After 1974's Calabasas he landed at Warner Bros. to issue We Be Sailin' a year later. Down to the Station, from 1977's Lost Feeling, was his last chart hit, and after 1980's Lifeline his recording career was over. Sadly, Stevenson died on April 28, 1988 shortly after undergoing heart valve surgery; he was just 38 years old. Since his death, Poor David's Pub in Dallas has held an annual songwriting competition in his memory.
Author Jan Reid devotes a chapter to Stevenson in his book The Improbable Rise of Redneck Rock, dubbing him "The Voice".
In mid 1996, Stevenson's hit My Maria reached the charts again when it was covered by the country duo Brooks & Dunn, for whom it became a three-week #1 country hit.
Texas Morning
B.W. Stevenson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shuffled and stacked on a postcard rack
There's a cute little kid on a shetland pony
Smiles at me, I can't smile back
Cactus Jack drinks coffee black
Tells me it's my lucky day
Five o'clock in the Texas morning
Well, she left me cold on a winter's morning
Cold it's been for the longest time
She told me Texas was where she was going
I come and look and she's hard to find
Cactus Jack drinks coffe black
Tells me it's my lucky day
Five o'clock in the Texas morning
I come a long, long way
I don't know just where I'm gonna find her
Maybe the soldier with the suitcase saw her
She just said she was going to Texas now
For a little while
I'm looking for the girl with light brown hair
Hazel eyes, she's not too pretty
But a beautiful smile
She just said she was going to Texas for a little while
Well, the cook in the back is getting mighty curious
He asks the waitress where I'm from
She just says, Hell, I ain't never seen him
Probably just a California bum
Cactus Jack, he says that's right
As I walk out into the night
Five o'clock in the Texas morning
I got a long long ride
Five o'clock in the Texas morning
I got a long long ride
Outside the sun is up
And the wind blows me like a paper cup
Down the highway.
B.W. Stevenson's "Texas Morning" tells the story of a man who is in search of a girl who left him on a winter's morning. The song paints a vivid picture of a ten cent scenery that is shuffled on a postcard rack. The man mentions a cute little kid on a Shetland pony that smiles at him, but he can't smile back. This could be an indication of his emotional state - as he seems to be lost and unhappy.
The song mentions Cactus Jack who drinks coffee black and tells the man that it is his lucky day. This could be interpreted in different ways as it's unclear what the man has been searching for. It could also be seen as the fact that he's been able to travel far and wide which some people wouldn't have the opportunity to do. However, it's uncertain if he's found what he was looking for or not.
The song's lyrics keep repeating the phrase "Five o'clock in the Texas morning" which seems to indicate the urgency and determination of the man's search. As he travels down the highway, he catches the wind and feels light like a paper cup. This could be seen as him feeling free or having left his problems behind - almost as if the journey is as important as the destination.
Line by Line Meaning
Right in the middle of a ten cent scenery
Surrounded by views that don't seem worth much
Shuffled and stacked on a postcard rack
Images compressed on a shelf, devoid of life
There's a cute little kid on a shetland pony
A charming child mounted on an adorable pony
Smiles at me, I can't smile back
I'm too sad to smile back at the cheerful kid
Cactus Jack drinks coffee black
A man named Cactus Jack drinks unsweetened coffee
Tells me it's my lucky day
Cactus Jack believes I'm fortunate today
Five o'clock in the Texas morning
At the early hour of five in the morning in Texas
I come a long, long way
I travelled far to reach this place
Well, she left me cold on a winter's morning
She abandoned me on a frigid winter day
Cold it's been for the longest time
I've been feeling cold and alone for a while now
She told me Texas was where she was going
She said she was heading to Texas
I come and look and she's hard to find
I arrived and couldn't locate her as expected
I don't know just where I'm gonna find her
I'm uncertain of her whereabouts
Maybe the soldier with the suitcase saw her
Perhaps a soldier carrying luggage saw her
She just said she was going to Texas now
She only mentioned that she was headed to Texas
For a little while
For a brief period
I'm looking for the girl with light brown hair
I'm searching for a girl with light brown hair
Hazel eyes, she's not too pretty
She has hazel eyes but isn't strikingly attractive
But a beautiful smile
Yet she possesses a lovely smile
Well, the cook in the back is getting mighty curious
The chef at the rear of the establishment is becoming inquisitive
He asks the waitress where I'm from
He inquired of the server about my origin
She just says, Hell, I ain't never seen him
She responds, 'I've never seen him before'
Probably just a California bum
She assumes I am a vagrant from California
Cactus Jack, he says that's right
Cactus Jack confirms the waitress's statement
As I walk out into the night
I depart into the darkness
Outside the sun is up
The sun is rising
And the wind blows me like a paper cup
The wind tosses me around like a disposable cup
Down the highway.
I proceed along the roadway.
Contributed by Ethan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.