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
Steel Guitar
Fred Eaglesmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bolo tie
Greasy greasy ducktail
Western eyes
4-point satin
Country stars
A Nashville train
Steel guitar
WW
Bright blue glow
Out in the parking lot with a radio
A juke joint jumping
Like a bubbling tar
Mississippi rain
Steel guitar
Rocketships falling out of the sky
Little green men with great big eyes
Lookin' right at
They ain't from Mars
Sneaky sneaky sneaky
Steel guitars
Mona Lisa’s got a little smile
Like to cut up a rug every once in awhile
Never gets lonesome
Never gets tired
I think she’s in love with a Steel guitar
Rocketships falling out of the sky
Little green men with great big eyes
A juke joint jumping
Like a bubbling tar
Mississippi rain
Steel guitar
A Nashville train
Steel guitar
The lyrics of Fred Eaglesmith's "Steel Guitar" nostalgically take the listener on a journey through Americana's iconic symbols and characters that hearken back to the 1950s era. The song serves as a tribute to the steel guitar's role in country music, as it is peppered with mentions of its significance, alongside other cultural artifacts. The song's opening lines paint a picture of a man with custom cut sideburns dressed in a bolo tie and greasy ducktail gazing with western eyes. The following verses describe rocketships falling out of the sky, little green men with big eyes, juke joints, Mississippi rain, country stars, and other characters and symbols.
The lyrics depict the steel guitar as a sneaky, seductive instrument, with its twangy sound weaving in and out of each verse to create an almost mystical or otherworldly quality. Meanwhile, singer Mona Lisa makes an appearance, a woman who never gets lonesome or tired and is, Eaglesmith suggests, in love with the steel guitar. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, tying all previously mentioned symbols back to the steel guitar.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that the steel guitar is an essential aspect of Americana culture and country music, with its sound, like no other instrument, evoking a sense of timelessness and nostalgia for simpler times.
Line by Line Meaning
Custom cut sideburns
His sideburns are meticulously styled to his liking
Bolo tie
He is wearing a bolo tie, a trademark of his retro style
Greasy greasy ducktail
His hair is slicked back in a classic ducktail style, but it's a bit oily
Western eyes
His eyes are a reflection of the western lifestyle he leads
4-point satin
He is wearing a satin jacket with elaborate stitching in a classic western design
Country stars
The stars in the sky remind him of his love for country music
A Nashville train
He's traveling by train to Nashville, the country music capital of the world
Steel guitar
He plays the steel guitar; it's his passion and livelihood
WW
He's admiring a woman with bright, blue eyes
Bright blue glow
Her eyes are captivating and radiate a deep blue color
Out in the parking lot with a radio
He's enjoying the music from a portable radio in the parking lot
A juke joint jumping
He's at a dive bar where the music is loud, and everyone's dancing
Like a bubbling tar
The music is lively and infectious like hot tar bubbling on the pavement
Mississippi rain
It's raining, but he hardly notices as he's so engrossed in the music
Steel guitar
The steel guitar is his favorite instrument to hear and play at these kinds of venues
Rocketships falling out of the sky
In his imagination, he pictures rocket ships falling from the sky
Little green men with great big eyes
In his mind's eye, he sees aliens with large, curious eyes
Lookin' right at
These imaginary creatures are staring straight at him
They ain't from Mars
He doesn't know where they're from, but he's sure they're not from Mars
Sneaky sneaky sneaky
These beings are sneaky, or perhaps it's just his mind playing tricks on him
Steel guitars
The music he hears in his head is otherworldly, and there's a prominent steel guitar sound
Mona Lisa’s got a little smile
He's admiring the Mona Lisa painting, with her enigmatic smile
Like to cut up a rug every once in awhile
He likes to dance and have a good time, even if it's just once in a while
Never gets lonesome
The Mona Lisa painting never seems to get lonely, even though it's just a painting
Never gets tired
The Mona Lisa painting never shows signs of fatigue or weariness, thanks to its timeless quality
I think she’s in love with a Steel guitar
He imagines that the Mona Lisa painting would be in love with the sound of a steel guitar
A Nashville train
He's again on a train headed to Nashville, the mecca of his passion for country music
Steel guitar
Once again, his thoughts turn to the steel guitar, the instrument that brings him so much joy
Contributed by Matthew 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"