In 1969, Ray Benson and Lucky Oceans (Reuben Gosfield) co-founded Asleep at the Wheel in Paw Paw, West Virginia, and soon after they found themselves opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC.[1] A year later, they moved to East Oakland, California at the invitation of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. After being mentioned in Rolling Stone magazine by Van Morrison, they landed a record deal with United Artists. In 1973, their debut album, Comin' Right At Ya was released by United Artists. At the request of Willie Nelson, they left Oakland for Austin in 1974.
Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been presented numerous awards throughout their career. Most recently, the 16th Annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award for the making of "A Ride With Bob", recognition by Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin, Texas, and the Darrel K. Royal Music Patron Award by The Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association. In 2007, The Austin Chronicle recognized Asleep at the Wheel for Band of the Year, Best Country Band, and into their Hall of Fame. Benson was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, was given The Texas Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996, and recognized as an Outstanding Producer by the National Academy of Recording Arts in 1988. He has also been given numerous Citations of Achievement by Broadcast Music, Inc. for his work in the country music field. Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel have been one of the strongest names in Country Music for the last forty years.
Across The Alley From The Alamo
Asleep At The Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Let's all sing
Across the alley from the Alamo
Who sang a sort of Indian Hideho
To the people passing by
The pinto spent his time a swichin' flies
And the Navajo watched the lazy skies
And very rarely did they ever rest their eyes
On the people passing by
One day they went a walkin'
Along the railroad track
They were swishin' not lookin'
Toot toot
They never came back
Across the alley from the Alamo
When the summer sun decides to settle low
A fly sings an Indian Hideho
To the people passing by
Oh, that's those guitar, yeah
One more time
Oh, steel guitar
Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who used to bake frijoles in cornmeal dough
For the people passing by
They thought that they could make some easy bucks
By washin' their frijoles in Duz and Lux
A pair of very conscientious clucks
To the people passing by
So they took this cheap vacation
Their shoes were polished bright
No, they never heard the whistle
Toot toot
They're clear out of sight
Across the alley from the Alamo
When the starlight beams its tender glow
The beams go to sleep and there ain't no dough
For the people passing by
Across the alley from the Alamo
Remember the Alamo
The song "Across The Alley From The Alamo" by Asleep At The Wheel tells the story of a pinto pony and Navajo living across the alley from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. The duo sings a sort of Indian Hideho to the people passing by, with the pinto swishing flies and the Navajo watching the lazy skies. They spend their days taking walks along the railroad tracks and making frijoles in cornmeal dough, hoping to make easy money by washing them with Duz and Lux. Unfortunately, while on a "cheap vacation" out of town, they never hear the whistle and disappear out of sight.
The song paints a picture of two simple and carefree individuals, living a quiet life and enjoying the simple pleasures. However, their innocence and lack of awareness ultimately leads to their disappearance, adding a touch of tragedy to the otherwise lighthearted tune.
Line by Line Meaning
Across the alley from the Alamo
Just across the street from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
A Native American and his horse lived there
Who sang a sort of Indian Hideho
They would sing a traditional Native American chant
To the people passing by
For anyone who happened to be walking past
The pinto spent his time a swichin' flies
The horse spent his time flicking away flies
And the Navajo watched the lazy skies
The man spent his time looking up at the sky and clouds
And very rarely did they ever rest their eyes
They almost never closed their eyes to rest
On the people passing by
Even when people walked by them
One day they ent a walkin'
One day they went for a walk
Along the railroad track
They walked by the railroad
They were swishin' not lookin'
They were just strolling leisurely
Toot toot
The train whistled
They never came back
They never returned
When the summer sun decides to settle low
When the sun is setting in the summer
A fly sings an Indian Hideho
You can hear the buzzing of flies
To the people passing by
Regardless of who is around to hear it
Who used to bake frijoles in cornmeal dough
They used to make a traditional dish with beans and cornmeal
They thought that they would make some easy bucks
They hoped to make some money
If they're washin' their frijoles in Duz and Lux
By using branded laundry detergents to wash their dishes
A pair of very conscientious clucks
They were very careful and meticulous
On the people passing by
Even though no one was watching
The they took this cheap vacation
They went away on a low-budget trip
Their shoes were polished bright
They made sure to shine their shoes
No they never heard the whistle
They didn't notice when the train whistled
They're clear out of sight
They disappeared without a trace
When the starlight beams its tender tender glow
When the stars are shining bright and soft
The beams go to sleep and there ain't no dough
The light goes out, and there is no money being made
For the people passing by
And nobody is around to see it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Joe Greene
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
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Ben - Moderator
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Eddie
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