Daniels began writing and performing in the 1950s. In 1964, Daniels wrote a song called "It Hurts Me" which Elvis Presley recorded. He worked as a session musician, including playing on three Bob Dylan albums during 1969 and 1970. Daniels recorded his first solo album, Charlie Daniels, in 1970. His first hit, the novelty song "Uneasy Rider", came off his 1972 second album, Honey in the Rock, and reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1974, Daniels organized the first in a series of Volunteer Jam concerts based in or around Nashville, Tennessee. Except for a three-year gap in the late 1980s, these have continued ever since.
In 1975, he had a top 30 hit as leader of the Charlie Daniels Band (CDB) with the Southern rock self-identification anthem "The South's Gonna Do It Again". "Long Haired Country Boy" was also a minor hit in that year.
Daniels won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance in 1979 for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", which reached #3 on the charts.
Subsequent Daniels pop hits included "In America" (#11 in 1980), "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" (#31 in 1980), and "Still in Saigon" (#22 in 1982).
In the late 1980s and 1990s several of Daniels' albums and singles were hits on the country charts. Daniels also released several gospel and Christian records.
Charlie Daniels has never shied away from politics. "The South's Gonna Do It" had a mild message of Southern cultural identity within the Southern rock movement. Daniels was an early supporter of Jimmy Carter's presidential bid and performed at his January 1977 inauguration.
"In America" was a reaction to the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis; it described a patriotic, united America where "we'll all stick together and you can take that to the bank / That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks." In contrast, "Still in Saigon" (written by Dan Daley) was an effective portrayal of the plight of the American Vietnam veteran ten years after the war; it was part of an early 1980s wave of attention to the subject, in contrast to treatments such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." and "Shut Out the Light", Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon", and somewhat later Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road".
In 1990, Daniels' country hit "Simple Man" seemingly advocated a pseudo-Biblical form of vigilantism; lines such as "Just take them [rapists, killers, child abusers] out in the swamp / Put 'em on their knees and tie 'em to a stump / Let the rattlers and the bugs and the alligators do the rest," got Daniels considerable media attention and talk show visits.
In 2003, Daniels published an Open Letter to the Hollywood Bunch in defence of George W. Bush's Iraq policy. His 2003 book Ain't No Rag: Freedom, Family, and the Flag contains this letter as well as many other personal statements. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Daniels acknowledged that having never served in the military himself, he did not have the right to criticize John Kerry's service record.
In 2005, he has made a cameo appearance along with Larry the Cable Guy, Kid Rock, and Hank Williams, Jr. in Gretchen Wilson's music video for the song "All Jacked Up", whose album has been released.
In November 2007, Daniels was invited by Martina McBride to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
In October 2016, Daniels officially became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
On October 26, 2018, Daniels released a new side album project that was not solo or CDB, but a new band called Beau Weevils, along with CDB bass player, Charlie Hayward, producer James Stroud on drums and Billy Crain on guitar.
Awesome God
Charlie Daniels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He ain't just putting on the ritz
Our God is an awesome God
There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
The Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
And it wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
So you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom power and love
Our God is an awesome God
And when the sky was starless
In the void of the night
Our God is an awesome God
He spoke into the darkness
And created the light
Our God is an awesome God
Judgment and wrath
He poured out on the Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that you have not
Too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
The song "Awesome God" by Charlie Daniels is an expression of admiration and awe towards the power and majesty of God. The first verse describes God as one who doesn't just put on a show but rather rolls up His sleeves to get things done. The use of "putting on the ritz" implies that God isn't simply dressing up for display, but rather showing His might in all its glory.
The chorus reiterates the message that our God is indeed awesome. The use of thunder and lightning in the lyrics suggests an image of a powerful, almighty God who commands respect and reverence. The second verse speaks of God's creative power and His ability to bring light into the darkness. The third verse highlights the duality of God's nature- His judgment and wrath towards those who cross Him, but also His mercy and grace which were shown on the cross.
Overall, the song "Awesome God" focuses on the magnificence and greatness of God, and calls on the listener to acknowledge and give reverence to Him.
Line by Line Meaning
When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just putting on the ritz
God's actions are not merely for show, but rather have a tremendous impact.
Our God is an awesome God
There's thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fists
God's power is immense and it can be felt in the wonders of nature.
The Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
And it wasn't for no reason
That He shed His blood
His return is very close
So you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God
God's actions are serious and have a purpose, and these actions are leading up to the return of Christ.
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from Heaven above
With wisdom power and love
Our God is an awesome God
God is truly great, He rules the heavens and earth, and has infinite knowledge and love.
And when the sky was starless
In the void of the night
Before creation, there was nothing and no one but God.
He spoke into the darkness
And created the light
Our God is an awesome God
God's creative power brings light to the world even in the midst of darkness.
Judgment and wrath
He poured out on the Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that you have not
Too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God
God's justice was poured out on Sodom, but He still shows mercy and grace to His people through the crucifixion of Christ.
Our God is an awesome God
God is everything that He claims to be, and His greatness is beyond human comprehension.
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.