Tag: Texas

Mouse and the Traps – You’re Gonna Miss Me

I want to thank Aphoristic Album Reviews for featuring this band in his Nuggets series. I loved the song he posted so I found a few more that I like from this band. I am guilty of having too much trivia in my head, but I never heard of this band, not in reading about obscure bands or their music. I like their music and the sound of their lead singer. I would have liked them no matter what just because of that name. 

Mouse and the Traps is an American garage rock band from Tyler, Texas, active mainly during the 1960s. They gained a cult following for their gritty sound that represented garage rock well. The band is best known for their 1966 hit single, A Public Execution, which is really Dylanesque plus some Byrds thrown in. 

They began their career releasing “A Public Execution” under the name of Mouse. That was the nickname of their lead singer Ronnie “Mouse” Weiss.  Their second single in 1966 was called Maid of Sugar-Maid of Spice and they added “And the Traps.” They have had different members through the years but a constant from their original lineup is Ronnie Weiss, Dave Stanley, and Ken (Nardo) Murray. 

Much like Phil from Notes From The Cactus Patch did in the 1960s…Mouse and the Traps toured around Texas, especially Dallas. They toured around the state feverishly, playing clubs, colleges, parties, and even proms. There were occasional touring dates out of Texas, but, for the most part, they remained a very popular regional band. 

They have released a bunch of singles and a few collection albums that were released in 1982, 1995, 1997, and 2009. They finally released an album in 2020 called Walking In Dylan’s Shoes. In 1972 they were added to Lenny Kayes Nuggets compilation album of different garage bands. 

Graham from Aphoristic Album Reviews wrote: Mouse and the Traps surely hold the record for the longest gap between a debut single and a debut album. ‘A Public Execution’ was released in 1966 (although it was credited solely to their frontman). Their debut album, Walking in Dylan’s Shoes, was released in December 2020.

Mouse and the Traps - Walking In Dylans Shoes

I’ve listened to their 2020 Dylan cover album Walking In Dylan’s Shoes and I have to admit…it’s really good! 

The song I picked, You’re Gonna Miss Me, is off of their Lost Sessions Album released in 2009. I’m not sure which era it’s from although because of the quality…I would guess the 80s or 90s. They were together off and on in the 1960s – 2020.  I’m also posting the song that Graham did with Maid of Sugar-Maid of Spice (1966) along with You’re Gonna Miss Me (?). 

I’m also going to post Mouse and the Traps Lost Sessions album…give a listen to a few of them…they are awesome! Hit The Bricks and Bottom Line got my attention right away. 

 

 

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Joe Ely – Musta Notta Gotta Lotta 

Randy had a post a few days ago about Rock and Roll Revivalists and I started to search a little bit and ran across a live version of this song. I love roots music and this Texan delivers every single time. When I saw the live clip of this one I heard so much of Jerry Lee Lewis in it. The title alone gets my attention really quick.

This song was released in 1981 on an album with the same name…OK, I want to type it again… Musta Notta Gotta Lotta. Now I feel better. You could see something happening in the eighties out of the top 40. You have Joe Ely opening the door along with The Blasters and then Steve Earle came on through along with the alt-country bands like Uncle Tupelo.

Ely has 16 studio albums and 20 singles in his career so far. This album charted at #135 in the Billboard Album Charts. He has charted quite a few in the Country Charts.

Ely’s first album was released in 1977. He met The Clash the year after in London and both liked each other. They both toured together a bit after that. Ely sang backups on the Clash hit Should I Stay or Should I Go.

He also co-wrote a play called Chippy about a Texas prostitute who counted around 6,000 customers. She died in the 1960s and had a quote that I will never forget. “Texas had the bread and I had the butter.” 

The man is known through the music industry. In 1990 he was part of a band for the house party for the premiere of Buddy that played some songs. That band included The E Street band members Max Weinberg and Gary Tallent along with The Crickets, Dave Edmunds, Steve Forbert, and Paul McCartney. Joe and Paul traded vocals on three Holly songs.

Musta Notta Gotta Lotta

Please understand me everything’s all rightI just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night

I was high flyin’ down the riverside driveRockin’ to the radio man aliveStopped into a joint bought a round of boozeHot dog I got a buzz in my shoe

Please understand me everything’s all rightI just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night

Writin’ you a letter it’s late in the nightSittin’ in a caffe honey eatin’ a biteI’m telln’ you about where all I’ve beenHot dog I’m gone again

Please understand me everything’s all rightI just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night

Now there’s two kind of people in this big ‘ol townThere’s the early to rise and the late to go downI guess I better find a better way to stop the clockHot dog I like it a lot

Hot dog I like it a lot

Please understand me everything’s all rightI just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night, yeah, hot dog

Please understand me everything’s all rightI just musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night

Waylon Jennings – Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love)

I love the Outlaws…

The song was written by Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons. Waylon Jennings was in Moman’s American Studios in Nashville recording Luckenbach, Texas when Willie Nelson happened to drop by for no particular reason.

Jennings saw him and asked him to sing with him on this. So Willie ended up adding his voice to the final verse, providing a couple of lyrical changes in the process.

Chips Moman used reverse psychology on Waylon to get him to record this song. Chips told him “here’s a song that you can’t cut because I’ve got it promised to someone else, but can I get your opinion on it?” It worked, Waylon took the bait and told Moman “I’m gonna cut that song.”|

Suddenly the tiny town of Luckenbach was besieged by network reporters and camera crews. Over one hundred city-limit signs have been stolen from the town since Jennings’ famous record was first released in 1977, and ironically neither Waylon nor the song’s writers Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons ever made their way to Luckenbach, Texas.

The song peaked at #1 in the Billboard Country Charts, #25 in the Billboard 100, and #1 in the Canadian Country Charts, and #46 in the Canadian RPM Charts in 1977.

Luckenbach Texas

Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas
With Waylon and Willie and the boys
This successful life we’re livin’
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys
Between Hank Williams’ pain songs and
Newbury’s train songs and “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain”
Out in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feelin’ no pain

So baby, let’s sell your diamond ring
Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away
This coat and tie is choking me
In your high society, you cry all day
We’ve been so busy keepin’ up with the Jones
Four car garage and we’re still building on
Maybe it’s time we got back to the basics of love

Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas
With Waylon and Willie and the boys
This successful life we’re livin’ got us feudin’
Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Between Hank Williams’ pain songs and
Newbury’s train songs and “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain”
Out in Luckenbach, Texas, ain’t nobody feelin’ no pain

Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas
Willie and Waylon and the boys
This successful life we’re livin’s got us feudin’
Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Between Hank Williams’ pain songs
And Jerry Jeff’s train songs and “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain”
Out in Luckenbach, Texas, there ain’t nobody feelin’ no pain