The Desert Rose Band was formed in 1985 by frontman Chris Hillman (born December 4, 1944), formerly a member of The Byrds, and co-founder, along with the late Gram Parsons of the country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers. Additional members included John Jorgenson (born July 6, 1956), who was mainly responsible for the instrumental arrangements of the songs, and Herb Pedersen (born April 27, 1944) for the vocal arrangements. Pedersen sang the high tenor part above Hillman's tenor and each Desert Rose Band album featured Pedersen on one lead vocal. Drummer Steve Duncan (born July 28, 1953) and bassist Bill Bryson (1946-2017) provided background vocals. Pedal steel player JayDee Maness (born January 4, 1945) rounded out the group.
Their eponymous debut album was issued in 1987 on MCA/Curb. It contained their first hit "Ashes of Love", which was originally a Johnnie & Jack song from the early 1950s. It was the second time Hillman and Pedersen recorded "Ashes of Love," the first being on Hillman's just prior album Desert Rose on the Sugar Hill label. The Desert Rose Band's debut also featured a remake of Chris Hillman's "Time Between" which he previously wrote and recorded as a member of the Byrds, as well as the band's first chart-topper "He's Back and I'm Blue".
Their second album Running (1988) featured the John Hiatt-penned hit "She Don't Love Nobody", "Running", and a remake of Buck Owens's "Hello Trouble".
The third album Pages of Life (1990) featured a remake of "Desert Rose" as well as a remake of Pedersen's folk song about his daughter "Our Baby's Gone" which was originally recorded on his 1976 album Southwest. JayDee Maness left the band in 1990 and was replaced on pedal steel guitar by Tom Brumley whom Jay Dee replaced in the Buckaroos. Maness would again play with Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen on their post Desert Rose Band duo albums Bakersfield Bound and Way Out West.
The fourth studio album, True Love, was released in 1991. It was followed by 1993's Life Goes On, released only in Europe. Several prominent country and bluegrass musicians made guest appearances on Life Goes On including Sam Bush on fiddle, Tony Rice and Larry Park (of Boy Howdy) on guitar, and Al Perkins on dobro. Before the release of this final studio album, was the 1993 compilation Traditional.
John Jorgenson and Steve Duncan left the band in 1991. Jorgenson went on to form the Hellecasters with Will Ray and Jerry Donahue; Duncan also joined the Hellecasters. John Jorgenson is currently playing gypsy jazz with his John Jorgenson Quintette. Chris and Herb recorded an acoustic album called The Other Side in 2005. They continue to tour as an acoustic duo. Former Buck Owens steel player Tom Brumley played with Joey Riley's band in Branson, Missouri. He died on February 3, 2009.
On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed The Desert Rose Band among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.
Homeless
Desert Rose Band Lyrics
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Future looked just fine
Fell in love with a boy in school,
Married an assembly line
They were huntin' down the American dream
Wonderin' where it'd gone
When they found themselves
To be fair game lost their home
He was laid off on a Friday night went out
Drinkin' with his friends
She stayed in the car with the kids all night,
He never came back again
Oh what was she to do,
Where was she to go
Is home really were the heart is
When the heart can't feel at home
Homeless, her and her family
Homeless, is this the way of livin' free
And her house is an abandoned car
At the side of the road
Homeless, will she find where that road goes
Her time is now so precious,
She hunts for work and food
Their clothes are torn and tattered,
So her kids stay out of school
She looks for hope under every can
"At the sound of the tone
Just leave a message. We'll call you back"
But they know she's not at home
Homeless, her and her family
Homeless, is this the way of livin' free
And her house is an abandoned car
At the side of the road
Homeless, will she find where that road goes
In this land of milk and honey
We share with all who need
Except the ones outside our door,
The ones we cannot see
It's the proud, the true,
The faithful left out in the cold
It's people just like you and me
At the end of the road
Homeless, her and her family
Homeless, is this the way of livin' free
And her house is an abandoned car
At the side of the road
Homeless, will she find where that road goes
Homeless, will she find where that road goes
The lyrics to Desert Rose Band's song "Homeless" portray the reality of many Americans who have lost their jobs, homes, and ultimately their sense of security. It starts off with the singer, who was once a rodeo queen with a promising future, getting married to a man who worked in an assembly line. As they pursued the American dream, they lost their home and became homeless. The man got laid off and started drinking with his friends and never came back, leaving the singer and her children to fend for themselves. The lyrics capture the pain and uncertainty of the homeless family's plight, as they struggle to find work, food, and shelter while living in an abandoned car on the side of the road.
The song also reveals the darker side of the American dream, as not everyone is able to achieve it. It highlights the harsh reality of people who dedicate their lives to work and then lose everything they worked for. The singer's search for hope and her family's struggle to survive is a poignant reminder of how the world can be unjust despite best efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
She started out a rodeo queen, Future looked just fine
She began her life with bright hopes and dreams like a rodeo queen.
Fell in love with a boy in school, Married an assembly line
She fell in love with someone from her school and they got married, but he was working at a monotonous assembly line job.
They were huntin' down the American dream Wonderin' where it'd gone When they found themselves To be fair game lost their home
They were hoping to achieve the American Dream but instead became victims of the system and lost their home.
He was laid off on a Friday night went out Drinkin' with his friends She stayed in the car with the kids all night, He never came back again Oh what was she to do, Where was she to go Is home really were the heart is When the heart can't feel at home
He got laid off from his job and went out with his friends, leaving his family alone in the car. He never returned, leaving his wife with no idea what to do. The idea of 'home is where the heart is' is not enough when there is no physical home to go to.
Homeless, her and her family Homeless, is this the way of livin' free And her house is an abandoned car At the side of the road Homeless, will she find where that road goes
They are homeless and living on the road, with an abandoned car as their only shelter. They are uncertain of where their future will lead.
Her time is now so precious, She hunts for work and food Their clothes are torn and tattered, So her kids stay out of school She looks for hope under every can “At the sound of the tone Just leave a message. We'll call you back” But they know she's not at home
She spends all her time searching for food and work, while her children don’t go to school because they don't have proper clothes. She reaches out for help wherever possible, but everyone is aware that she does not have a place of her own.
In this land of milk and honey We share with all who need Except the ones outside our door, The ones we cannot see It's the proud, the true, The faithful left out in the cold It's people just like you and me At the end of the road
Despite the fact that we live in a land full of resources, we still fail to share it with those who are less fortunate than us, and they end up being left out in the cold. We must look beyond ourselves and reach out to help those in need.
Homeless, her and her family Homeless, is this the way of livin' free And her house is an abandoned car At the side of the road Homeless, will she find where that road goes
They are still homeless, and the future is uncertain.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DANIELLE BRISEBOIS, DIA FRAMPTON, JOHN HILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jo luttringer
Great song, awesome great sound quality : thanks for sharing, Tom !
Carolyn Jones
In this era where there are so many Homeless, this song should be heard by everyone who passes a panhandler out there and passes judgement on him or her before learning what their true situation is. God Bless You.
mosrite60
Well, folks, this is the real country music genre. Not the cheap hip-pop bull crap on the "country " radios these days. Chris, Herb, Jorgensen, Jay Dee Maness, Bill Bryce, true country heroes. Band now split but many hits remain on YT. Thx Tom great upload. mos60
Kelton King
Actually they still play together.
Steve James
One of the most underrated country bands of the 80's. Such a shame. All members were Nashville A pickers. Besides, Skaggs, only band I saw with all the original studio pickers and both were great shows. I don't even listen to country anymore. Gone to crap these days!!!