Robert Earl Keen—The Irony and Humor
Today, he’s reached iconic status here in Texas. So much so that the Governor named a day in his honor. Like a good comedian, Robert Earl has the ability to see the irony and the humor in everyday life and events. I find familiar places and faces in his songs, but perhaps from a different perspective than my own. Most of his songs paint vivid images. Some of those leave me chuckling or laughing out loud. Others haunt me like a bad nightmare. Merry Christmas From the Family is one of those songs that makes me laugh. Since the day I heard it, I’m ruined for life. The holiday will never again be the same. Sorry Santa, little elves, and even you, baby Jesus lying in the manger; neither sleighs nor bells, silent nights; not even poor Rudolf and his red nose have a prayer alongside this one. This is what Christmas looks and sounds like in the world I inhabit: Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog Little sister brought her new boyfriend He was a Mexican We didn't know what to think of him until he sang Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad Brother Ken brought his kids with him The three from his first wife Lynn And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell Of course he brought his new wife Kay Who talks all about AA Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel The First Noel Carve the Turkey Turn the ball game on Mix margaritas when the eggnog's gone Send somebody to the Quickpak Store We need some ice and an extension chord A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites A box of tampons, Marlboro Lights Haleluja everybody say Cheese Merry Christmas from the family Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen I can't remember how I'm kin to them But when they tried to plug their motor home in They blew our Christmas lights Cousin David knew just what went wrong So we all waited out on our front lawn He threw a breaker and the lights came on And we sang Silent Night, Oh Silent Night, Oh Holy Night Carve the turkey turn the ball game on Make Bloody Mary's Cause We All Want One! Send somebody to the Stop ‘N Go We need some celery and a can of fake snow A bag of lemons and some Diet Sprites A box of tampons, some Salem Lights Haleluja, everybody say cheese Merry Christmas from the Family REK has a way of championing causes without offending, a rare ability in this world. He does this with parables. Instead of saying, you suck, he paints a picture of something that so obviously sucks there’s no denying the fact, kind of like Jesus was known to do. A good example can be found in Mariano. Unless you’re born without a soul, it’s hard to listen to this song and fail to sympathize with the character portrayed, no matter what you think about the plight of illegal aliens in your country: The man outside he works for me, his name is Mariano He cuts and trims the grass for me he makes the flowers bloom He says that he comes from a place not far from Guanajuato That’s two days on a bus from here, a lifetime from this room. I fix his meals and talk to him in my old broken Spanish He points at things and tells me names of things I can't recall Sometimes I just can't but help but wonder who this man is And if when he is gone will he'll remember me at all I watch him close he works just like a piston in an engine He only stops to take a drink and smoke a cigarette When the day is ended, I look outside my window There on the horizon, Mariano's silhouette He sits upon a stone in a south-easterly direction I know my charts I know that he is thinking of his home I've never been the sort to say I'm in to intuition But I swear I see the faces of the ones he calls his own Their skin is brown as potter’s clay, their eyes void of expression Their hair is black as widow's dreams, their dreams are all but gone They're ancient as a vision of a sacrificial virgin Innocent as crying from a baby being born They hover around a dying flame and pray for his protection Their prayers are all but answered by his letters in the mail He sends them colored figures that he cuts from strips of paper And all his weekly wages, saving nothing for himself It's been a while since I have seen the face of Mariano The border guards they came one day and took him far away I hope that he is safe down there at home in Guanajuato I worry though I read there's revolution every day... Robert Earl Keen does what he does with a very limited voice. The man can barely sing. Which is quite amazing when you consider how good his songs sound. There are others out there now that emulate the man and do a good job. Adam Carroll comes to mind. But Robert Earl is the pioneer. When he began doing what he did, there was no one else out there quite like him. Robert Earl now faces a tall order. Like few precious others—the Springsteens and Dylans of this world—he set the standard at such a high place in his early works that some really good recent releases are judged substandard by those that have followed his career. It doesn’t get any better than A Bigger Piece of Sky but West Textures comes close. Gringo Honeymoon has to be mentioned also. Where else are you going to learn about barbecue, celebrating Christmas, and that Dreadful Selfish Crime all in the same place? His recent works are good also, but like I said, the standard he set is high. Someone pointed out to me that a lifetime batting average of .300 gets you into the hall of fame. So I would say to his detractors, give the man a break. Each of latest releases contain at least three or four songs just about anyone listening would consider hits. Most artists would be happy to have one like them on an album. Gravitational Forces features Not a Drop of Rain, and Walkin’ Cane, a couple of my favorites. Farm Fresh Onions delivers Furnace Fan, All I Have is Today, and Keen’s version of McMurtry’s Out Here in the Middle. Keen’s latest, What I really Mean, is an eclectic mix of songs and sounds, solid from beginning to end, and definitely shares the traditions of what a Robert Earl cd is supposed to be. Robert Earl Keen is as essential to Texas and Americana music as mom’s apple pie and baseball are to America. My world wouldn’t be the same without him. Here’s his website: (http://www.robertearlkeen.com/) And his page at Lonestarmusic.com, which contains a good biography in addition to all his cds. I suggest starting with one of the older cds, but beware, before it’s over, you may own all of them. REK can become an addiction. He is for me. One I don’t plan on getting rid of. -------------------- About the Author - Don Henry Ford, Jr. When Don's not writing books he lends out his talent to Americana Roots to put together great articles like this. If you've enjoyed what you read, then pick up Don's latest book Contrabando: Confessions of a Drug Smuggling Cowboy at your local bookstore or online at Cinco Puntos Press.
