Released: 1994
Tracy Byrd’s ‘Watermelon Crawl’ is a classic country tune that paints a vivid picture of a small-town summer festival in Georgia. The song revolves around the theme of community, celebration, and responsible drinking, with the ‘Watermelon Crawl’ serving as a metaphor for enjoying oneself without crossing the line.
The song kicks off with Byrd driving through Georgia on a hot July day. He stumbles upon a sign for the Rhine County Watermelon Festival and decides to take a detour. The ‘one horse town’ is a common phrase in country music, referring to a small, rural town with not much going on.
The town’s mayor welcomes Byrd, introducing him to their home-made sweet red wine made from watermelons. The ‘Watermelon Crawl’ is introduced as a fun, responsible way to enjoy the festival – if you’re drinking, don’t drive, just dance.
The Watermelon Queen, likely a local beauty pageant winner, takes center stage in the next verse. She shows Byrd how to do the ‘Watermelon Crawl’, a dance that seems to involve a lot of wiggling, jiggling, and do-si-doing. ‘Do-si-do’ is a basic dance step in many folk dances, including country line dancing.
The song ends with an open invitation to anyone who might find themselves in Georgia in July. Byrd assures them they’ll have a ball learning the ‘Watermelon Crawl’. The song is a celebration of small-town life, community gatherings, and the simple joys of a summer festival.
