Awesome. McMurtry has so many hidden gems. And as it happens I heard this for the first time last week on Kansas public radio, it came out of the static while i was driving down a remote gravel road and it blew me away. Fantastic songwriting.
I am an admitted fan of JMM and have been for a long time. This song is a short story set to music, one that you can read while driving down the road drinking a cup of coffee. I wish I would have thought of that comment but someone else said it before me. After hearing this song you know all about the man, his job, his grandmother and kids. A true singer/songwriter of the very best caliber.
I love the mood of this song. It's about happiness, but not about overly jubilant, euphoric happiness, like you see in the movies. This is the happiness that comes with kicking back after a long day and reflecting on your life, knowing it's not perfect, but it's better than it was. There's a part of you that misses your old life, but you know you made the right decision, and you're subtly optimistic about the future. The bagpipes actually fit perfectly for this reason- I couldn't figure out why for the longest time, but then I understood that this is a song about immigration. Maybe not from one country to another, but certainly from one life to another, one culture to another. Like the old immigrants who came to NY in the past, life isn't perfect in the city, but it's better than it was, and that's a cause for celebration, even though a part of you wonders what it would have been like if you said. This song combines a warm reminiscence on the past with a soothing contentment with the present and a cautious belief that the future is going to be good. It's a true masterpiece.
I think there’s a 16 gauge slug rolling around in the floor of my car right now from last year’s deer season. This song makes me wonder where me and that shell’ll be ten years from now.
New Mexico’s lost in the back streets of Austin Carolina keeps all her thoughts to herself Tennessee’s tight and he will not stop talking Somebody shush him ‘fore I have to myself I wrote that verse for the kids but I never did sing it I filed it away and forgot it in time My old guitar sits in the back bedroom closet Next to the closet the shotgun I got when I was nine If I had any sense I’d be way ‘cross the Whitestone I might as well sit here a while ‘fore I start Cause when the 5:30 rush hits the cross-island parkway It’s not for the squeamish of the gentle of heart I’d be stuck on the bridge in the right land at sunset Watching the boats with their snowy white sails Watching the sun sinking over the projects Laundry hung out of the balcony rails And where are you now my long secret love Where have you gone in your glamorous life Where are you now as the moon comes a-rising Are you somebody’s love, are you somebody’s wife And these are the best days These are the best days Y’all put your money away I’ve got the round Here’s to all you strangers The Mets and the Rangers Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound I don’t know what goes on in those crumbling brick buildings They’re on the same planet in a whole ‘nother world I got a bay boat and a 401k Two cars in the driveway, two boys and a girl It doesn’t seem long since we came up from Tulsa Been here six years and I reckon we’ll stay The company’s not bad as the companies go They still got the health plan and they’re raising my pay And the kids all play soccer like nobody’s business My grandma says we’re just letting ‘em fall through They don’t go to church and we’re not gonna make ‘em They all drop their R’s like the Islanders do And these are the best days These are the best days Y’all put your money away I’ve got the round Here’s to all you strangers The Mets and the Rangers Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound I remember her singing from that dusty old hymnal Smelled like tobacco from granddaddy’s pipe That old rugged cross ’til she took down the shingles You’ve never heard such a noise in your life I had a tire run low so I dug through the glovebox I needed the manual to locate the jack Found a couple old picks and a 20 gauge shuttle Left from a dove hunt a couple years back And these are the best days These are the best days Y’all put your money away I’ve got the round Here’s to all you strangers The Mets and the Rangers Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound New Mexico’s lost in the back streets of Austin Carolina keeps all her thoughts to herself Submit Corrections
Love James McMurtry. Raised on Long Island and have been stuck on that miserable cross Island parkway many times. So cool to hear him sing about it
Awesome. McMurtry has so many hidden gems. And as it happens I heard this for the first time last week on Kansas public radio, it came out of the static while i was driving down a remote gravel road and it blew me away. Fantastic songwriting.
Spectacular painting with words ❤
I am an admitted fan of JMM and have been for a long time. This song is a short story set to music, one that you can read while driving down the road drinking a cup of coffee. I wish I would have thought of that comment but someone else said it before me. After hearing this song you know all about the man, his job, his grandmother and kids. A true singer/songwriter of the very best caliber.
I love the mood of this song. It's about happiness, but not about overly jubilant, euphoric happiness, like you see in the movies. This is the happiness that comes with kicking back after a long day and reflecting on your life, knowing it's not perfect, but it's better than it was. There's a part of you that misses your old life, but you know you made the right decision, and you're subtly optimistic about the future. The bagpipes actually fit perfectly for this reason- I couldn't figure out why for the longest time, but then I understood that this is a song about immigration. Maybe not from one country to another, but certainly from one life to another, one culture to another. Like the old immigrants who came to NY in the past, life isn't perfect in the city, but it's better than it was, and that's a cause for celebration, even though a part of you wonders what it would have been like if you said. This song combines a warm reminiscence on the past with a soothing contentment with the present and a cautious belief that the future is going to be good. It's a true masterpiece.
Joshua Fagan Thank you! Love your description
Joshua Fagan Great description. Such a great song.
Very well said
It’s sad. So is hurricane party. And Canola Fields.
A fantastic song from a true genius.
I think there’s a 16 gauge slug rolling around in the floor of my car right now from last year’s deer season. This song makes me wonder where me and that shell’ll be ten years from now.
Is anybody awake and alive out there?
New Mexico’s lost in the back streets of Austin
Carolina keeps all her thoughts to herself
Tennessee’s tight and he will not stop talking
Somebody shush him ‘fore I have to myself
I wrote that verse for the kids but I never did sing it
I filed it away and forgot it in time
My old guitar sits in the back bedroom closet
Next to the closet the shotgun I got when I was nine
If I had any sense I’d be way ‘cross the Whitestone
I might as well sit here a while ‘fore I start
Cause when the 5:30 rush hits the cross-island parkway
It’s not for the squeamish of the gentle of heart
I’d be stuck on the bridge in the right land at sunset
Watching the boats with their snowy white sails
Watching the sun sinking over the projects
Laundry hung out of the balcony rails
And where are you now my long secret love
Where have you gone in your glamorous life
Where are you now as the moon comes a-rising
Are you somebody’s love, are you somebody’s wife
And these are the best days
These are the best days
Y’all put your money away
I’ve got the round
Here’s to all you strangers
The Mets and the Rangers
Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound
I don’t know what goes on in those crumbling brick buildings
They’re on the same planet in a whole ‘nother world
I got a bay boat and a 401k
Two cars in the driveway, two boys and a girl
It doesn’t seem long since we came up from Tulsa
Been here six years and I reckon we’ll stay
The company’s not bad as the companies go
They still got the health plan and they’re raising my pay
And the kids all play soccer like nobody’s business
My grandma says we’re just letting ‘em fall through
They don’t go to church and we’re not gonna make ‘em
They all drop their R’s like the Islanders do
And these are the best days
These are the best days
Y’all put your money away
I’ve got the round
Here’s to all you strangers
The Mets and the Rangers
Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound
I remember her singing from that dusty old hymnal
Smelled like tobacco from granddaddy’s pipe
That old rugged cross ’til she took down the shingles
You’ve never heard such a noise in your life
I had a tire run low so I dug through the glovebox
I needed the manual to locate the jack
Found a couple old picks and a 20 gauge shuttle
Left from a dove hunt a couple years back
And these are the best days
These are the best days
Y’all put your money away
I’ve got the round
Here’s to all you strangers
The Mets and the Rangers
Long may we thrive on the Long Island Sound
New Mexico’s lost in the back streets of Austin
Carolina keeps all her thoughts to herself
Submit Corrections
good tune, good lyrics! K
Bruce Springsteen has nothing on this guy.
Couldn't dissuade that comment..with James had a preety bad ass father..gene pool ain't fair ( stole that from Charlie Robison)