When the sun comes up on a sleepy little town
Down around San Antone
And the folks are risin for another day
Round about their homes

The people of the town are strange
And they're proud of where they came
Well, you're talkin bout china grove
Oh, china grove

Well, the preacher and the teacher
Lord, they're a caution
They are the talk of the town
When the gossip gets to flyin
And they ain't lyin
When the sun goes fallin down

They say that the father's insane
And dear missus Perkins a game
Were talkin bout the china grove
Oh, china grove

But every day theres a new thing comin
The ways of an oriental view
The sheriff and his buddies
With their samurai swords
You can even hear the music at night

And though it's a part of the lone star state
People don't seem to care
They just keep on lookin to the east

Talkin bout the china grove
Oh, china grove



Lyrics submitted by palmdogg10

Track duration: 03:17

"China Grove" as written by Tom Johnston

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


China Grove song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:It's like a liquor store...lol :) No I'm joking. It's actually really big now.
    Flag Thia007on November 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's an obvious knock against Texas "though it's a part of the Lone Star State, they don't seem to care, they just keep looking to the East"...never knew why though...but in concert in Dallas this summer, he sort of mumbled these lyrics haha, i was keen on how he'd handle it
    Flag RockJohnyon September 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:I believe the US towns named "China Grove" are named for thickets of chinaberry, Melia azedarach. Chinaberry was introduced to the US around 1830 (according to Wikipedia). The town of China Grove, North Carolina, was founded in 1889, and its website acknowledges the general claim that it was named for a grove of chinaberry trees. The Texas town was incorporated much later, in 1960. Invasive plant websites show the tree as naturalized in the Southeast, Florida, Texas, and Utah.

    I speculate that the Utah chinaberry population, at least, predates 1960, because chinaberry blossoms are mentioned in one of Zenna Henderson's SF stories. (They're the main ingredient of a medication for a disease from space. Don't try this at home; the plant is poisonous.)
    Flag dsf2008on September 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:What were they smokin'?
    Flag caucasianon March 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think it has something to do with how in the 1800s lots of Chinese people came to America. Or... it could be some random thing that only the Doobie Brothers will know. Who knows, I could be wrong.
    Flag Fred3492on December 20, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:For some reason, when a local radio station of mine played this, they said it was about a battle in the Civil War... Doesn't make much sense I know.
    Flag Flareeon April 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well, it is about China Grove, Texas, or at least Tom Johnston's flight-of-fancy imagination takeoff on the town's name. I always liked how imaginative it is--plus it's a good rocker, definitely a classic.
    Flag law4on March 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song. I think that it just talks about what small town life is like with all the eccentric people that creep in and out and also the scandal that can spread like wildfire. Anyone who has ever grown up in a small town can relate to this song, I think.
    Flag redlipson April 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The Doobies rule, straight out, and nothing you say can change that!
    Great riff!!
    Flag MihoNinjaon February 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Listening to this song never gets old!!

    and F00D that's probably because the doobies were high when they wrote this. ;]
    Flag smalltowndiva08on June 11, 2007   Link

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