Brewster County Breakdown
Maybe I'll get myself a pitcher of Red Hook tonight.
Great Big Yam is all about the picnics and harvests. Rural music from rural people.
Great Big Yam is a collective and individual effort to preserve traditional American music and create songs within that tradition. From the traveling blues to the banjo breakdown to the jigs and reels native to Ireland to the African roots to folk protest songs.
Story behind the song
I lived in Alpine, Texas. A beautiful town, but without much to speak of in the way of an economy. It broke my heart to leave my barstool at The Railroad Blues bar, but you've got to travel.
Lyrics
Woke up this morning, put my keys in the car
he saw a dust storm blowing
and he didn't want to start, just wanted
to rest there on Sul Ross Avenue.
Thought to myself, "Well, that's a good idea."
So I sat in my chair and drank a quart of beer
and took a cue from him
and went back into bed with you.
Brewster County mornings,
you're happy though you're poor,
and you don't think about those things
you know you can't afford.
The mountain is your comfort,
the people buy your beers,
and if you'd be so kind
I have a bridge to sell over here.
Opened my eyes for the second time
there was a ringing coming off the other side
of the line. Boss
telling the machine they were in a bind.
"Ah, what the hell, I've got nowhere to be
and I sure enjoy making that $5.33
maybe I'll get myself a pitcher of Red Hook tonight."
At least you don't live in Marfa
there's something to be said for that.
At least they haven't started
drilling in your back yard... at least not yet.
Sometimes I catch myself thinking
about them good auld days
and why those times they felt the need
to go away.
Ain't no saguaros, ain't no teddybearhooks
but it's the kind of place that has
its own good looks and if you've
been awhile I'd imagine that you'd feel the same.
But if you come here bring 10,000 bucks
ain't no point counting on your own good luck &
there ain't no way to play in this county's game.
They'll say...
"You're in the biggest county
of the Lone Star State. Which is
the biggest place in the lower 48."
Brewster County evenings
when the sun goes down
if I had myself a dollar I'd buy something
for this old breakdown.
Got off my chair and put the keys in the car,
hit a pickup while I was leaving the bar,
looked around awhile to see if anybody had heard.
Left Brewster County when the sun went down
it was time to move on to another town, but
they made me promise
that I wouldn't say another word.
