I have never been a big Lyle Lovett fan, I like some of his songs and some of them I don't. This one would actually make my list of top however many songs you want to put a number to.
Three in the front seat they sat on each side
That green-and-white '58 Fairlane it would glide
Down farm roads past open fields seeming like no big deal
As it was happening I never felt a thing
But now looking back it seems like it was everything
Singing with mom just so we could hear ourselves sing
Stealing a drink from the cold can in daddy's lap
Protected by only a small thin brown paper sack
And the wind blew the echoes of long-faded voices
And they'd sing me a song that the old cowboys sang
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing because I was supposed to
Sing Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
And with the windows wide open it felt hot to us anyway
Three bound together on a day just like any day
They told me and taught me and showed me and bought me
Whatever I wanted from the corner U-tote-M
They say the name Corpus Christi means the body of Jesus
Pronounce it Refugio city folks they don't know
It looks like Palacios but sounds like Palacios
Just listen the next time you're watchin' Sid Lasher
And the wind blew the echoes of long-faded voices
And they would sing me a song that the old cowboys sang
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing
And these days with car seats and open container laws
Social correctness leaves no room for Santa Claus
Sitting right next to me she looks like that used to be
Song that they sang for me
And with the windows wide open it feels hot to us anyway
Two bound together on a day just like any day
The wind blows the echoes of long-faded voices
And they sing us a song that the old cowboys sang
And now that I know what the words mean and everything
I am still singing
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we stumble around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
CMT used to have a music video show called Wide Open Country where they played videos of artists who are on the border of country music but not what you hear on top 40 country radio. Some were classics like Johnny, Willie, Waylon, and George Jones. Some were people who have been on the scene for years but never got mainstream attention like Billy Joe Shaver, Kelly Willis, Steve Earle, and The Mavericks. Others were newer artists sort of on the edge of country music like Nickel Creek, Old Crow Medicine Show, Norah Jones, and Ryan Adams(not Bryan Adams of Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves fame, thank God. Summer Of '69 was the only halfway decent song he had and that wouldn't work here). Then there were some who you might not expect to see on CMT like Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty, Sting, and Bob Seger. They even played a song by Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly from the movie A Prairie Home Companion. So what I am getting at here, finally, is that I first heard this song (South Texas Girl, if you have forgotten where I am going with this) on Wide Open Country. The video is a collection of home movies. I am a sucker for the nostalgic songs of childhood or better days. Alison Krauss made a similar video for Simple Love that I am sure will eventually end up here as well.
Every time I listen to South Texas Girl I think of my own childhood and it brings back my own memories even though there is very little in the song to remind me of personal experiences. The lyrics are good, but to get the full effect of the song you have to hear it, or even better, watch the video. If you search for Lyle Lovett South Texas Girl on youtube it will be the first video on the list.
South Texas Girl - written by Lyle Lovett from the album It's Not Big It's Large
*When he sings Refugio he pronounces it Refurio and the first time he sings Palacios it is pronounced pul-oss-ee-ose and the second time it's pul-ash-us. You will see why this note is important when you read that verse. It would be confusing if you can't hear how he is singing it. (if you are familiar with the sketch on funnyordie.com don't confuse these words for regalia and palatial. It's funny how two words in the same verse of the same song are so similar to the words that sketch is based on. This part of the note is not necessary, it's just funny)
Three in the front seat they sat on each side
That green-and-white '58 Fairlane it would glide
Down farm roads past open fields seeming like no big deal
As it was happening I never felt a thing
But now looking back it seems like it was everything
Singing with mom just so we could hear ourselves sing
Stealing a drink from the cold can in daddy's lap
Protected by only a small thin brown paper sack
And the wind blew the echoes of long-faded voices
And they'd sing me a song that the old cowboys sang
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing because I was supposed to
Sing Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
And with the windows wide open it felt hot to us anyway
Three bound together on a day just like any day
They told me and taught me and showed me and bought me
Whatever I wanted from the corner U-tote-M
They say the name Corpus Christi means the body of Jesus
Pronounce it Refugio city folks they don't know
It looks like Palacios but sounds like Palacios
Just listen the next time you're watchin' Sid Lasher
And the wind blew the echoes of long-faded voices
And they would sing me a song that the old cowboys sang
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
And I didn't know what the words meant or anything
I was just singing
And these days with car seats and open container laws
Social correctness leaves no room for Santa Claus
Sitting right next to me she looks like that used to be
Song that they sang for me
And with the windows wide open it feels hot to us anyway
Two bound together on a day just like any day
The wind blows the echoes of long-faded voices
And they sing us a song that the old cowboys sang
And now that I know what the words mean and everything
I am still singing
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we wonder around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
Saint Mother Maria watch over us please
As we stumble around in this dangerous world
Thank Mother Maria there's nothing so sweet
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
As the undying love of a South Texas girl
3 comments:
Well I don't know, Jake, the lyrics seem pretty nostalgic-y and I haven't even heard him perform it yet, haha. But I will look it up.
Your entry made me laugh a little, good job, haha!
..Don't care much for the song, but I understand what you mean about the times. At that age you think everything and everybody is good and have very few worries. I watched the video. The first car shown is a '57 Fairlane, not a '58 like in the song. When your mother was growing up, Grandaddy Register had a 57 Ford Fairlane. 1958 was kind of a recession and not a good year for Detroit, so you don't see many '58 Fords, Chevies or Chryslers. I also saw a '53 Chevy like my Grandaddy Lewis had.
I like your post:)
Really? You think so? Well, when I finally wrote it, if I brought it to you would you tell me what you thought? I'd really like someone's input.
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