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.
stout and high
Asleep At The Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And promised a new start
Those who′ve tried and lost
Now they say they want it back
Take it back they will
They say at any cost
Come on, Santa Anna
Come on, Santa Anna
These walls are stout and high
One by one, day by day
The enemy floods the plains
Must be thousands out there
Colonel Travis talks of help
I hope it's coming soon
Help is our only prayer
Come on, Santa Anna
Give us your best try
Come on, Santa Anna
These walls are stout and high
The Sunday dawn burned fiery red
Deguello cuts the air
Look out boys, here they come
The more we kill the more there are
The closer that they get
The louder beats the drum
Come on, Santa Anna
Give us your best try
Come on, Santa Anna
These walls are stout and high
The fighting at the northern wall
Seems to have stopped
Did you see Travis fall?
God, save Texas and my kids
Have mercy on my soul
Great God! They′re in the wall
Come on, Santa Anna
Give us your best try
Come on, Santa Anna
These walls are stout and high
These walls are stout and high
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on, Santa Anna
These walls are stout and high
These walls are stout and high
The lyrics of Asleep at the Wheel's song "Stout and High" tell the story of the Battle of the Alamo, which took place in 1836 during the fight for Texan independence from Mexico. The song is largely from the perspective of the Texan fighters, who are trying to hold off the Mexican army led by General Santa Anna. The Texan fighters have been promised a new start in this land, but are now facing overwhelming odds as they try to defend their position. Santa Anna's army is flooding the plains, and the Texans are desperately hoping for reinforcements to arrive. They know that their only chance is to hold out long enough for help to come.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the battle, with the Sunday dawn burning fiery red and the sound of the Deguello signaling the start of the attack. The closer the Mexican army gets, the louder the drum beats, and the Texans are forced to fight harder and harder. Despite their bravery and determination, the Texans are ultimately defeated, as Santa Anna's troops breach their defenses and overtake the Alamo.
Overall, "Stout and High" is a haunting and powerful tribute to the brave Texans who fought and died at the Alamo. The song captures the sense of desperate hope and heartbreaking loss that characterized this pivotal moment in Texan history.
Line by Line Meaning
They gave us all this land
The settlers were given the land by the government
And promised a new start
The settlers were given the land with a promise of a new beginning
Those who′ve tried and lost
Some settlers have failed to make a life here
Now they say they want it back
The Mexicans want their land back
Take it back they will
The Mexicans are determined to take back the land
They say at any cost
The Mexicans are willing to pay any price to take back the land
Come on, Santa Anna
The Texans are inviting Santa Anna to attack
Give us your best try
The Texans are daring Santa Anna to do his worst
These walls are stout and high
The Texans are confident in their defenses
One by one, day by day
The enemy soldiers are approaching gradually
The enemy floods the plains
The Mexicans are advancing towards the fort
Must be thousands out there
There are a large number of Mexican soldiers approaching
Colonel Travis talks of help
The commander is hoping for reinforcements
I hope it's coming soon
The defenders are hoping for help to arrive quickly
Help is our only prayer
The Texans are relying on divine intervention for help
The Sunday dawn burned fiery red
The morning is filled with foreboding and danger
Deguello cuts the air
The horns of the Mexican army are sounding the signal for no quarter
Look out boys, here they come
The Texans are preparing for a fierce attack
The more we kill, the more there are
The Mexicans keep coming despite heavy losses
The closer that they get
The Mexicans are getting closer to the fort
The louder beats the drum
The sound of the approaching army is getting louder
The fighting at the northern wall
The battle at the fort is raging on multiple fronts
Seems to have stopped
The defenders think the enemy has stopped attacking on one front
Did you see Travis fall?
The commander has fallen, and the Texans are asking if anyone saw it happen
God, save Texas and my kids
A Texan soldier is praying for his family and his home
Have mercy on my soul
The soldier is asking for divine forgiveness
Great God! They′re in the wall
The Mexicans have breached the Texan defenses
These walls are stout and high
Despite their confidence, the Texans have now been overrun
Writer(s): Warden
Contributed by Charlotte H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.
Allan Marcotte
Love this version, great song and great album
DShiflet01
I can't get into this one...too calm and peaceful. The original version conveyed a growing sense of dread in the verses(culminating in the final line of the last verse), countered by a challenging defiance in the chorus.
Shaelene Yazzie
Like Wagoneers Version.......