Lyr Add: The Sky Above, the Mud Below (Tom Russell

Subject: Lyr Add: THE SKY ABOVE, THE MUD BELOW^^
From: GUEST,JenEllen
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 02:45 PM

I just learned a new song, and it is one that grabbed me the first time I heard it and still does to this day. I'm interested in knowing any others that may have affected you the same way.

THE SKY ABOVE, THE MUD BELOW (TOM RUSSELL)

Two men rode in from the south
A rainy autumn night
The sky above, and the mud below
They walked into the Deacon's bar
They were Mexican by sight
The sky above, and the mud below
They threw a horsehair bridle down
'Can we trade this for whiskey rounds?'
The Deacon slams a bottle down
The two men start to drinkin'

Their hair was long and black
Tied up behind their ears
The sky above, and the mud below
Their faces were identical
Like one man beside a mirror
The sky above, and the mud below
Then someone whispers 'That beats all
Their wanted poster's on the wall
Twin brothers name of Sandoval
Horsethieves from Boquias'

Now the bridle and the belts they wore
Were braided grey and black
The sky above, and the mud below
The color of a roan hose
Once belonged to Deacon Black
The sky above, and the mud below
The fastest horse for miles around
He'd been stolen from the old fairgrounds
A month ago outside of town
He'd tracked, but never found them

Now the Deacon was a preacher
Who had fallen hard from grace
The sky above, and the mud below
He owned the bar, and a string
Of Quarter Horses that he'd race
The sky above, and the mud below
Yeah, Decon he could drink and curse
And he still quoted sacred verse
He was sheriff, judge, he owned the hearse
A man you did not anger

The sky above the mud below
The wind and rain and sleet and snow
Two horse thieves from Mexico
Drinkin hard and singin'

One brother he spoke English
Deac enquires as to their work
The sky above, and the mud below
The man says 'Mister we braid horse hair Bridles, ropes and quirts'
The sky above, and the mud below
'Yeah that fine bridle we did make
A roan horse killed by a leg bone break
He's horse hair rope and horsemeat steak
We cleaned him to the bone'

These gentlemen were ignorant
Or didn't know just where they were
The sky above, and the mud below
Deacon's face grew dark
As he measured every word
The sky above, and the mud below
'You horsehair braidin' sons-a-bitches
Stole my claim to earthly riches
Someone go an dig a ditch
There may well be a hanging'

One brother reached into his shirt
Searching for his gun
The sky above, and the mud below
Too late, for Deac had whipped around
His sawed off Remington
The sky above, and the mud below
The twins they raised their hands and sneered
But Deac was grinnin' ear to ear
'Now court's in session, hear ye hear
Yours truly is presiding!'

The trial commenced and ended quick
They didn't have a hope
The sky above, and the mud below
Deac says 'Now we'll cut your hair
And you can braid yourselves a rope'
The sky above, and the mud below
'The Old Testament it says somewheres
Eye for eye and hair for hair
Covet not thy neighbors mare
I believe it's Revelations'

Now the fancy horsehair bridle
Hangs on Deacon's wall
The sky above, and the mud below
Next to that wanted poster
Of the brothers Sandoval
The sky above, and the mud below
And the twisted rope so shiny black
The artifact that broke their necks
Their craftsmanship he did respect
They should've stuck to braidin'

The sky above the mud below
The wind and rain and sleet and snow
The Deacon's hearse is rolling slow
In the first blue light of morning

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Midchuck
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 03:10 PM

I went back to the "Best Lines" thread, because I thought I had posted the three lines beginning: You horsehair-braiding sons...." to it, but I hadn't. It must have been on some other list. That would be in the top ten best lines ever, IMO.

My wife/fiddler/tenor singer says that when she listens to that song, she sees it as a movie or video, all in black and white...except the very last line of the last chorus.

Of the few other songs that have that effect on me, most are also by Russell...

Hallie Lonigan Claude Dallas (with Ian Tyson) Mineral Wells The Angel of Lyon The Man From God Knows Where Sitting Bull in Venice

also:

Canol Road The House of Orange McDonnell on the Heights White Squall (all Stan Rogers)

Out Among the Stars (Adam Mitchell - done by Merle Haggard & the Seldom Scene)

Others to follow when I think of them.

Are you in the Northeast? Russell is going to be at the Champlain Festival (Burlington, VT) first weekend in Aug. (usual disclaimers)

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Clifton53
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 03:11 PM

JenEllen, Tom Russell is one of my favorite performers. That song also grabbed me as one of his better efforts. I hate labels but he is cast in the mold of Guy Clark and a few of those other Texas guys.

He expands his repetoire in his newest CD, "The Man From God Knows Where", which is sort of a song cycle covering his ancestry, which is Irish and Norwegian. Just a tremendous record that I am trying to wear out as we speak. Several guests appear, including Dave Van Ronk, Dolores Keane, Iris DeMent and Sondre Bratland, not to mention the sweet guitar work of his sidekick Andrew Hardin.

I also like his other stuff including "Long Way Round" and "The Rose of San Jauquin", which contains "The Sky Above, The Mud Below". He has written a few songs in collaboration with Ian Tyson.

Clifton 53

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Clifton53
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 03:14 PM

Yes Midchuck, you nailed it! Close your eyes and listen to that song, very vivid indeed, just like a movie, or a dream better still.

Clifton53

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: GUEST,JenEllen
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:19 PM

Thanks Peter. I think I see this song just like your wife does. The imagery is superb. Along the same lines as 'Sully's Pail' for sheer grab-yer-guts. I'm Northwestern, sorry, it's a shame to miss Tom.

Clifton: I'm hunting up 'The Man from God Knows Where', thanks for the tip

~Elle

Another one: Frankie and Johnny

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:25 PM

Pretty Boy Floyd The Outlaw an old favourite of mine. Melanie does a nice version of this song. Yours,Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Robo
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 08:46 PM

I'm with you, Clifton! My brother has summed up my thoughts on Tom Russell quite well indeed -- and why not, I turned him on to the stuff! Cliff has also told me he hasn't been as excited about a song man since John Prine debuted, and like many of us, he worships at the Prine Shrine, so that's saying something.

There are many other Russell tunes that have this kind of impact -- and the entire "Man from God Knows Where" album qualifies to prima facie evidence. The imagery is marvelous and for him to sustain it over, what, 26 or so songs borders on the incredible. Another Russell song that appears on more than one of his albums stands out, too -- the some-would-say ubiquitous "Gallo del Cielo," the Rooster from Heaven! Russell can plant a one-liner in your mind like a Clark or a Prine, that's for sure, but these extended stories and images, which play like films as has been said, seem to me to be what the craft is truly all about. And you might think they wouldn't hold up to repeated listenings, but they do. Of course, having Andrew Hardin's accompaniement would do wonders for anyone. Listen to his solo work on "Angel of Lyon" for a demo. If you aren't drop-jawed and smiling and anxious for the second lead, you're having a bad day, indeed. I could go on and one . . . Let me close by saying I used to think there was little reason to ever return to El Paso. Thanks to Russell, I've thunk again.

Subject: RE: BS: Justice and Revenge
From: Clifton53
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 11:29 PM

Aye Rob-O me boy, Russell is a jewel. Another thing, he has been around for many years which I was also unawares of.

Another good 'justice' song, Marty Robbins "Big Iron", a classic in the "El Paso" mold. Also recorded by Steve Goodman on "The Easter Tapes".

Clifton53