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.
Pretty Paper
Asleep at the Wheel Lyrics
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Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Crowded street, busy feet, hustle by him
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
Should you stop? Better not, much too busy
You're in a hurry, my how time does fly
In the distance the ringing of laughter
And in the midst of the laughter he cries
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
The lyrics of Asleep At The Wheel's song "Pretty Paper" tells a story of a lonely man sitting all alone on the sidewalk, hoping that someone would buy his pretty paper and ribbons. The busy crowd rushes past him, too busy to stop and notice the sadness in the man's eyes. In the distance, the ringing of laughter seems to mock his loneliness.
The use of "pretty paper" evokes an air of festivity and joy, yet the man, who is struggling to make ends meet, is forced to sell his wares to survive. The "pretty ribbons of blue" and "pretty pencils to write I love you" suggest that the paper is intended to be used for gift-wrapping and writing notes of love and affection, yet here they serve as a means of income for the vendor.
The juxtaposition of festive imagery with the man's circumstances reminds us of the harsh realities of life that can be hidden among the glitter and glamour of the holiday season. The song delivers a powerful message about the importance of kindness and compassion towards those who are less fortunate, calling out to us to pause and reflect on the true spirit of the season.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty paper, pretty ribbons of blue
Beautiful wrapping paper and ribbons of blue are being used as decorations for Christmas presents.
Wrap your presents to your darling from you
Use this beautiful paper and ribbons to wrap a present for someone special in your life.
Pretty pencils to write I love you
Use these beautiful pencils to write a heartfelt message on your Christmas presents.
Crowded street, busy feet, hustle by him
The streets are crowded as people are rushing around to finish their Christmas shopping.
Downtown shoppers, Christmas is nigh
The shoppers are in downtown area and Christmas is coming soon.
There he sits all alone on the sidewalk
There is a homeless man sitting all by himself on the street.
Hoping that you won't pass him by
He is hoping that someone will stop and give him some help or attention.
Should you stop? Better not, much too busy
People are too busy and rushing around to stop and help the homeless man.
You're in a hurry, my how time does fly
People are rushing around and time seems to be going by too quickly for anyone to notice the homeless man.
In the distance the ringing of laughter
People can be heard laughing in the distance, enjoying the holiday season.
And in the midst of the laughter he cries
The homeless man is crying as he feels alone and hopeless while listening to people laughing in the distance.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Willie Nelson
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.