In the 1980s Russell made four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band. These featured Andrew Hardin and accordionist Fats Kaplin.
In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing original material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane", co-written with Nanci Griffith, became a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. His most significant album from this period is the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.
His more recent albums include "Blood and Candle Smoke" (2009) and "Mesabi" (2011).
Blue Wing
Dave Alvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, it might have been a bluebird, I don't know
but he'd get stone drunk and talk about Alaska
The salmon boats and 45 below
Well, he got that blue wing up in Walla Walla
and his cellmate there was a Little Willy John
and Willie, he was once a great blues singer
so Wing & Willie wrote him up a song
(CHORUS)
They sang, it's dark in here, can't see the light
but I look at this blue wing when I close my eyes
and I fly away, beyond these walls
up above the clouds, where the rain don't fall
on a poor man's dreams
They paroled blue wing in August of 1963
He moved north, picking apples in the town of Wenatchee
And then winter finally caught him in a rundown trailer park
on the south side of Seattle where the days grow grey and dark
And he drank and he dreamt a vision of when the seven still ran free
and his father's fathers crossed that wide old Bering sea
and the land belonged to everyone, and there were old songs yet to sing
now, it's broken down to a cheap hotel and a tattooed prison wing
Now, it's dark in here... (repeat chorus)
Well, he drank his way to L.A., and that's where he died
and no one knew his Christian name, and there was no one there to cry
but I dreamt there was a funeral; a preacher and a cheap pine box
and halfway through the sermon blue wing began to talk
He said, it's dark in here... (repeat chorus)
The lyrics to "Blue Wing," written by Dave Alvin, tell the story of a man who is troubled by his past but finds solace in a blue wing tattoo on his shoulder. The song explores his experiences while incarcerated and his desire to escape to a place where he can be free from the pain of his memories.
The blue wing tattoo on his shoulder may serve as a symbol of hope, representing his aspirations to fly away from his current situation, to a place where he can find peace. Despite his difficult past, the man perseveres and moves on to a new life. He finds work in Wenatchee, but as the winter sets in, he is unable to escape his past and turns to alcohol.
In the end, the man finds peace when he dies in Los Angeles. The lyrics suggest that the blue wing, and the memories it evokes, gave him solace even in his final moments.
Overall, "Blue Wing" is a powerful and poignant song that captures the struggles of a man attempting to find his place in the world despite his many setbacks.
Line by Line Meaning
He had a blue wing tattooed on his shoulder
The man had a tattoo of a blue wing on his shoulder
Well, it might have been a bluebird, I don't know
The singer isn't certain whether the tattoo was of a bluebird or not
but he'd get stone drunk and talk about Alaska
The man would often get very drunk and talk about his experiences in Alaska
The salmon boats and 45 below
Specifically, the man would talk about working on salmon boats in extreme cold temperatures
Well, he got that blue wing up in Walla Walla
The man got the tattoo while in prison in Walla Walla
and his cellmate there was a Little Willy John
While in prison, the man shared a cell with a musician named Little Willy John
and Willie, he was once a great blues singer
Little Willy John had been a talented blues singer before his imprisonment
so Wing & Willie wrote him up a song
Together, the man with the blue wing tattoo and Willie wrote a song while in prison
They sang, it's dark in here, can't see the light
The song they wrote included lyrics about the darkness of prison life
but I look at this blue wing when I close my eyes
Despite the darkness, thinking of the blue wing tattoo gave the man something positive to focus on
and I fly away, beyond these walls
In his imagination, the man could escape the confines of prison
up above the clouds, where the rain don't fall
The image of flying up into the clouds represents a freedom that is currently denied to the man
on a poor man's dreams
This freedom can only be experienced in the man's imagination
They paroled blue wing in August of 1963
The man was released from prison in August of 1963
He moved north, picking apples in the town of Wenatchee
After his release, the man went to Wenatchee and found work picking apples
And then winter finally caught him in a rundown trailer park
Eventually, the man found himself living in a poor quality trailer park during the cold winter months
on the south side of Seattle where the days grow grey and dark
The setting is a bleak one, suggesting that the man's circumstances have not improved much since leaving prison
And he drank and he dreamt a vision of when the seven still ran free
The man drank heavily and imagined a time when nature was still abundant and untouched by human activity
and his father's fathers crossed that wide old Bering sea
He thought about his ancestors and their journeys across the Bering sea to reach North America
and the land belonged to everyone, and there were old songs yet to sing
In his imagination, the world was a better place where land was shared and stories were celebrated
now, it's broken down to a cheap hotel and a tattooed prison wing
The man reflects on how harsh reality is, with his current living situation and the lasting symbol of his time in prison
Well, he drank his way to L.A., and that's where he died
The man eventually made his way to Los Angeles, where he passed away
and no one knew his Christian name, and there was no one there to cry
The man's death went largely unnoticed and uncared for
but I dreamt there was a funeral; a preacher and a cheap pine box
The singer imagines a proper funeral with a minister and a simple pine coffin
and halfway through the sermon blue wing began to talk
In the dream, the blue wing tattoo on the man's shoulder seemed to come alive and speak
He said, it's dark in here...
The blue wing imparts the same message as the song that the man and Willie wrote in prison
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: THOMAS GEORGE RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind