Making the World a Better Place

This evening I got to thinking about my mother's dear friend Maria. Maria, who passed away about four years ago, was a very interesting woman. She was a visual artist who served in the Peace Corps in Africa and brought back fascinating examples of folk art. Although she hailed from New Jersey, Maria was dedicated to native gardening here in Texas and accumulated a trove of knowledge about Texas flora. This evening when I stepped out into the yard, I stopped to admire the blooms on the goldenball leadtree growing there. Maria grew this West Texas native from seed. Standing there in the yard, I smiled and thought about Maria. Even today she is still making the world a better place.

Crack the Window Just a Hair

Back when I lived in Yellowstone National Park, a couple of young Germans I worked with came up and told me in all earnestness that of all the people they knew in Yellowstone, they understood my English the least. Of course, I can imagine why. I'd say things like, "Crack the window just a hair." If English is not your first language, that's a pretty hard phrase to unpack. "Crack" essentially means "to break," and "a hair" is something growing out of your head. These days I accommodate my speech when talking to folks whose first language is not English, but back then my language must have seemed pretty bizarre to some of the European folks working in the park.

Here's a song that contains the words "crack the window just a hair." It was playing on my stereo the first time I ever rolled into Archer City.

  

Songs About Folks Who Aren't Very Nice

When I was in my mid-twenties, I taught adult ESL in Taegu, South Korea for a while. Although I no longer remember the lesson objective, one day I played my students the song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" on my guitar. After I finished, one of the students asked me, "Why would you play a song about a person who is bad?" That, I thought, was an interesting question. Why would a person go to the effort to write, learn, or perform a song about a person who is bad? Why would someone use their energy to essentially celebrate negativity? That was an interesting perspective and good food for thought.

In the Western tradition, songs about outlaws and other "bad guys" are legion, though here in Texas I have never heard anyone question why a person would write or play such a song. No, I have never heard a discouraging word against "The Ballad of Jesse James," "The Ballad of Sam Bass," "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," or any other such song. And while I agree that it's probably more constructive to sing songs about good people, it's still kind of fun to croon the ones about desperadoes as well.

For your listening pleasure, here is a song about a real rapscallion that I have always enjoyed.

Laredo Founded Today

The Spanish settlement of Laredo was founded on this day in 1755 by Tomas Sanchez de la Barrera y Garza. Laredo, on the Rio Grande, has always served as a fine setting for songs, and I can certainly see why. There is, after all, a certain appeal to this fascinating town on the border, and the word "Laredo" is very pleasant to say. In honor of the founding of Laredo, today's post includes the song "Meet Me Tonight in Laredo" by Marty Robbins.

   

Wings of a Dove

This morning on my way to work I had to stop for a train. After sitting at the railroad crossing for a couple of seconds, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw that a dove had landed on the trunk of the car. I had to look twice to believe it since my car had just come to a stop. With wondering eyes I watched the bird until the train passed. Then, when the traffic started to move, I gently touched the accelerator and the bird flew away.

Songs about Mama

It's Mama's Day here in Texas, and I got to thinking about some of my favorite songs about Mama. Now there is, of course, "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother," the definitive version of which was recorded in Luckenbach in 1973. And there is Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried," which has been covered by everyone from the Man in Black to the Grateful Dead to our dear Uncle Willie. And there is Lefty Frizzell's "Mom and Dad's Waltz," though Mama shares equal time with Daddy on that one. And there's "Pistol Packing Mama," a fine song by ol' Al Dexter, which is the only country song I know of that contains the word "kimono."

Today, however, I would like to share Ernest Tubb's "Mean Mama Blues." Listen to ol' ET yodel like  the Singing Brakeman.

Happy Mama's Day to all you mamas out there. Keep raisin' 'em right!

Back Porch Strumming

This evening my dear ol' dad and I sat on his back porch cobbling out a song.  The ol' man strung some good lines together while I strummed along, and I reckon with a little work, we could have a pretty nice little tune on our hands. 

After I sat down the guitfiddle, my dear ol' dad wanted to listen to a Guy Clark song he really likes. The ol' man enjoys a good story song, and this one does not disappoint.