The Cumberland Post

The Cumberland Post
My Backyard, Six Miles from the Cumberland River

Monday, May 16, 2011

Lone Star Blues

This Delbert McClinton song is in a category I'd call "Funny Blues." It goes back a few years (single in 2002) but something about the "Jack in the box" story it tells still makes you want to party. The guy in the song is pushed down over and over but just like the old Jack in the box, he always bounces right back up. The video is pretty cool too with cameos by several country stars.

Dontcha like all those triple rhymes?

I drew a bull called Original Sin 
I heard he'd killed a couple of men 
I figured this was somethin' I could win 
Cause the devil was on my side 
...
Got a friend there turning knobs 
At a place called Billy Bob's
He said he could get me a job there
Workin' as a bouncer

First night on the job was just insane
Some ol' boy got all deranged
Hit me in the head with a Harley chain 

To this day my ears still ring 


The Harley chain reminds me of something from a long time ago that involved such a homemade (but very dangerous) weapon, but I won't go there this early on a Monday morning. As the narrator says, "I got all I know to do, tryin' to lose--these Lone Star Blues."


1 comment:

  1. The very end: "Get the Hell out o' Texas." Heh. Everyone knows you can't do THAT! (I looked for the Gary P Nunn version but all I could find was George Jones, so no link)

    We share a love of Delbert's work, eh? I particularly like this vid for the setting. Reminds me of various and sundry roadhouses I knew and loved back in the day. Good times...

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