I first heard this song from one of my esteemed blogger enthusiasts; so thank you whoever that was. Heard it in a Love Song is the second track off the Marshall Tucker Band’s record Carolina Dreams. I really admire the gritty vocals and excellent work on the flute and guitars. The song is about a man who can’t and won’t settle down with a woman; so he’s packing up for other pastures because he has been somewhat of a vagabond and rambling man all along. There is a Mexican genre of music which is called ‘Musica de Despecho‘ which can be translated as Music done out of ‘spite’ – Spiteful. I think Heard it in a Love Song is the equivalent of such a sub-genre within southern country music.
I’m gonna be leavin’ at the break of dawn
Wish you could come but I don’t need no woman taggin’ along
Goin’ sneak out that door, couldn’t stand to see you cry
I’d stay another year if I saw a teardrop in your eye
The song launches with a joyous parading flute number like that of a songbird. It gives the listener the impression that the number will be a joyous, gleeful track and it is to some extent as the singer follows his aspirations of packing up and leaving town. But the song takes a different direction as the singer alludes to some hostility and regret about the cold-hearted woman he intends on leaving behind.
Heard it in a Love Song was the highest-charting single by The Marshall Tucker Band, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on June 11, 1977. It also reached number 51 on the Country chart and number 25 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Heard It in a Love Song was a bigger hit in Canada, where it reached number 5 on the Pop chart.
The Marshall Tucker Band helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s. While the band had reached the height of its commercial success by the end of the decade, it has recorded and performed continuously under various line-ups for 50 years.
Reference:
1. Heard it in a Love Song – wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
This is a good song… I always liked them….they were lumped in with the southern rock bands of the time. This one sounded a little different than “Can’t You See”…some really good musicians in that band…especially Toy Caldwell.
Yeh, it’s a really good song Max. That ‘Can’t you see’ is a good one too.
Another one I like by them is “Fire on the Mountain”
I’ll check it out. thanks buddy
That song will stick with you…at least it does me…those are their 3 biggest hits I believe.
You are right! It’s a keeper that Fire on the Mountain. That’s going in the vault. You’re a goodie Max!
Cool!
The more I hear it, the more I like it. The instrumentals are magnificent.
It’s both jolly and decimating at the same time!
The juxtapose. Nice to read from you Bruce! I’ll point you towards their other song which Max put me onto. Fire on the Mountain. That is some sort of song. I hope you are well.