In addition to his own albums, Eaglesmith frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a past member of Eaglesmith's band, who had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007. Eaglesmith's fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads. He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars." His band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Fred does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Fred. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.
Current band members
* Fred J. Eaglesmith - Guitars, Vocals
* Matt Simpson - Acoustic guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
* Kori Heppner - Drums
* Luke Stackhouse - Bass, Vocals
Former members
* Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals
* David Essig - Mandolin, Guitar
* Kevin Komatsu - Drums
* Roger Marin Jr. - Pedal Steel, Guitar, Vocals
* Ralph Schipper - Bass
* Jude Waldman - Drums
* Dan Walsh - Dobro, Guitar, Vocals
* Skip Wamsteeker - Drums
* Washboard Hank - Washboard, Dobro
* Darcy Yates - Bass
Discography
* Fred Eaglesmith (1980)
* The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983)
* Indiana Road (1987)
* There Ain't No Easy Road (1991)
* Things Is Changin' (1993)
* Paradise Motel (1994)
* Drive-In Movie (1995)
* Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline (1997)
* 50 Odd Dollars (1999)
* Live: Ralph's Last Show (2001)
* Falling Stars and Broken Hearts (2002)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1' (2002)
* Balin (2003)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2' (2004)
* Dusty (2004)
* Milly's Cafe (2006)
* Tinderbox (2008)
www.fredeaglesmith.com
Milly's Cafe
Fred Eaglesmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At Milly's Cafe
They loaded their stuff into the car
And they drove away
Milly looked back for one last time
And when she turned around, she was crying
Billy just listened to the songs the radio played
They drove all the way from Fort Worth to Amarillo
Billy had stopped at Easy Pawn
And bought them up a couple of guns
Tomorrow, he said, was gonna be a brand new day
Billy and Milly tore up the entire West
They started holding up liquor stores and then they turned to banks
And it wasn't very long, you know
Their picture was on the post office wall
And it seemed that the whole world was looking for them
And the roads just get rougher
Out in West Texas
The cowboys are tougher
And the young girls are restless
And the winds take the towns
And there ain't any signs
But there's always a hill to climb
On the West Texas skyline
Milly was raised by Christians in Aberdeen
Her father was a preacher in the biggest church you ever did see
When word came down about Milly and Billy
He made a call up to New York City
He said for some boys to come down and set things straight
He met Milly in El Paso
Underneath a tree in the parking lot of the motel
And the next day when Billy went in the bank
She started the car and she drove away
When Billy came out, he never had a chance
And the roads just get rougher
Out in West Texas
The cowboys are rougher
And the young girls are restless
And the winds take the towns
And there ain't any signs
But there's always a hill to climb
On the West Texas skyline
Put up the sign one more time
At Milly's cafe
They loaded the stuff out of the car and into the doorway
Milly looked back the one last time
And when she turned around she was crying
Her daddy just got in his car and he drove away
And the roads just get rougher
Out in West Texas
Cowboys are tougher
But the young girls are restless
And the winds takes the town
And there ain't any signs
There's always a hill to climb
On the West Texas skyline
There's always a hill to climb
On the West Texas skyline
The opening lines of Fred Eaglesmith's song 'Milly's Cafe' suggest the end of an era, as the restaurant which gives the track its name puts up a sign that, for the last time, announces its closing. Milly, one of the owners, looks back at the shuttered establishment and starts to cry, while her husband Billy listens to the radio, seemingly oblivious to her distress. As the couple drives across Texas, they buy guns and start robbing liquor stores and then banks. They soon become two of the most notorious criminals in the state, with their images plastered on the post office wall. In the final verse, Milly's father, a preacher from Aberdeen, enlists the help of a group of men to stop the fugitives, and Milly abandons Billy before he can undertake a fatal bank heist. As the song closes, Milly's father drives away, and the song returns to its central image of the West Texas skyline, alluding to the transcendental aspiration of making it to the other side of the horizon.
The lyrics of 'Milly's Cafe' tell a tragic story of thwarted hopes, dashed dreams and unfulfilled potential. There is a sense that Milly and Billy had chances to live a different life, but for whatever reason, they chose to turn to crime. The song paints West Texas in a romantic light, referencing cowboys, young girls, and the state's legendary winds. Yet, at the same time, it recognizes that life is tough out in this landscape and that there are no easy solutions to the challenges people face. The song's refrain of 'there's always a hill to climb on the West Texas skyline' suggests that even when one problem is solved, another lies ahead. The lyrics seem to suggest that the cycle of hardship and endurance depicted in the song will continue without end.
Line by Line Meaning
They put up a sign for the very last time
Milly's Cafe is closing for good.
At Milly's Cafe
The location of the café.
They loaded their stuff into the car
Milly and Billy are packing up their belongings.
And they drove away
They left the café and began their journey.
Milly looked back for one last time
Milly took one last look at the café before they left for good.
And when she turned around, she was crying
Milly was emotional about leaving the café for good.
Billy just listened to the songs the radio played
Billy was not as emotional as Milly and was focusing on the radio.
They drove all the way from Fort Worth to Amarillo
Milly and Billy drove a long distance through Texas.
When Milly woke up she had makeup all over her pillow
Milly cried herself to sleep the night before.
Billy had stopped at Easy Pawn
Billy decided to stop at a pawn shop.
And bought them up a couple of guns
Billy bought a few guns at the pawn shop.
Tomorrow, he said, was gonna be a brand new day
Billy was optimistic about the future.
Billy and Milly tore up the entire West
Billy and Milly committed numerous crimes in the western part of Texas.
They started holding up liquor stores and then they turned to banks
Milly and Billy began with small robberies and gradually moved on to larger ones.
And it wasn't very long, you know
It didn't take very long for the authorities to catch on to Milly and Billy's crimes.
Their picture was on the post office wall
Milly and Billy became wanted criminals.
And it seemed that the whole world was looking for them
The authorities were on the hunt for Milly and Billy.
And the roads just get rougher
The terrain becomes more challenging.
Out in West Texas
The geographical location of the story.
The cowboys are tougher
The people in this region are rugged and independent.
And the young girls are restless
The young women in this region may be unsettled and looking for something beyond their current circumstances.
And the winds take the towns
The environment in this region, including weather conditions, can be unpredictable and challenging.
And there ain't any signs
Navigating in this region may not be easy due to a lack of clear signage.
But there's always a hill to climb
Despite the challenges, there's always a way forward if you are willing to work hard.
On the West Texas skyline
Referring to the vast expanse of the western Texas landscape and its potential for adventure.
Milly was raised by Christians in Aberdeen
Milly's upbringing is characterized by religion and a specific geographical location.
Her father was a preacher in the biggest church you ever did see
Milly's father was a religious man with a large congregation.
When word came down about Milly and Billy
Milly's father became aware of his daughter's criminal activities.
He made a call up to New York City
Milly's father reached out to someone for help.
He said for some boys to come down and set things straight
Milly's father wanted someone to intervene and fix the problem.
He met Milly in El Paso
Milly's father found her in a specific city in Texas.
Underneath a tree in the parking lot of the motel
The location where Milly's father found her.
And the next day when Billy went in the bank
Billy went in to rob a bank.
She started the car and she drove away
Milly knew what was happening and made the decision to leave Billy behind.
When Billy came out, he never had a chance
Billy was arrested and faced the consequences for his actions.
Put up the sign one more time
The sign for Milly's Café is being erected again, possibly indicating a new beginning.
They loaded the stuff out of the car and into the doorway
Milly and her associates began moving things back into the café.
Her daddy just got in his car and he drove away
Milly's father left the scene, possibly indicating a strained relationship.
There's always a hill to climb
In life, there will always be difficult obstacles to overcome.
On the West Texas skyline
The vast, open landscape of western Texas holds endless possibilities despite its challenges.
Contributed by Leo W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tim Duffin
on John Deere B
"The original B" s/b "The original paint"
"Then I saw I saw the mirror" s/b "Then I saw them narrow"