James McMurtry

[IAmtheWalrus]

Choctaw Bingo is a great song.

Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride
Back in the thickets with his Asian bride
He's got a Airstream trailer and a Holstein cow
He still makes whiskey 'cause he still knows how

Lyrics here.

Don't miss the lines about the teenaged second cousins in Daisy Dukes.

The whole album is great.

I'm not sure which tune I like more Chocktaw or Out Here in the Middle:

We got tractor pulls and Red Man chew
Corporate relo refugees that need love too
We ain't seen Elvis in a year or two
We got justification for wealth and greed
Amber waves of grain and bathtub speed
We even got Starbucks
what else you need?

Out here in the middle where the center's on the right
And the ghost of William Jennings Bryan preaches every night
To save the lonely souls in the dashboard lights
Wish you were here my love
Wish you were here my love

[Blue Tick]

Choctaw Bingo is a great song.

Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride
Back in the thickets with his Asian bride
He's got a Airstream trailer and a Holstein cow
He still makes whiskey 'cause he still knows how

Lyrics here.

Don't miss the lines about the teenaged second cousins in Daisy Dukes.

[IAmtheWalrus]

I've been listening to his stuff for awhile, and he's a terrific songwriter, and his concerts rock. I seem to be seeing his name all of the place of late, so maybe he's finally gonna get his due. He has such a twisted perspective...

Strap them kids in
Give em a lil bit of vodka
in a cherry coke
were goin to oklahoma
to the family reunion
for the first time in years
its up at uncle slatons
cuz hes gettin on in years
no longer travels but hes
still pretty spry
hes not much on talk
and hes too mean to die
and they'll be comin down
from kansas and west arkansas
it'll be one big old party
like you've never saw.

From Choctaw Bingo.

[Likeaphotographer]

"Where'd You Hide the Body" hasn't left my side for a couple of years now....It really is a fantastic album....

And while people usually peg him as a storyteller, I've always thought of him as portraitist....One of the best modern folk music has had to offer....Just listen to 'Rachel's Song'....

-Matt

[bigdieseltrucker]

He was on ACL the other night with the guy who sings 'Beautiful'.
Quite an odd pairing.....

I first heard him via Robert Earl Keen's version of Levelland.

Pretty good stuff.

[farrarfan1]

Another McMurtry fan here. I have Too Long in the Wasteland,Sait Mary of the Woods and Where'd You Hide the Body.Excellent story teller. Levelland is one of my favorite songs.

[Blue Tick]

Thanks for the word on the Continental Club, Linwood. I'm not likely to make it to Austin any time soon, though.

McMurtry is touring with Dave Alvin. That must be a truly freakin' incredible show. They don't have any gigs in Colorado, though. Those damned effete northeasterners get all the good shows. Colorado is a decent sized market for touring bands, especially if they can pick up a couple of ski town gigs, but we're so far from either midwestern college towns or the west coast, a lot of bands just don't bother.

...and if I ever follow though on my threats to move to Anchorage, it will get much worse.

[Linwood Thorpe]

he's in my top 10 for sure. If you ever are in Austin on a Wednesday night, its wise of you to go to the Continental Club and catch the James McMurtry/Jon Dee Graham residency. Best night of live music anywhere at any time.

[Blue Tick]

Any love out there for James McMurtry and the Heartless Bastards?

I have three of his CDs, and the one I'm really groovin' on right now is Live in Aught-Three. Childish Things is also darn fine.

His lyrics seem to me a little more narrative than most of Jay's, and his guitar playing has some Texas boogie in it. Fun stuff.

Web site.