i headed out west for a nice ride last night. out to malcom and up to branched oak, but i timed it a bit late and it was getting dark really fast on my way back. as i crossed I-80 on hwy 55a, i stopped to put my lights on. looking out and seeing the 18-wheelers, and riding back as the darkness came, i started singing to myself, as i sometimes do when i ride alone. it was an old marty robbins tune, ribbon of darkness. i've had a fondness for his music that i didn't realize until i came to lincoln to go to UNL (and that was a long time ago, man i'm getting old). it was the fall of '87 and i was a freshman and living the dorms. this one guy down the hall who was a farmboy from michigan had a cassette of old school 'truck driving' music. he was playing it one time and a few marty robbins tunes came on. surprisingly i knew the words. it took me back to when i was growing up in scottsbluff (in western nebraska for those who think it's in wyoming). there wasn't much variety in radio stations out there. besides one top-40 station the rest was pretty much just country. i do like some country music, but only the old stuff. when i was like 7 or 8 i went with my family to the county fair which was held at the mitchell fairgrounds. i was with my brothers and sisters trying out the bumper cars and other attractions at the carnival, but the whole time i could hear some music. nearby in the open air arena there was a concert going on and it was marty robbins who was playing. my mom and dad were at the concert and i remember them saying they really enjoyed it. ever since then a marty robbins tune will pop in my head out of nowhere, usually it's while i'm riding a bike.
12 comments:
Hmmm... Big Iron on His Hip, Up in Alaska, Mexican Girl from El Paso, Cool Water...
I was a gun ballad freak as a kid.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Marty Robbins. My dad used to sing it to me when I was little...everytime I hear him now it reminds me of my pops. Good stuff, Conrad.
el paso is my fav. there was a version that appeared on a steve martin comedy special in '80 i think. it's an almost forgotten gem.
also check out this performance from the mid 50's, an early version of the song 'feleena'.
marty loved old mexican songs too.
"Singing the Blues" has always been my favorite. It reminds me so much of my pops. :)
How's Lincoln? I miss it there. :(
CC-RIDER - La Paloma is a Cuban song. You should know that. Here's an old Mexican song by Vicente Fernandez
your right, it's obviously cuban, my bad. but he was influenced by mexican and other latin music. do you know this old tune?
ofourse... el rey is a classic, but kind of machista though, eh? you don't serenade kim with that song do you? ja ja
She knows who 'El Rey' is.
wow, que bonito sunset.
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