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Friday, October 03, 2008

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys

by Ed Bruce and Patsy Bruce (best done by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson)


Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Lone Star belt buckles and old faded Levis
And each night begins a new day
If you don't understand him and he don't die young
He'll probably just ride away

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let them pick guitars and drive 'em old trucks
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love

Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do
Sometimes won't know how to take him
He's not wrong he's just different and his pride won't let him
Do things to make you think he's right

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let them pick guitars and drive 'em old trucks
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

When the hell did you come to listen to Waylon, Willie, and David? I thought i was the one who picked up on the South after living in it for 7 years. Although when you come to think if it, We fit that description. Although I think it did Ma well to see me for a few days. We got to talk for a bit. I even talked her into going hunting.

Notorious said...

I don't listen to new country but the old stuff is pretty good. More like real poetry than commercially engineered made for consumer sound.

You have to imagine that living in Montana for 4 years had at least a small effect... and Alabama and Texas for the two years previous to that.

amateur.sophist said...

sounds like selective listening. Johnny Cash had this to say as well:


Without love I am half human
Without love I'm all machine
Without love there's nothing doin'
I will die without love

Without love I am an island
All by myself in a heartbreak sea
Without love there's no denyin'
I am dyin' without love

For there is nowhere I can run
And there is no hiding place
Sticking out like a sore thumb
By that gloomy look upon my face

Without love I'm incomplete
Without love I am not whole
Without love I'm barely on my feet
I am dyin' without love

For there is nowhere I can run
And there is no hiding place
Sticking out like a sore thumb
By that gloomy look upon my face
I am dyin' without love

Anonymous said...

Which is quite similar to Don Gibson's, "Sea of Heartbreak." Well portrayed in the intro to Heartbreak Ridge. Johnny Cash would later cover the song in later years.

Notorious said...

Heartbreak Ridge... excellent Clint Eastwood for sure, but a bit to much gladiator movie style bare chested marines running around on screen for me.

It seems there are a lot of lonely romantics writing songs out there... and judging by the T.I. video on Amateur-Sophist's page, a few non-romantics that have figured out the real way to capture and keep women to give them cars and houses. (or ones respective socioeconomic equivalent for non-mad-rich music stars.) Maybe T.I. is a wiser person than Waylon J. and Johnny C... or at least more successful.

Though I think... hope... believe... that maybe the T.I.'s of the world will find in the end only Kurt Cobain's lyrics, "a bucket and a mop and an illustrated book about birds." Probably not though, T.I. might have it.

I need to write more poetry.

recycled brains said...

If you're looking for excellent song writing/poetry I recommend some Dylan, especially this (amazing):
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bjqYPH7rAo

Lyrics
http://www.bob-dylan.com/songs/itsalright.html


"...For them that must obey authority
That they do not respect in any degree
Who despise their jobs, their destinies
Speak jealously of them that are free
Cultivate their flowers to be
Nothing more than something
They invest in.

While some on principles baptized
To strict party platform ties
Social clubs in drag disguise
Outsiders they can freely criticize
Tell nothing except who to idolize
And then say God bless him.

While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society's pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole
That he's in."


However, I'm pretty sure Bob Dylan never rhymed "rubber band man" with "Taliban".That TI, he's quite the (something).

Anonymous said...

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
It don't matter, anyhow
An' it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
If you don't know by now
When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I'll be gone
You're the reason I'm trav'lin' on
Don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
That light I never knowed
An' it ain't no use in turnin' on your light, babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
Still I wish there was somethin' you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
We never did too much talkin' anyway
So don't think twice, it's all right

It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
Like you never did before
It ain't no use in callin' out my name, gal
I can't hear you any more
I'm a-thinkin' and a-wond'rin' all the way down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart but she wanted my soul
But don't think twice, it's all right

I'm walkin' down that long, lonesome road, babe
Where I'm bound, I can't tell
But goodbye's too good a word, gal
So I'll just say fare thee well
I ain't sayin' you treated me unkind
You could have done better but I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
But don't think twice, it's all right

amateur.sophist said...

That Dylan has some lyrics. I think the point is, there's nary a topic that the country-western/folk community hasn't covered.

(i'm talking about the old, good country western)

Anonymous said...

"Who's that knocking on my door? Who's that knocking on my door?
Who's that knocking on my door?" said the fair Young Maiden....

"It's, me and my crew and we've come for a screw!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"It's, me and my crew and we've come for a screw!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What if my parents come home? What if my parents come home?
What if my parents come home?" said the fair Young Maiden....

"I'll kill your pa and fuck your ma" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"I'll kill your pa and fuck your ma" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"Are you young and handsome, Sir? Are you young and handsome, Sir?"
Are you young and handsome, Sir?" said the fair Young Maiden.

"I'm old and rough and dirty and tough" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"I'm old and rough and dirty and tough" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What is your intention, sir? What is your intention, sir?
What is your intention, sir?" said the fair Young Maiden.

"Oh, off with your shirt, so you doesn't get hurt!" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"Oh, off with your shirt, so you doesn't get hurt!" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"Will you take me to the dance? Will you take me to the dance?
Will you take me to the dance?" said the fair Young Maiden....

"To Hell with the dance! Now, off with your pants!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"To Hell with the dance! Now, off with your pants!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"Will you vow to marry me? Will you vow to marry me?
Will you vow to marry me?" said the fair Young Maiden....

"Hell no, we won't wed. Getcher ass in yon bed!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"Hell no, we won't wed. Getcher ass in yon bed!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What's that thing between your legs?" What's that thing between your legs?
"What's that thing between your legs?" said the fair young maiden.

"It is me pole to stick in your hole," says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"It is me pole to stick in your hole," says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What if I should have a child? What if I should have a child?
What if I should have a child?" said the fair Young Maiden.

"I'll open your crack, and shove it right back!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"I'll open your crack, and shove it right back!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What if we should have a boy? What if we should have a boy?
What if we should have a boy?" said the fair Young Maiden.

"I'll take him to sea, teach him to fuck like me!
I'll take him to sea, teach him to fuck like me!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What if we should have a girl? What if we should have a girl?
What if we should have a girl?" said the fair Young Maiden.

"I'll dig a ditch and bury the bitch!
I'll dig a ditch and bury the bitch!" says Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

"What if you should go to jail? What if you should go to jail?
What if you should go to jail?" said the fair young maiden.

"I'll swing me big balls, and knock down the walls!" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.
"I'll swing me big balls, and knock down the walls!" said Barnacle Bill the Sailor.

Anonymous said...

CHECKMATE motherfuckers!

(end of thread)