Each of his songs have a phrase that just cuts to your soul. "I never thought they'd ever doubt my words, I guess they were just too tired to care I'd point to the horizon to the dust of the herds still hovering in the air somebody said it ain't any such. Man you wish so hard you're scaring me and those are combines kicking up that dust, but I guess you can see what you want to see"
The next line is the one that always gets me; "But man they were here. They were here I swear. Not just these bleachin' bones stretchin' across the plains".
If you want to know what this country is really all about ,James's perspective and what he writes about In your face view of this country. He tells it like it is . So talented
Someone from a usenet group (alt.slack) uploaded Choctaw Bingo way back in the 90s. I liked it but figured it was a one off, novelty song. Then, years later, Terri Gross featured him on her NPR show. I went home and looked him up and was instantly a fan. Later that week, she interviewed Hayes Carll. I looked him up and discovered he was playing in my town that weekend! NPR opened up a whole musical world that I was not aware of.
If you've ever been out on the plains of eastern Colorado; if you ever was a musician trying to make it, a beer salesman, a UPS driver, A FedEx driver, a postal worker, an insurance salesman. .. you know what he's talkin' about. You witness it but sooner or later you gotta pack it in
I just love Mr. McMurtry! HIs witty complex lyrics and melodic guitar riffs squeeze my heart. When listening here, I thought.. I bet he and John Lennon would have been comrades! I would love to engage in battle of wit! Those brains are far and few between these days! Okay! Peace out! Be love, see love; live love. 🤍
James McMurtry is a western mans', and gals', Bruce Cockburn or Lou Reed. Sitting astride a horse squinting thru the dribble of smoke coming off his hand-rolled cigarette, at the sun setting in the west on all that he has ever loved.. Thinking his thoughts and watching the sky spin 'round Times come. Times go. You live your life on the in-between. And once it's done it's done. There is no going back. So it goes. John~ American Net'Zen
Got my wish. James is coming to England in February. Ticket booked and hotel sorted. Cannot wait, he paints pictures and puts you in the middle of them.
@@1hamshank probably hosted by the Cosmic American guys. They used to use the Maze a lot before it closed for artists like Chuck, Escovedo and Richmond Fontaine. Really incredible small music venue in Mansfield Road.
Man, would love to see McMurtry, and Charley Crockett tour around together, and with Tami Neilson. Now that would be a million dollar traveling show. Or, if there schedules dont allow get all three of them on that Telluride Stage and Ill scrape the money together to go see them.
He is the BEST! What do you think this song is really about? I saw HIM in Missoula August 10th, 2019 His lack of commercial success was prevalent in his dialogue. I think this whole song is about His career,band(best of friends),,, He's a songwriting genius.
I more or less thought as you do about this song but, wanting confirmation, I asked James about it as he hung around outside after a show in Portland, Oregon a few years ago, approachable man that he is, specifically referencing his loss of his major-label record deal ("No more rodeo - no more noise; take my Cadillac ... park it out in back - Momma's calling [i.e.responsibility] - put away the toys...."); he looked at me with a slightly startled expression and said "Nope", that that wasn't it. Not wanting to expose my cluelessness nor offend him any further, I didn't ask him more about it and he didn't offer anything further, and I pretty much shut up. But previously he'd told me that he didn't make any money from his major-label deal, so it's not difficult to imagine that no longer having such a deal didn't fill him with much regret. So I can tell you precisely what the song isn't about, but I can't tell you what it is about. I still gotta think I wasn't that far off. I find it's a mistake to imagine that James in his lyrics is singing about himself, and in this song he may be giving his impression of the thoughts of someone else he knows who's given up on a career in music.
Fantastic song and superb recording. Would have loved to have been there in person. Such a talented musician yet comparatively little following over here in the UK.
I can't fathom how this video only has 62000 views. An amazing singer, and amazing band, and enormous talent. I have a video of me and my stupid Friends riding ATVs that's cleared nearly two million views. I just don't understand why. This is the good stuff, please keep it coming. Thanks
McMurtry has taken to political discourse, not in lyrics but in writings and posts criticizing his fans who support the current President. The fans that are correct in the political ideals (agree with McMurtry) somehow believe his songs are protest songs. That leaves me a bit in doubt about the intelligence of those people. And I have never been known to listen music based on what the writer thinks about politically and prefer they keep pontificating to the level of ZERO. When I voiced my opinion on this to his people and in a courteous manner I was dropped from the mailing list etc. Kind of sad really when to think I was friends with Rick Danko at one time and also a songwriter who has been a guest of Joe Diffie backstage twice so I do know how too conduct myself properly. I also was talking with Tim Holt the last time the band played here and we discovered we had a longtime mutual friend in common! I am not alone in this and if one looks it up they would find David Crosby's firing from The Byrds was based on his failure to just shut up and perform music rather than carry on about government and "conspiracies".
@@cravinbob I have no idea who you listen to then because every true artist that I can think of has been very vocal about their politics. James is no different than Dylan or Neil Young or Woody Guthrie and the list could go on and on. He's one of the best songwriters ever and certainly one of the best from Texas. We're very proud he still calls Texas Home and still lives here in my home town of Austin. What he writes on social media is his privilege and if others don't like it they should not tune in. Scroll on by, as they say. The intelligence that you have your doubts about is owned by those who get their panties all in a wad when he expresses views in conflict with theirs. It's his right and his freedom. Only a moron would believe that what is happening in government today is OK. And that's the sad part of this story. People actually do believe what their being fed by government or Fox News. But I also don't agree with you being dropped from the mailing list for expressing your opinion, provided you did it in a civil manner, as you did here. That's your right too. That's the thing; freedom goes both ways.
There are writers such as this who transcend the masses comprised mostly of the lowest common denominator of intellect. So he, like others, sadly do not receive the exposure they are worthy of.
james ,cornbread and holt understand live music as well as anyone else alive. go to the Continental in Austin TX and see them. THEN tell me when u've seen a better performance... so I can go see it too
I don't know about better but the only comparable performers I know are The Bottle Rockets. Saw James and them together one night. Nearly 4 hours of the best songwriting and rockin' music has ever known.
I remember James speaking about playing in Austin where Robert Plant and I'm assuming Patty Griffith came to watch..James mentioned Plant looked bored but I really doubt that was true, James is talent that Mr. Plant would appreciate!
I'm so glad Holt gets to play more these days. I remember when he only got to play on Wasteland. The guy is awesome at all he does keeping James sounding good. I saw him take over the sound board in a tough room to make sound good. I'd heard the house guy ruin the sound every time. Holt moved in and by 2.5 songs you could here the drums, guitar and vocals at the same time for the first time there. Never heard the place sound as good since. Anybody know if he's related to the Holt that played with Joe Ely?
Also would like to hear Boz Scaggs doing some of these.- Texans have this indefinable yet palpable quality in their delivery - maybe it's space, that takes songs to another place.
It’s hard to say bad things about Dylan because of his impact and fame, but I think Joni Mitchell was right about him. He’s a fraud, not a genius. I really don’t hear greatness in his writing. James is an amazing songwriter
To me this song is saying let go of all those things that aren’t meant for you. Quit swimming up stream. Acknowledge some things aren’t what they used to be
