Old Tige by Jim Reeves
Spooky ballad based on real events
In 1955 a twenty-two year-old Jim Reeves had a hectic schedule playing bars and clubs across Tennessee. Late one night he was returning home from a gig through a remote, mountainous area, east of Nashville. The roads were poor and it was raining heavily
Suddenly, a figure dressed in white clothes appeared in front of Jim’s car. The young country singer slammed on his brakes and screeched to a halt.
But the road was empty before him.
Shaken, Jim drove on very slowly, peering through the rain. A short distance further on there was a bridge over a river.
Or rather there had been. The bridge was no more. It had been swept away in the flood.
From that night on, Jim Reeves was convinced that he had been saved by his guardian angel. He told the tale to songwriters Ross and Mildred Burke. They saw the potential for a ballad — only they weren’t sure about the supporting cast.
A guardian angel? Not great box office. How about a beloved dog?
Country dogs
In the pantheon of country song characters, the singer’s dog is a rare white hat. He — and yes country music dogs are rarely bitches — is unfailingly loyal. Not like that faithless man/woman with his/her cheating heart.
Nor does he offer the devil’s medicine and a sore head, like those false friends: Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. Your dog is for you when times are tough, quietly offering solace and support. Yes, he may have miles on he clock but so do you and he ain’t gonna bail for some fancy man/woman
Old Tige is in the noble tradition of Old Shep and Ol’ Red and Dolly’s Cracker Jack. But even in this exalted company, the supernatural sheepdog goes the extra mile. What other canine hero can claim to have saved his master’s life having left this vale of tear for the great kennel in the sky?
Beat that, Lassie.
Old Tige sets out its stall from the opening bar. A wistful old West harmonica, a faint celestial chorus warns of awful news.
Tige you were taken…
Oh no! Say it ain’t so, Joe. Or rather, Jim. What happened?
Three years of Army Service done and I was headin’ home at last. I got to thinking ‘bout my dog and things long gone past.
Jim is talking — reciting according to LP sleeve notes. His fond memories do not lighten the mood:
How old Tige pulled me from a creek when I had no pulse or breath
How he saved me from the changin’ bull that gored my Dad to death.
The only way is up though, now, eh Jim?
The big bus stopped and I got off it was awful dark and thick with fog
That’s not promising. Nor is talk of a ‘dangerous dam’. But wait — here comes the cavalry.
Then something gently nuzzled me and there stood Tige my dog
Clever old Tige! Hehas read the bus timetable (unlike Ma Reeves, who is still lolling in her rocking chair). The faithful furry fellow guides Jim past the deadly dam and safely back home.
Mission accomplished, Tige vanishes into that awful dark and fog.
A happy ending?
In the final verses we stumble into the Bates Motel.
Then through the mist I saw a light and mother in her chair
And I reached down to pet old Tige but he wasn’t there
Where is our hairy hero? While we wait anxiously for news, Jim launches into a Tige tribute:
I’m thankful Mom you had old Tige these three lonely years
I owe my life to him tonight I couldn’t help my tears.
Now it’s Ma Reeves’ turn to do a double take:
I hate to tell you son she said but now you’ve got to know
When you left it broke his heart Tige died three years ago.
Old Tige first appeared on an album called Talkin’ To Your Heart in 1961. Talkin was the operative word and this collection of Reeves’ ‘recitations’ did modest business. Three years later the singer crashed his private aircraft — again in poor weather, again close to Nashville.
In the period following his death, an astonishing 32 singles were released to meet demand from grieving fans. By far the most successful of these was Distant Drums (1966) which topped the UK charts for five weeks.
Surprisingly, Distant Drums only reached number three in the Republic of Ireland. Was this because many radio deejays preferred to play the flip side? This was a source of confusion — and for all the many Tige lovers there was a sizeable stony-hearted dog-hating minority.
I was doggedly (sorry) Team Tige until I became a snooty sour-faced teenager. Then with the zeal of a reformed smoker I loudly despised that which I had once loved.
Welcome to my World — Jim Reeves, an Irish love affair.
