But Tonto he was smarterAnd one day said kemo sabeWell, kiss my ass, I bought a boatI’m going out to sea
Since I have been going over Texas Songwriters…I have saved Lovett for a while. I knew of him because his name is huge where I live and I’ve seen him on differrent shows throughout my life. So I started to listen to some of his music recently with high anticipation and was not disappointed.
The thing about these songwriters I like so much are the lyrics. What surprised me were the lovely melodies that sold those lyrics to listeners. You can write the best set of lyrics in the world but without a good melody they will just stay just lyrics.
He was born in the German farming community of Klein, Texas and was influenced by blues and country greats such as Ray Charles, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and more. His music has a little bit of everything in it. Western, folk, swing, jazz, bebop, blues, and gospel music. Lovett earned two degrees from Texas A&M University in Journalism and German, and music was his career of choice. One of his roommates in college was no other than fellow Texas songwriter Robert Earl Keen.
Lovett said that this song was based on a true story. He did try to cross a pond on a pony but he wished he had a boat when it happened. This song was about getting away from things and not being tied down.
This song was released in 1987 on the album Pontiac. The song peaked at #66 on the Billboard Country Charts. The album peaked at #12 on the Billboard Country Album Charts, #18 in Canada, and #117 on the Billboard Album Charts.
He was asked if him and Robert Earl Keen were trying to carry on with the tradition that Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark started. He answered: There’s a direct line from those guys to Robert and me. We learned how to play those Guy Clark songs from Guy’s first record, and we sought out Guy and Townes as we came up, because we admired them so much, and got to know them. So their version of storytelling, their take on what a song was supposed to be, was something that Robert and I actively pursued.
On what Texas is to him: Texas is just home. I’m tethered here and lack perspective. My whole experience, every day in my life, is wrapped up in being from here. I’m what in the horse business we call barn blind. I really like my horses better than anybody else’s.
Lyle Lovett: Somehow you can tell the difference when a song is written just to get on the radio and when what someone does is their whole life. That comes through in Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson. There is no separating their life from their music.
If I Had A Boat
And if I had a boatI’d go out on the oceanAnd if I had a ponyI’d ride him on my boatAnd we could all togetherGo out on the oceanI said me upon my pony on my boat
If I were Roy RogersI’d sure enough be singleI couldn’t bring myself to marrying an old DaleWell, it’d just be me and TriggerWe’d go riding through them moviesThen we’d buy a boat and on the sea we’d sail
And if I had a boatI’d go out on the oceanAnd if I had a ponyI’d ride him on my boatAnd we could all togetherGo out on the oceanI said me upon my pony on my boat
The mystery masked man was smartHe got himself a Tonto‘Cause Tonto did the dirty work for freeBut Tonto he was smarterAnd one day said kemo sabeWell, kiss my ass, I bought a boatI’m going out to sea
And if I had a boatI’d go out on the oceanAnd if I had a ponyI’d ride him on my boatAnd we could all togetherGo out on the oceanI said me upon my pony on my boat
And if I were like lightningI wouldn’t need no sneakersI’d come and go wherever I would pleaseAnd I’d scare ’em by the shade treeAnd I’d scare ’em by the light poleBut I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the sea
And if I had a boatI’d go out on the oceanAnd if I had a ponyI’d ride him on my boatAnd we could all togetherGo out on the oceanI said me upon my pony on my boatI said me upon my pony on my boat
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I really enjoyed this Max. I had heard of Lovett only by name before. Thanks for your introduction to him.
You and me both…I don’t know much about him either.
I saw Lyle Lovett with his Large Band several years ago. They were a lot of fun. His songs are clever. “Church” is among my favorites.
To squelch any rumors, he is not Eraserhead.
lol…I love that movie though!
I really like this album…I want to learn more about him.
lol I got that Eraserhead reference. He’s a very clever lyricist.
Great backstory here Max. I only really knew Lyle from his marriage to the actress, what was that 30 years ago.
Love this song Max, for that matter anything Lyle Lovett! I bought Pontiac when it came out as I was turned on to Lyle’s “Cowboy Man” back in 86/7 by a friend. Great to read about how the song came about.
Yea trying to cross a pond with a pony…I really like what I’ve heard so far…I’ve been trying a crash course into the Texas songwriters…
That’s a lot of ground to cover Max but as you know a path worth taking!
Yes it is…I’m still trying to cover Guy Clark also…a nice problem to have!
has always been a fave!
Thanks Eden!
Nice song. Lyle Lovett knows exactly when parody tips over into caricature.
Remember he was married to Julia Roberts for a while?
Yes I do! It wasn’t for long but I do remember it. I know they got a lot of attention that probably didn’t help them.
They seemed like an odd couple, like Neil Young and Daryl Hannah!
Yes…I remember her fans asking why and his fans asking why as well lol…from what I read he is a shy guy and doesn’t like the spotlight.
I’m not sure you could live the quiet life married to Julia Roberts!
Lyle Lovett is great! Such a unique voice. His first Large Band album led me to explore more of his stuff.
This is the first time I really listened to him…I’m trying to get around to all of the Texas songwriters…it’s a lot of greatness there.
Keith that’s the album I had first. Have picked up a few more since then.
Me too!
Makes we want to listen to Lyle some more. The first song I heard by Lyle was ‘You Cant Resist It’. Saw him in concert shortly after he played this accompanied by John Hagen on cello. Memorable moment.
I just really started to listen to him this week really close. This is a really good album…and the song L.A. County is great as well.
I never heard You Can’t Resist It…I’ll take a listen.
I think it was on his first record. That acoustic version should be around somewhere. Also a cut with Leo Kotke. Two pretty understated dudes. Lots of good listening in Max’s future.
That is what is cool about finding these people later on…you got a lot to listen to.
I’ve followed him for as long as he has made records. I saw him in Gruene Hall in early 2000s, and he kept the dance floor full for two hours. Texas produces some good story tellers as well as liars and scoundrels.
You got that right Phil…I’ve been covering some like Clark, Townes, Keen, Hubbard, Walker, Ely, and Escovedo… all of them have the great lyrics and melodies…
They are different from anyone else.
I knew Phil (Story teller, Liar or scoundrel? I’d say a story telling scoundrel’) would show up on this one. That’s quite a short list you made there Max.
He sure has the sound of a country singer but he defies the stereotypical look of one with his big hair, no hat, and dress shirt and tie. His heroes are worthy ones and it shows in his lyrics, like you said.
I agree with that….
Lisa…I’ll make a post later…but I just met someone who knew all The Beatles and Bailey got a picture with her at an art gallery…pretty cool. She is famous in the Beatles world.
Oh really!?!? Can’t wait to hear how that came about.
I’m about to click on publish now.
He certainly had a unique look as well as the voice
Yes he does…that set him apart for sure with other country artists.
a fun song! The videos didn’t play on my phone but I got to see the regular one here. Like others have seemed to suggest, I know his name and that he briefly was Mr Julia Roberts and his hair is distinct, but couldn’t name any of his songs (I have heard a few, every one in awhile we have on some country playlist and I’ll ask ‘who’s this?’ and it turns out to be him). And to Phil’s comment, sometimes liars and scoundrels make the best of storytellers!
Yes they do! lol…
This is the first time I’ve really listened to him carefully this week…he is really good.
Great song by an artist whose name I’ve known for the longest time. In a September 2023 Sunday Six post, I kind of randomly featured one of Lyle Lovett’s early ’90s songs (She Makes Me Feel So Good), which I like as well. Just like so many other artists, I really feel I ought to explore him. It all comes down to time or lack thereof!
I’m just now exploring him…the music is really impressive man…great stuff.
I just wished the day would have more than 24 hours and the week more than 7 days! 🙂
Have a great time at the concert!
Thanks! 🙂
Great comment about lyrics- without a good melody/tune to drape the lyrics over they are nice and pretty but the melding of the two makes whole better than the two parts.
Now…if I could just master that lyric part! Yea the great ones have both.
I’ve heard only a few of Lovett’s songs over the years and liked him well enough, but this song is really nice, and the lyrics are great.
I like what I’ve heard of him. It must kind of suck having an acclaimed music catalog and being best known for being married briefly to Julia Roberts.
That is exactly what I was thinking.
I’ve been a Lyle Lovett fan for a while. One of the things he used to do, and I am sorry I missed them when they got to LA, was a songwriter’s circle of Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Joe Ely and Guy Clark. I have a couple of live tapes and the shows were outstanding.
After being a fan for a long time, I ran across the You Tube video for this song. They bleeped “Kiss my ass” and there is a look on Lyle’s face that is hilarious. A treasure