Olson, along with Kathy Valentine (a future member of the Go-Go's), formed the Textones in the early '80s for a few singles on IRS. (Most of these tracks appear on Through the Canyon [Rhino] and Back in Time [Demon U.K.].) The band's major-label debut, Midnight Mission (A&M), included help from Don Henley, Ry Cooder, Barry Goldberg, and Gene Clark. Cedar Creek, the band's second album, appeared in 1987 on Enigma Records. Olson then worked on many projects, including ones by John Fogerty, Henley, and Eric Johnson and a duet album with Clark. In 1988, she recorded a self-titled solo album (for Amigo Musik) in Sweden, backed by Wilmer X. After another duet project, this time with former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, Olson's second solo LP (Within an Ace) was released in 1993 on Watermelon Records; Reap the Whirlwind followed the next year. That album signaled a period of relative quiet from the guitarist, as she disappeared into private life while her best-of collection hit the shelves.
It wasn't until 2001 that Olson returned, boasting The Ring of Truth, an album featuring Taylor and a handful of roots rock tunes that showcased her weathered vocals and comfortable sound. Olson has also found success on the other side of the studio glass, producing records for Barry Goldberg, Dona Oxford, Jake Andrews, Joe Louis Walker, Davis Gaines, Mare Winningham, and Phil Upchurch.
Del Gato
Carla Olson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of white blood and red blood I came
I travel the saddle I follow the cattle
Down on the range where they graze
And I just ride in from a hard south western drive
My lips parched and bloodied
My face torn by sand storms and pride
Loyalty riches and inner bred ditches ?
So rebellious a lover
Don Juan as a my cover
They die cast my type called me wild ?
And I just ride in from a hard southwestern drive
The hanging tree is waiting for me to arrive
Structured political our children they ridiculed
They teach them of sins and to lie
Their schools build't by fools but by breaking the rules
Like A fox I am forced now to hide
And I just ride in from a hard south western drive
My lips parched and bloodied
My face torn by sand storms and pride
Pepper tree spreads taking many mans heads ?
But the one they would want most is mine
To the mission I go I
In San Juan and I kneel
And I pray for the love of my life
And I just ride in from a hard south western drive
My lips parched and bloodied
My face torn by sand storms and pride
The lyrics to Carla Olson's "Del Gato" tell the story of a man named Del Gato who was born near the border of the United States and Mexico, with a mix of white and red blood flowing through his veins. He travels on horseback, following cattle as they graze on the range. Del Gato is a tough man, his face torn by sandstorms and pride, and he's fueled by a potent mix of loyalty, riches, and inner-bred ditches, which he imbibed as a child. He's also a rebel and a Don Juan, a lover and a fighter, with a wild reputation. The hanging tree is waiting for him to arrive, possibly because he's been accused of some crime or wrongdoing.
The second stanza of the song talks about how the children in Del Gato's land are taught to sin and lie in schools built by fools who break the rules. Del Gato hides like a fox, constantly on the run and in danger. He rides in from a hard southwestern drive with parched and bloodied lips and a face torn by sandstorms and pride. He mentions a pepper tree spreading and taking many man's heads, but the one they would want the most is his.
Del Gato seems like a man who is constantly on the edge, fighting against the odds, and trying to find some peace and love in this harsh world. He turns to a mission in San Juan, where he kneels and prays for the love of his life, perhaps hoping for some redemption or salvation. The song is a poignant tale of a man living a hard life in the southwestern United States, struggling to survive and find some meaning in a world that is against him.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is Del Gato born close to the border
Del Gato is my name, I was born near the border.
Of white blood and red blood I came
My ancestry is mixed between white and Native American.
I travel the saddle I follow the cattle
I spend my time on horseback following the cattle on the range.
Down on the range where they graze
I work on the range where the cattle graze.
And I just ride in from a hard south western drive
I have just arrived from a difficult drive in the southwestern United States.
My lips parched and bloodied
My lips are very dry and cracked, and I may have cuts on my lips.
My face torn by sand storms and pride
My face is marked by scars from sandstorms, but also by my pride and stubbornness.
Loyalty riches and inner bred ditches?
I was raised with a mixture of loyalty, wealth, and inherited problems.
Was the brew that I drank as a child so rebellious a lover
My upbringing made me a rebellious person who loved to act against the norms.
Don Juan as a my cover
I may use a charismatic persona to cover up my true feelings or intentions.
They die cast my type called me wild?
People have labeled me as wild and unpredictable.
The hanging tree is waiting for me to arrive
I am aware that I face a risk of being lynched or hanged.
Structured political our children they ridiculed
The political system that is structured and rigid leads our children to ridicule and shame others.
They teach them of sins and to lie
Children are being taught about sin and the art of lying.
Their schools build't by fools but by breaking the rules
Those in charge of education are foolishly breaking the rules to achieve the desired outcome.
Like A fox I am forced now to hide
I am being forced to hide like a fox to protect myself from the society's threat.
Pepper tree spreads taking many mans heads?
Pepper Tree spreads asking for many people's lives.
But the one they would want most is mine
I am the one who is most wanted by those who are responsible for the threat.
To the mission I go I
I am headed to the mission of San Juan.
And I pray for the love of my life
I pray for the love of my life, hoping to see her again.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GENE CLARK, RICK CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind