40 along side all genres. Carolina in the Pines is like Calypso; both have two very, very good versions but it's really, really hard to find this version. He appeared on David Letterman with some of his band and I have give Paul credit; he keyed his little tail off playing the piano on this song. To this day it remains my all time favorite country song.

[KRLA1110]

Yes sir, KRLA was the #1 station in L.A. until Boss Radio KHJ took over in '65. In his pre-AT40 days, Casey Kasem held down the noon-3pm shift. KRLA stayed Top 40 until the last 1970s, when it morphed into one of the premiere 'oldies' stations. It went talk (and changed frequencies) in 1998. Neither KRLA nor KHJ played "Carolina In The Pines," but country KLAC and MOR giant KMPC (Gene Autry's station) DID

[MrTrashcan1]

@KRLA1110 Oh, it changed frequencies--I wondered what 1110 signified. Yes, I was in Cleveland at the time, and it was the MOR and AC stations that played "Carolina In The Pines."

[KRLA1110]

This goes back to a time when Top 40 radio played country artists alongside soul, r&b, bubblegum, adult contemporary and hard rock artists. I remember being 14 years old, staying up late at night and hearing this song on many stations in the Western U.S., because for some reason my local station, KHJ, refused to play this, even though "Wildfire" had recently been #1. Great memories, thanks!

[MrTrashcan1]

@KRLA1110 You're right, top 40 was completely different then. I mostly listened to MOR, but that was most of the same minus hard rock--so much more variety back then. Even oldies stations today refuse to play bubblegum, country, and folk hits from the past. Thanks for chiming in. From your moniker I assume that KRLA, which is now talk radio, was once Top 40?

[lwplwp]

Wish someone would post Holy Roller.

[rustyspoke]

everytime i work at out local radio station i still play this song.its still going great even though its over 30 years old he needs to record it again like the bunch did on the song foggy mountain breakdown

[shavemeface]

this was my mom's fav singer way back when and my dad's fav singer was Frank Mills Music Box Dancer ofcourse I was only about well 1 when this song came out I can remember them listen to it funny how ya can remember some of this stuff its like a blast from the past.

[scooterman250]

LOVE that Radio,what a creative idea ! If you like this version go check out "SPECIAL CONSENSUS" version

[Bluejay906]

To me this his greatest song ever, it's only on youtube that I found out he'd written so many. One of my favoeite ever.

[chg657]

I'd just started college in a faraway big city when this was big, it reminded me of my homeland, & made it not QUITE so lonesome...Thanks !

[jerrydiver1]

I've spent 35 years looking for a girl like the one that must have inspired him to write this.....

still lookin'

[mrmsrv]

Pay no attention the using his middle name. He always was and always will be Michael Murphey

[DesertSavvy]

While I listen to this song, I want to lace up my hiking boots and hit the trail. This song has the power to make me fall in love with the world over and over again. Thank you for sharing, MrTrashcan1 and gimmeeabreak1..

[redstone1963]

Perfect.

[gimmeeabreak1]

Sounds like it's the rare original STUDIO recording. What a GREAT song in every respect; beautiful flowing piano, down-home banjo and MMM's distinctive clear voice produced in a wonderful musical arrangement. Did I happen to mention it's songwriting at it's very best. It sounds like what falling in love is all about.

Thanks for posting.