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.
That's Your Red Wagon
Asleep At The Wheel Lyrics
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Be the laughing stock all over town,
That's your red wagon,
That's your red wagon,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
If you stick your nose some place it don't belong,
Don't you come to me if things go wrong!
That's your red wagon,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
When you're making your bed,
Remember you'll do the lying there!
When you buttered your bread,
Don't expect me to eat your share!
If you're gonna play horses and blow your dough,
Don't you run to me if they don't show!
That's your red wagon,
That's your red wagon,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
So the chick you left me for is tired of you,
Baby, why call me 'cause I'm tired too?
That's your red wagon,
That's your red wagon,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
Now you've finally learned
That you get burned when you play with fire!
Don't come running to me,
You can't use me for your spare tire!
If you don't have love songs to fit my key,
Baby, don't sing your blues to me!
That's your red wagon,
That's your red wagon,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
The lyrics of Asleep At The Wheel's song That's Your Red Wagon are dripping with sarcasm and contempt for someone who is behaving foolishly and making bad decisions. The repeated line "That's your red wagon, so just keep draggin' your red wagon along" serves as a sort of refrain or chorus that emphasizes the singer's unwillingness to be dragged down by this person's misbehavior. The imagery of the "red wagon" is a metaphor for the consequences of the person's actions, something they are carrying around with them whether they realize it or not.
The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, warning the person that if they want to act like a clown and be the laughing stock of the town, they can do so but they should not expect any sympathy or help from the singer. The second verse is even more blunt, telling the person not to stick their nose where it does not belong and to deal with the fallout of their actions on their own.
The third verse uses a different metaphor, that of making a bed and lying in it, to warn the person that they will have to face the consequences of their actions eventually. The fourth verse continues this theme, telling the person not to come to the singer if their gambling or other risky behaviors do not pay off. The fifth verse turns to a more personal relationship, mocking the person for leaving the singer for someone else who has now also rejected them. The final verse pulls all the themes together, warning the person not to expect sympathy or forgiveness from the singer just because they are feeling blue.
Overall, the lyrics of That's Your Red Wagon are a scathing critique of someone who is making poor choices and causing problems for themselves and those around them. The use of metaphors and repetition help to drive home the message that the person is responsible for their own problems and should not expect others to clean up their messes.
Line by Line Meaning
If you wanna go crazy and act like a clown,
If you want to behave foolishly and make a complete fool of yourself,
Be the laughing stock all over town,
If you want people to laugh at you everywhere and be known as a laughing stock,
That's your red wagon,
That's your responsibility and problem,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
So keep dealing with the consequences of your own choices.
If you stick your nose some place it don't belong,
If you interfere in things that are not your concern,
Don't you come to me if things go wrong!
Don't expect me to help you out when things inevitably go wrong,
When you're making your bed,
When you're doing something that will create your future situation,
Remember you'll do the lying there!
Remember that you will be the one who has to face the consequences of your actions,
When you buttered your bread,
When you made a choice that resulted in your current situation,
Don't expect me to eat your share!
Don't expect me to bear the burden of your actions as well,
If you're gonna play horses and blow your dough,
If you're going to spend your money recklessly,
Don't you run to me if they don't show!
Don't expect me to bail you out if things don't turn out as you hoped,
So the chick you left me for is tired of you,
So the person you left me for is now tired of you too,
Baby, why call me 'cause I'm tired too?
Why come to me for help when I am also tired of dealing with your problems?
Now you've finally learned
Now you've gained some wisdom and understanding,
That you get burned when you play with fire!
That you suffer consequences when you engage in risky behavior or make bad choices!
Don't come running to me,
Don't expect me to bail you out,
You can't use me for your spare tire!
You can't rely on me to fix your problems anymore!
If you don't have love songs to fit my key,
If you don't have the right songs or actions to win my heart back,
Baby, don't sing your blues to me!
Don't complain to me about the outcome when you haven't even made an effort to fix things!
That's your red wagon,
That's your responsibility and problem,
So just keep draggin' your red wagon along!
So keep dealing with the consequences of your own choices.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GENE DE PAUL, RICHARD M. JONES, DON RAYE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
The issue with search on Firefox is now resolved.
Ben - Moderator
Sorry about that Eddie - we will resolve this very soon. In the meantime you should still be able to paste a search into the search box. I'll update you here.
Eddie
With the new setup my firefox browser will not allow typing in the search area.