I have been listening to McMurtry since the late 1980s, not on the radio because I live in the great Midwest and all the radio stations are owned by big corporations or religious nutcases and no one plays him. There was a DJ in St. Louis in the late 80s that played him but I guess he got fired or died. Truly McMurtry is one of the most talented story tellers I have ever heard. Just a shame the radio won't play him.
Singer/songwriters are the best story tellers and you're right, James McMurty is one of the best. His is song, his father's is written. Both are great.
Many years ago in the eighties I volunteered at KRCL in Salt Lake City. "Radio Free Utah" . It was a great place to listen to all sorts of music that would never be played on commercial radio. What a great station.
"You won't get nothing here but broke and older/If I was you, I might re-up again." McMurtry's songs are often about flawed people who are trapped by the socioeconomic world they inhabit. He sees the desperation that runs roughshod among the vulnerable.
"Aint much between the pole and South Dakota" plays over and over in my head. Some of the best lyrics ever written. The same can be said for the rest of the song.
This man is an incredible artist, I missed a chance to see him in 2017 in Sheffield Uk and have been kicking myself ever since, if he ever comes back to the Uk again I will not miss a second chance!!! Thanks for uploading this.
Drove from Liverpool to Nottingham to see him in the back room of a pub. Absolutely outstanding and a real shame because he deserves to be playing to massive audiences.
This brought me back to my childhood and growing up in south dakota and going to rapid city and the shitty cold winters where the snow got into the shitty apartments I lived in once after it blizzard and me growing up in a small town. The first part strongy reminds of my mother.
"South Dakota" It was the 23rd of May and I heard the sergeant say, "Fuck it, round up the usual suspects and call it a day We've got no time to mess around And I'm not dying in this shit hole town for a soldier's pay" it was too good to be true, but my discharge came through And I was on the first bird out that I could find Rode that C-17 into Stuttgart Fall roundup on my mind When my brothers picked me up We got way deep in our cups We must've tore old Rapid city down My big brother Jack said "Boy it's good to see you back What you gonna do now,what you gonna do now?" [Chorus:] Because there ain't much between the Pole and South Dakota And barbed wire won't stop the wind You won't get nothing here but broke and older If I was you I might re-up again Well, we had good rain this year Dad fed in some charolais steers got them way cheap out of Texas Because of the drouth We put them out on oats They hadn't yet grown their winter coats away down south It was barely even fall But that blizzard got them all Left them sprawled across the pasture Stiff as boards You take a sharp knife in your hand Skin them out while you still can And curse the lord Curse the lord [Chorus] These old hides are not worth much So we'll pitch them off the truck Pile them up by the horse trough in the lot Because they sell by the pound They weigh like lead if you wet them down And they're all we got With a gas lease or two we might've just made due But there's nothing under this ground worth a dime Now the sheriff's on his way and it's damn sure not our day It's just our time [Chorus]
I have been listening to McMurtry since the late 1980s, not on the radio because I live in the great Midwest and all the radio stations are owned by big corporations or religious nutcases and no one plays him. There was a DJ in St. Louis in the late 80s that played him but I guess he got fired or died. Truly McMurtry is one of the most talented story tellers I have ever heard. Just a shame the radio won't play him.
Who stole my radio?
I guess I'm lucky--someone at Wyoming Public Radio seems to like him a lot.
Singer/songwriters are the best story tellers and you're right, James McMurty is one of the best. His is song, his father's is written. Both are great.
Many years ago in the eighties I volunteered at KRCL in Salt Lake City. "Radio Free Utah" . It was a great place to listen to all sorts of music that would never be played on commercial radio. What a great station.
this is the song that breaks my heart; so tightly written, so much in every line
"You won't get nothing here but broke and older/If I was you, I might re-up again."
McMurtry's songs are often about flawed people who are trapped by the socioeconomic world they inhabit. He sees the desperation that runs roughshod among the vulnerable.
So well conceptualized❤…beautiful feeling and tones!!!
"Aint much between the pole and South Dakota" plays over and over in my head. Some of the best lyrics ever written. The same can be said for the rest of the song.
This country needs more men like the ranchers of western SD
Too bad James McMurtry is a bleeding liberal
Don't forget the farmers out east river
This man is an incredible artist, I missed a chance to see him in 2017 in Sheffield Uk and have been kicking myself ever since, if he ever comes back to the Uk again I will not miss a second chance!!! Thanks for uploading this.
Drove from Liverpool to Nottingham to see him in the back room of a pub. Absolutely outstanding and a real shame because he deserves to be playing to massive audiences.
Paints pictures that can put a fella like myself from Liverpool in the shoes of the subject of the song.
This brought me back to my childhood and growing up in south dakota and going to rapid city and the shitty cold winters where the snow got into the shitty apartments I lived in once after it blizzard and me growing up in a small town. The first part strongy reminds of my mother.
Took me a bit to find, but I heard him play this on his Facebook shows and loved it.
South Dakota here, 9/28/2020
anyone from western sodak knows what fall winter storm hes talking about.
High Liner anyone from south Dakota, I feel so bad for the poor ranchers and farmers
High Liner big October storm in 2014 as I recall (maybe 2013)
And so many other years ...
Not many people could live here and survive. Lived my whole life Western South Dakota on my Dad's ranch. This song says it all....
Anyone from SD should know about that
Great song from a great album.
"South Dakota"
It was the 23rd of May and I heard the sergeant say,
"Fuck it, round up the usual suspects and call it a day
We've got no time to mess around
And I'm not dying in this shit hole town for a soldier's pay"
it was too good to be true, but my discharge came through
And I was on the first bird out that I could find
Rode that C-17 into Stuttgart
Fall roundup on my mind
When my brothers picked me up
We got way deep in our cups
We must've tore old Rapid city down
My big brother Jack said "Boy it's good to see you back
What you gonna do now,what you gonna do now?"
[Chorus:]
Because there ain't much between the Pole and South Dakota
And barbed wire won't stop the wind
You won't get nothing here but broke and older
If I was you I might re-up again
Well, we had good rain this year
Dad fed in some charolais steers
got them way cheap out of Texas
Because of the drouth
We put them out on oats
They hadn't yet grown their winter coats away down south
It was barely even fall
But that blizzard got them all
Left them sprawled across the pasture Stiff as boards
You take a sharp knife in your hand
Skin them out while you still can
And curse the lord
Curse the lord
[Chorus]
These old hides are not worth much
So we'll pitch them off the truck
Pile them up by the horse trough in the lot
Because they sell by the pound
They weigh like lead if you wet them down
And they're all we got
With a gas lease or two we might've just made due
But there's nothing under this ground worth a dime
Now the sheriff's on his way and it's damn sure not our day
It's just our time
[Chorus]