El Paso
Gourds Lyrics
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Call and telephone lines are down
I call and the lines are down
Retarded girl oh she slurs
Tornadoes out on the desert sir
Tornadoes out on the desert
And I'm going to El Paso
I'm going to El Paso
I'm going to
Chicken blood on my pants
My Hands are shaky and pillow is damp
My Hands are shaky and pillow is damp
Cigarette on a rumble seat
Drive all day got nothing to eat
I'm Driving all day got nothing to get me to El Paso
I'm going to El Paso
I'm going to El Paso
I'm going to
Look out Juarez
I gonna dance with the Strawberry girl
I'm gonna dance with the Strawberry girl
Green shirt muddy shoes
Waiting on the bus to get me through
I'm waiting on the bus to get me to goin to El Paso
I'm going to El Paso
I'm going to El Paso
The lyrics of The Gourds' song "El Paso" are enigmatic and ambiguous, with no clear narrative thread or linear storyline. Instead, the lyrics seem to paint a series of vivid and disjointed images, capturing the mood and atmosphere of a chaotic and uncertain journey towards a distant and mysterious destination. The opening lines describe a flooded road and fallen telephone lines, suggesting a world beset by natural disasters and communication breakdowns. Against this backdrop of confusion and dislocation, the singer sets out on a journey to El Paso, with no clear sense of purpose or direction.
The middle section of the song is similarly fragmented, with images of chicken blood on pants, shaky hands, and a cigarette on a rumble seat. The sense of unease and instability is palpable, and it's unclear what is driving the singer's sense of urgency or desperation. The final section of the song introduces a new character, the Strawberry girl, who the singer hopes to dance with in Juarez. Again, this image is vivid and intriguing but ultimately enigmatic, as is the final image of the singer waiting for a bus to take him to El Paso.
Line by Line Meaning
Flooded roads out of town
The roads are flooded and it's difficult to leave this town.
Call and telephone lines are down
The communication lines are disconnected and can't be used.
I call and the lines are down
The singer attempts to make a phone call, but the lines are still disconnected.
Retarded girl oh she slurs
There's a girl who has difficulty speaking clearly.
Tornadoes out on the desert sir
There are tornadoes happening in the desert.
Tornadoes out on the desert
The tornadoes are still happening in the desert.
And I'm going to El Paso
Despite the natural disasters happening around, the singer is determined to go to El Paso.
I'm going to El Paso
The artist repeats their determination to go to El Paso.
I'm going to El Paso
The artist repeats their determination again.
Chicken blood on my pants
There's bloodstains on the artist's pants, possibly from a ritual sacrifice of a chicken.
My Hands are shaky and pillow is damp
The singer is experiencing some emotional turmoil and is restless.
My Hands are shaky and pillow is damp
The artist reiterates their emotional state.
Cigarette on a rumble seat
There's a cigarette placed on the seat where the singer is sitting.
Drive all day got nothing to eat
The singer has been driving all day but hasn't had anything to eat.
I'm Driving all day got nothing to get me to El Paso
The singer affirms their earlier statement of having nothing to eat and yet still is determined to go to El Paso.
I'm going to El Paso
The artist repeats their determination to go to El Paso once again.
I'm going to El Paso
The artist repeats their determination again.
Look out Juarez
The singer is warning someone in Juarez to be careful.
I gonna dance with the Strawberry girl
The singer is expressing their intention to dance with a girl in El Paso.
I'm gonna dance with the Strawberry girl
The artist reaffirms their intention to dance with the girl.
Green shirt muddy shoes
The artist is describing what they're wearing.
Waiting on the bus to get me through
The artist is waiting for a bus to take them to El Paso.
I'm waiting on the bus to get me to goin to El Paso
The singer reaffirms their waiting for the bus to take them to El Paso.
I'm going to El Paso
The artist repeats their determination to go to El Paso.
I'm going to El Paso
The singer repeats their determination again.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MARTY ROBBINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@winterhead27seas
Found this band by accident, cleaning out a remodel job. Found a homemade disc,played it and this popped up...danged me up every since....Love set in. Thank you music Gods!
@cbob7
One of the best live bands that ever lived. Come back to Kentucky, fellers!
@2Chickaboom2
I like to pick a single artist to listen to when I drive long distances. Makes me love or hate the artist lol. (Mostly love). Played The Gourds’ Live at Bluebirds (about 30 songs or so) driving from Houston to Tampa and back. Still listen to it!
@knot4u119
GOURD ALMIGHTY!
@babylonbob
the more I hear the more I love
@Freakster1970
This is a little CD-ROM bonustrack that comes with The Gourds best album Bolsa de Agua.
@thelastnic
great band, if get chance to see live, i highly recommend
@Aljoshaaa
great band, mucho thnxxx for posting :)))
@TheBingham1234
great tune great band
@therory6888
Dancing with my Strawberry Girl!