Combining Clark's melancholy country-folk with Olson's cowpunk influence, the album was a critical success, also becoming Clark's best-selling solo record. Clark even overcame his chronic travel anxiety to play some gigs to promote the album. Two of these performances were later released as "Silhouetted In Light" (recorded at McCabe's, Santa Monica in 1990) and "In Concert" (recorded at Mountain Stage, West Virginia in 1988).
Ironically, just as his career was taking a turn for the better, Clark's health quickly deteriorated. In 1988 he had to undergo surgery to deal with ulcers caused by years of heavy drinking. A period of abstinence followed, but in the end he once more indulged in drugs and alcohol abuse. On May 24, 1991, Gene Clark died from a heart attack after a period of particularly heavy drinking. He had just begun work on a second album with Carla Olson. Olson continues to work as a producer and songwriter for Mare Winningham, Percy Sledge, and Phil Upchurch, among others.
The Drifter
Gene Clark & Carla Olson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
And the way things were going
His world wouldn't last
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
The judge put Jesse in the jail
Although there is no crime
The padre tried to get him out
With a stick of dynamite
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays a price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Oh no
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
Which way will he go will it be left or right
The judge says things are either black or white
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The song "The Drifter" by Gene Clark and Carla Olson tells the story of a drifter who never stays in one place for too long, always running away from his problems and responsibilities. The lyrics are rich with imagery and metaphors, describing a town where the judge and Jesse (presumably the town's sheriff) are trying to keep things under control, while the desperadoes are planning to set the town on fire. The drifter is caught in the middle, constantly running away from danger but never able to escape his own demons.
The verses describe the various characters and their actions, painting a vivid picture of a lawless town where justice is a commodity and violence is always lurking in the shadows. The chorus repeats the refrain of the drifter's running, emphasizing the futility of his actions and the sadness of his situation. The final verse has a note of hope, as the drifter realizes that he cannot always run away and will eventually have to face his choices and make a stand.
Overall, "The Drifter" is a poignant and powerful song about the human condition and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that seems chaotic and unfair. It speaks to the universal themes of loss, betrayal, and redemption, and invites the listener to reflect on their own journey through life.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesse and the padre try to keep things cool
Jesse and the padre attempt to keep the situation under control
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
They are skilled in turning a bad situation into a good one
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
The judge was someone who spoke quickly
And the way things were going
His world wouldn't last
The judge's world is falling apart
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
The outlaws devise a plan to burn down the town
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
Their plan backfires and they are attacked
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The drifter runs away from his troubles but he never solves anything
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
The judge warns those challenging him that the town belongs to him and that the outlaws are uneducated and not significant.
The judge put Jesse in the jail
Although there is no crime
The padre tried to get him out
With a stick of dynamite
The judge wrongfully imprisons Jesse and the padre attempts to free him through force.
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
Which way will he go will it be left or right
The judge says things are either black or white
The drifter realizes that he can't always follow others and must ultimately choose a side, which the judge views as either right or wrong.
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The outlaws are defeated in their plan and the drifter continues to run away from his problems without solving them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANNA PESQUIDOUS, BOGART GINER, JACK GOURLAY, KRISTY BUGLASS, RUPERT MORGAN, SOPHIE-ROSE HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Muziekgenot
Jesse and the padre try to keep things cool
Knowing exactly how to make stone into jewels
The judge was the kind of man who always talked fast
And the way things were going
His world wouldn't last
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
The judge said boys don't you know this town is mine
Don't going try to change it everything will be just fine
Those desperadoes don't pay them no mind
Everybody knows that they can't read or write
The judge put Jesse in the jail
Although there is no crime
The padre tried to get him out
With a stick of dynamite
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays a price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
Oh no
The drifter knows he can't always go with the tide
The time will come when he'll have to choose up sides
Which way will he go will it be left or right
The judge says things are either black or white
The desperado's make a plan
To set the town on fire
And when they try to make a stand
They were ambushed at the wire
The drifter never stays to fight
He keeps running till he's way out of sight
But it gets him nowhere
And the drifter never pays the price
He's running through the day and the night
But he's running to nowhere
alice mc
R.I.P. Gene Clark. What a musical force.
Louis Vanrenen
If this great performance by 2 incredible musicians had not been taped on this tv show, we would not have this rare gene/Carla appearance. It is priceless. Thanks to tv producers Exeter a! Thanks to gene and Carla.
Steve G
A great duo! It's nice to see two major talents playing together and enjoying it. It's a pity this partnership didn't last longer due to Gene's bad health, but at least we have So Rebellious a Lover and a few live concerts.
Armand Di Meo
I never heard of Carla Olson until tonight but she is amazing with both Gene and Mick Taylor. She is also versatile to do both country with Gene and blues oriented rock with Mick. She has a great voice that captures the emotion of the music with both artists. I am glad I discovered her.
David Snyder
I’ve been her friend since 1978. She’s brilliant!
Grey Jay
Wow. Carla Olson is electrifying. A lot of fire in that woman.
Artemio Balderas
That solo of the acoustic guitar is beautiful.
Jim McCord
Impressive performance.First time hearing Carla Olson.She and Gene compliment each other in this clip.Thanks for posting,brotherhamlet!
2468pebble
When I decided to catch up with Gene Clark, this was the all-important first track on 'So rebellious a lover'. It's such a knockout song that all my doubts evaporated instantly. Carla Olson has a great voice and writes great songs. Can only wonder how good that second album would have been,,,
Jeffery Matuszak
These two always make me feel better, no matter how bad I feel. Love you Gene and Carla.