Chris LeDoux's 31st career album, 1998's One Road Man (Capitol Records Nashville), teamed Garth Brooks' rodeo-riding, country music singing hero with Jon Bon Jovi, a different celebrity with an ear for folksy stories and rock 'n' roll stage shows. LeDoux and Bon Jovi champion heart-felt faith and personal independence with one of the album's standout singles, "Bang a Drum."
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Despite getting its own music video and bringing an impressive cross-genre team-up to the mainstream, the Trey Bruce-produced single failed to crack the Billboard Hot Country Songs' top 50.
Before becoming a country duet, the Bon Jovi-penned song appeared on his 1990 solo album Blaze of Glory, featuring hard rock songs from and inspired by the western film Young Guns II.
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Today, it's a reminder of the mainstream spotlight enjoyed by LeDoux in the '90s after years as one of country music's most storied independent artists.
"Bang a Drum" Lyrics
I went to see the preacher
To teach me how to pray
He looked at me and smiled
Then that preacher turned away
Said, "If you want to tell Him something
You ain't gotta fold your hands
Say it with your heart, your soul and believe it
And I'll say, Amen"
Bang a drum for the sinners
Bang a drum for his sins
Bang a drum for the losers
And those who win
Bang a drum, bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for yourself, son
And a drum for me
Well, I called upon my brother
Just the other day
He said, "Jon, I'm gonna die
If I don't start to live again
I work each day and night like clockwork
Just tryin' to make ends meet
Well, I could kick this bad world's ass
If I could just get on my feet"
Bang a drum for the dying
Bang a drum for the truth
Bang a drum for the innocence
Lost in our youth
Bang a drum, bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for your brother
And a drum for m
I don't know where all the rivers run
I don't know how far, I don't know how come
But I'm gonna die believin'
With each step that I take
Ain't worth the ground that I walk
If we don't walk it our own way
I don't claim to be a wise man
A poet or a saint
Just another man who's searchin'
For a better way
But, my heart beats loud as thunder
For the things that I believe
Sometimes I want to run for cover
Sometimes I want to scream
Bang a drum for the tomorrow
Bang a drum for the past
Bang a drum for the heroes
Who won't come back
Bang a drum for the promise
Bang a drum for the lies
Bang a drum for the lovers
And the tears they cry
Bang a drum, bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
But as long as my heart keeps on banging
I've got a reason to believe
Now Watch: 104-Year-Old Garth Brooks Fan
https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.v3tolt/
