Utah Phillips Coyote

Subject: Utah Phillips "Coyote"
From: GUEST,Justin K. Rivers
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 02:40 AM

About three years ago at Club Passim in Boston, I heard Utah Phillips play a song about the coyotes down in Mexico - the people that ferry illegal immigrants across the border to the US, often exploiting and abusing them. Does anyone know what song this is? I only recall one line, I think it went "oh, Coyote, your heart is a stone."

A Phillips original perhaps? Or a song by someone else?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Coyote
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 03:51 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Coyote
From: Big Mick
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 03:54 PM

I will be talking to Utah in the next week sometime, Jim. If we don't have an answer before then, I will ask him about it. Or maybe you could PM Mark Ross. He likely knows. If you find it first, be sure to post it here.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Coyote
From: Amos
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 04:42 PM

Give him un embrazo for me, Mick.


A

Subject: RE: Utah Phillips Coyote
From: Big Mick
Date: 19 Apr 08 - 04:24 PM

OK, I spoke to Utah earlier this afternoon. He remembers the song very well. It is one he wrote after an incident occurred back in the 90's. There were a group of men from a small place in Mexico by the name of Los Conos (sp?). Apparently the village was named for the fact that it had many cone shaped silos. But when NAFTA killed the grain business in Mexico, these folks had no work. So a bunch of the young and older men paid a Coyote to transport them to job in the US so's they could feed their families. The Coyote put them in a grain car, locked it, and sent the thing out on the rails. Obviously that car went many places, with many stops, and by the time it hit Denison, IA, USA, the men were all dead. A horrible tragedy. It touched Utah and he wrote and performed that song a number of times. He did not record it.

Justin K. Rivers

Please contact me using the PM feature (you will have to join Mudcat to do that), or EMAIL ME, or come back on the thread and give me a way to contact you. Utah has made an offer that will help you get what you are after that I think you will like.

All the best,

Mick