# O.C. Smith's 'Son of Hickory Holler Tramp'  (1968) - just realized what the song is about

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-c-smiths-son-of-hickory-holler-tramp-1968-just-realized-what-the-song-is-about/809884>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 2, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-c-smiths-son-of-hickory-holler-tramp-1968-just-realized-what-the-song-is-about/809884 "2018-03-02T15:01:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-c-smiths-son-of-hickory-holler-tramp-1968-just-realized-what-the-song-is-about/809884/1 "2018-03-02T15:01:13Z")

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O.C. Smith is better known for ‘Little Green Apples,’ but this was his first song to receive notable airplay.

I’ve been familiar with the song for decades, and just assumed that the ‘tramp’ was the father who had walked out on the family. But no. . .

It’s the mother, who had to resort to prostitution to support her 14 children.  
“The path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin. Above the door there hung a scarlet lamp.”

I’d never really paid a lot of attention to the words, and there was one line that never made any sense to me. After the father has abandoned the family “Mama sacrificed her [pie],” which was puzzling. But the word was ‘pride.’ Made the rest of the lyrics fall into place.

[I said ‘O.C. Smith,’ but technically the writer was one (still-living!) [Dallas Frazier]([Dallas Frazier - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Frazier)).]

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-c-smiths-son-of-hickory-holler-tramp-1968-just-realized-what-the-song-is-about/809884/2 "2018-03-02T15:36:29Z")

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> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> I’d never really paid a lot of attention to the words,

Evidently. The first verse spells it out pretty obviously. The rest of the verse:

> [@](#):
>
> And late at night a hand would knock  
> And there would stand a stranger  
> Yes, I’m the son of Hickory Holler’s tramp.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/o-c-smiths-son-of-hickory-holler-tramp-1968-just-realized-what-the-song-is-about/809884/3 "2018-03-02T15:51:58Z")

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Father, when come back, bring Mama’s pie.