# Getting one's corn from a jar **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324 "2002-03-27T04:08:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/1 "2002-03-27T04:08:29Z")
So I’m listening to Conway Twitty’s version of “Rocky Top”, a bluegrass classic. In it he says, “…that’s why all the folks in Rocky Top get their corn from a jar…” Can I assume he’s referring to pre-packaged corn in cans and not jars since cans would ruin the rhyme scheme set in the previous line, “…dirt’s too rocky by far…”? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Maximino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mighty\_Maximino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Maximino)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/2 "2002-03-27T04:10:29Z")
Well that, and corn liquor. Y’know, out of the Mason jar? ---
**Author:** ![goofyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b77776/32.png) [@goofyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goofyfish)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/3 "2002-03-27T04:11:28Z")
Naw… corn liquor. The implication is moonshine. Liquor distilled from corn mash into mason jars. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/4 "2002-03-27T12:39:03Z")
Of course, I would miss the obvious. Perhaps that’s why the “two strangers” who climbed ol’ Rocky Top “lookin’ for a moonshine still” never came back! ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/5 "2002-03-27T14:14:09Z")
I reckon they never will! Yes indeed, getting a bit o’ that “Mountain Dew” they were. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/6 "2002-03-27T14:40:35Z")
Ok, I have every version of Rocky Top ever made (have you ever heard the club mix) and I have never thought of this. It does come the same verse as the strangers disappearing however, so you may have a point. Once two strangers climbed ol’ Rocky Top Looking for a moonshine still Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top Reckon they never will Corn won’t grow at all on Rocky Top Dirt’s too rocky by far That’s why all the folks on Rocky Top Get their corn from a jar Also, I never could figure out what he was saying about that girl that he still dreams about. It is: Half bear, other half cat Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda pop I still dream about that. Just in case you were wondering too. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/7 "2002-03-27T15:09:32Z")
It is indeed moonshine (this confirmed for me by TN natives while in Chattanooga). Does anyone else find it a bit scary that this particular Team Song venerates a hillbilly murder…? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/8 "2002-03-27T16:18:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*It is indeed moonshine (this confirmed for me by TN natives while in Chattanooga). Does anyone else find it a bit scary that this particular Team Song venerates a hillbilly murder…? :eek: \*\* It’s not only University of Tennesee’s theme song, it is also one of our state songs. And it’s not just a hillbilly murder…it’s a murder of two federal agents by an illegal moonshiner. And they say "Don’t mess with _Texas_ " HA! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/9 "2002-03-28T01:28:33Z")
> [@](#): > > it’s a murder of two federal agents by an illegal moonshiner. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/10 "2002-03-28T02:16:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\* Cite? \*\* Well, I heard tell one time a reporter asked an old moonshiner years after Prohibition had been lifted, “Is it true that some of the Federal Agents who went into the woods never came out again?” "Could be, " the old moonshiner said. “But they all got a good Christian burial.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/11 "2002-03-28T03:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shagnasty \* > \*\*Ok, I have every version of Rocky Top ever made (have you ever heard the club mix)… \*\* How many versions are there? I’ve only heard a couple and Conway’s is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/12 "2002-03-28T04:25:43Z")
Originally posted by **Mr. Blue Sky** **How many versions are there? I’ve only heard a couple and Conway’s is my favorite.** Possibly as many variations as there are artists that performed it. According to the booklet:_The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Country Music_, “Rocky Top” was written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant of Nashville. The version that _Smithsonian_ selected for their collection was performed by the Osborne Brothers, and has a very bluegrassy sound. **samclem** : If you lived in moonshinin’ territory, you wouldn’t need a cite. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/13 "2002-03-28T08:46:07Z")
In Tennessee, “ **Well, I heard tell one time** ” is all the cite you gonna get, boy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/14 "2002-03-31T23:07:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*In Tennessee, “ **Well, I heard tell one time** ” is all the cite you gonna get, boy. \*\* For a Doper from Dublin, you sound like you know Tennesee purty good, son. And yes, my cite is I’m born and raised Tennessean…somethings you just gotta know by living here. But my thanks to everyone who already explained that for me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/15 "2002-03-31T23:16:50Z")
My home town is Johnson City, Tennessee, and I’ve had some pretty damned good corn from a jar. Also, I think state law allows you to kill two federal revenuers before a penalty kicks in. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/16 "2002-03-31T23:37:23Z")
**samclem** wrote: > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > it’s a murder of two federal agents by an illegal moonshiner. > > Cite? Its not clear how much more transparent the meaning of the line in question would have to be not to require a cite by whatever standards are being used here. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2002, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-ones-corn-from-a-jar/100324/17 "2002-04-01T11:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > **For a Doper from Dublin, you sound like you know Tennesee purty good, son.** Why thank you, but I’m cheatin’: my ma and pa live in the Tennessee Hills.