The group took their name from the name of a Flintstones character, which, in turn, was a parody of singer Mel Torme's nickname; the Velvet Fog. The group first came together in the Minneapolis area in 1989 as a country-rock reaction to the punk and hardcore music that dominated the Twin Cities' musical scene at the time; eventually Golden Smog became something of a fixture at local clubs, where they would play a handful of shows annually. Golden Smog's lineup has often changed, though Run Westy Run guitarist Kraig Jarret Johnson as well as guitarists Dan Murphy (Soul Asylum) and Gary Louris (the Jayhawks) were relative constants.
The definitive beginning of Golden Smog is hard to pinpoint given the mercurial nature of the band's lineup. Some point back to a show in January of 1987 when a band billed as 'The Take It To The Limit Band' played an all Eagles cover show at the Uptown Bar in Minneapolis. This band consisted of Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner (both of Soul Asylum), Jim Boquist (later of Son Volt), and Martin Zellar (Gear Daddies). The show ended with a cover of then Bangles hit song Walk Like An Egyptian. This same band later played a The Rolling Stones themed show in 1989 under the name "Her Satanic Majesty's Paycheck."
Between these early covers shows, and Golden Smog's first album, it is unclear what happened. It's hard to claim that these early shows were by Golden Smog, but rather in hindsight they were played in the spirit of the early Golden Smog. In 1992, Dan Murphy, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman (bassist for The Jayhawks), Kraig Johnson, and Chris Mars (the Replacements) released Golden Smog's first CD, a covers EP entitled On Golden Smog. This was followed four years later in 1996 by their full-length debut, Down By The Old Mainstream, recorded at Pachyderm Recording Studio with a lineup that included Kraig Johnson, Dan Murphy, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, and Honeydogs drummer Noah Levy (all of whom recorded under pseudonyms as a result of contractual obligations). A few years later the band reformed with Jody Stephens (of Big Star) taking over for Noah on the drums (Jody had previously played with the band during a New Years Eve show in Chicago in 1996). This new incarnation of Golden Smog released Weird Tales in 1998.
In 2005 a new incarnation of the smog formed and recorded a new album in Spain. The new album is entitled Another Fine Day and was released on July, 18th 2006 on the Lost Highway Records. This album features both Jody Stephens and Linda Pitmon from Zuzu's Petals on drums. This album, like the previous couple is of a more coherent band, although Jeff Tweedy is only featured on a few songs. In the summer of 2006, the Smog played a couple of shows in Minneapolis and New York City. These shows were without Tweedy, as he had previously stated that he was too busy to tour with the band. A six-show mini-tour occured in September of 2006. In 2007 Golden Smog released an EP on Lost Highway called Blood On The Slacks.
Cowboy Song
Golden Smog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those starry nights, campfire lights
The coyote call, the howling wind wails
As I ride out on an uncertain sundown
I am just a cowboy, lonesome on the trail
Lord, I'm just thinking about a certain female
The nights we spent together riding on the range
Roll me over and turn me around
Let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground
Roll me over and let me go
Riding in the Buffalo
I was took in Texas, I did not know her name
Lord, those southern girls all seem the same
Down below the border, a town in Mexico
I set out with the rodeo
Roll me over and turn me around
Let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground
Roll me over and let me go
Riding free with the Buffalo
Roll me over and turn me around
Let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground
Roll me over and let me go
Riding in the rodeo
Roll me over and I'll turn around
And I'll watch my fingers go up and down
Up and down
That's okay amigo, let me go
Roll me over and turn me around
Let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground
Roll me over and let me go
Riding in the rodeo
Roll me over and let me be
Roll me over and let me be
Cowboy's life is the one for me
The lyrics of Golden Smog's "Cowboy Song" can be interpreted in a few different ways, but one interpretation is the story of a lonely cowboy who is longing for a woman he used to ride with. The cowboy reflects on his memories of her and the times they spent together riding on the range. However, as he thinks back on these memories, they seem distant and strange, leaving him wondering if they were ever really that important to him. The cowboy is on an uncertain journey as the sun sets, and he is forced to confront his feelings of loneliness and uncertainty.
The repeated refrain of "roll me over and turn me around, let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground" could be seen as a metaphor for the cowboy's own life. He is unsure of where he is going or what he is doing, but he wants to keep moving forward and experiencing life, even if it means taking some falls along the way. The line "cowboy's life is the one for me" at the end of the song indicates that the cowboy has made peace with his life and the uncertainties that come with it.
Overall, the song presents a melancholy but ultimately accepting view of life as a cowboy, full of loneliness, uncertainty, and the need to keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I am just a cowboy, lonesome on the trail
I am a lonely cowboy, wandering on the path
Those starry nights, campfire lights
The nights with stars and campfires burning bright
The coyote call, the howling wind wails
Hearing the coyotes howl and the wind's mournful tale
As I ride out on an uncertain sundown
My journey continues into a sunset unknown
Lord, I'm just thinking about a certain female
I'm thinking of a woman I met, an unspecific female
The nights we spent together riding on the range
The evenings we rode together along the plains so strange
Looking back it all seems so strange
In hindsight, it all feels peculiar and deranged
Roll me over and turn me around
Spin me until my world is upside down
Let me keep spinning 'til I hit the ground
Keep rolling me until I fall to the ground
Roll me over and let me go
Release me, let me flow
Riding in the Buffalo
Like a buffalo, charge forward, and go
I was took in Texas, I did not know her name
In Texas, I met a lady I didn't know by name
Lord, those southern girls all seem the same
All southern girls appear the same, oh what a shame
Down below the border, a town in Mexico
Crossing the border, a city in Mexico
I set out with the rodeo
I rode with the rodeo, putting on a show
Roll me over and let me be
Roll me over and set me free
Cowboy's life is the one for me
I love my cowboy life dearly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Brian Michael Downey, Philip Parris Lynott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind