Clark was born in Monahans, Texas and eventually settled in Nashville, where he helped create the progressive country and outlaw country genres. His songs "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting for a Train" that helped launch his career were covered by numerous performers.
He was an accomplished luthier and often played his own guitars. He achieved success as a songwriter with Jerry Jeff Walker’s recordings of "L.A. Freeway" and "Desperados Waiting For A Train". Artists such as Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Brad Paisley, John Denver, Alan Jackson, Rodney Crowell, The Highwaymen, and Kenny Chesney have recorded Clark’s songs. Emmylou Harris has accompanied him on several recordings, particularly his own version of "Desperados Waiting For A Train" on his first album, Old No. 1, released in 1975. Clark is frequently referred to as "The Fifth Highwayman".
Clark has been a mentor to such other singers as Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell. He organized Earle's first job as a writer in Nashville. In the 1970s, the Clarks' home in Nashville was an open house for songwriters and musicians and it features in the documentary Heartworn Highways, an evocation of the songwriter scene in Nashville at that time. (Snapper/Catfish, 1981/2003, with Townes Van Zandt, David Allan Coe, and Steve Earle). Numerous artists have charted with Clark-penned tunes. In 1982, Bobby Bare made it to the Country Top Twenty with Clark’s "New Cut Road". That same year, bluegrass leader Ricky Skaggs hit No. 1 with Clark’s "Heartbroke", a song that permanently established his reputation as an ingenious songwriter. Among the many others who have covered Clark's songs are Vince Gill, who took "Oklahoma Borderline" to the Top Ten in 1985; The Highwaymen, who introduced "Desperados Waiting For A Train" to a new generation that same year; and John Conlee, whose interpretation of “The Carpenter” rode into the Top Ten in 1987.
Steve Wariner took his cover of Clark's "Baby I’m Yours" to No. 1 in 1988; Asleep at the Wheel charted with Clark's "Blowin’ Like a Bandit" the same year. Crowell was Clark’s co-writer on "She’s Crazy for Leavin’", which in 1989 became the third of five straight #l hits for Crowell. Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson cover Clark’s "Out in the Parkin' Lot," co-written with Darrell Scott, on Paisley's Time Well Wasted CD. Jimmy Buffett has covered Clark’s "Boats to Build" and "Cinco de Mayo in Memphis". Clark credits Townes Van Zandt as being a major influence on his songwriting. They were best friends for many years until Van Zandt's death in 1997, and since then Clark has included one of Van Zandt's compositions on most of his albums. In 1995, he recorded a live album with Van Zandt and Steve Earle, Together at the Bluebird Cafe, which was released in October 2001. Other live material can be found on his album Keepers.
In 2006 Clark released Workbench Songs. The album was nominated for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album" at the Grammy Awards. He also toured with Lyle Lovett, Joe Ely, and John Hiatt in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
In May 2008, Clark canceled four concerts after breaking his leg. After two months on crutches, he began to perform again on July 4 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC where he appeared with Verlon Thompson. On June 20, 2009, Clark announced a new album entitled "Somedays the Song Writes You" which was released on September 22, 2009. It features originals along with a Townes Van Zandt song entitled "If I Needed You".
In December 2011 This One's For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark (a two-CD set) was released by Icehouse Music.
Guy Clark won the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album in 2014 for My Favorite Picture of You.
On May 17, 2016, Clark's death was announced on his Facebook page.
Clark was married to songwriter and artist, Susanna Clark from 1972 through her death from cancer on June 27, 2012.
Texas-1947
Guy Clark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So it's hard to figure out what I'm at the depot for
Trains are big and black and smokin' - steam screamin' at the wheels
Bigger than anything they is, at least that's the way she feels
Trains are big and black and smokin', louder'n July four,
But everybody's actin' like this might be somethin' more...
Than just pickin' up the mail, or the soldiers from the war
This is somethin' that even old man Wileman never seen before
And it's late afternoon on a hot Texas day
Somethin' strange is goin' on, and we's all in the way
Well there's fifty or sixty people they're just sittin' on their cars
And the old men left their dominos and they come down from the bars
Everybody's checkin', old Jack Kittrel check his watch
And us kids put our ears to the rails to hear 'em pop
So we already knowed it, when they finally said 'train time'
You'd a-thought that Jesus Christ his-self was rollin' down the line
'Cause things got real quiet, momma jerked me back
But not before I'd got the chance to lay a nickel on the track
[Chorus:]
Look out here she comes, she's comin'
Look out there she goes, she's gone,
Screamin' straight through Texas
Like a mad dog cyclone
Big, red, and silver
She don't make no smoke
She's a fast-rollin' streamline
Come to show the folks
[Chorus:]
Lord, she never even stopped
She left fifty or sixty people still sittin' on their cars
And they're wonderin' what it's comin' to
And how it got this far
Oh but me I got a nickel smashed flatter than a dime
By a mad dog, runaway red-silver streamline...train
Guy Clark's song 'Texas 1947' is a reminiscence of a six-year-old boy who witnesses the arrival of the first diesel train in his small Texas town in July 1947. He describes how the people were excited and hanging around the depot, as they knew they were about to see something extraordinary, something that they had never seen before. Trains were nothing new to the boy, but this was different, as this train was like no other. Everybody wanted to catch a glimpse of the big, red, and silver streamline diesel train, and the atmosphere was both joyous and tense. People from everywhere poured out of their homes and businesses to witness the event, leaving their usual activities behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Now bein' six years old, I had seen some trains before
I was just six years old back then, but I had seen trains before.
So it's hard to figure out what I'm at the depot for
I was confused, since I didn't know why I was there.
Trains are big and black and smokin' - steam screamin' at the wheels
Trains are massive and dark, and smoke rises from its wheels.
Bigger than anything they is, at least that's the way she feels
It's larger than everything else to me, that's how significant it feels.
Trains are big and black and smokin', louder'n July four,
Trains are big, loud, and black, sounds louder than the fireworks on July four.
But everybody's actin' like this might be somethin' more...
But everyone is behaving as if this is something more significant than any other train.
Than just pickin' up the mail, or the soldiers from the war
This isn't like just any other train that comes to pick up mail or soldiers returning from the war.
This is somethin' that even old man Wileman never seen before
Even the experienced old man Wileman hadn't seen anything like this before.
And it's late afternoon on a hot Texas day
It was a hot Texas afternoon when this event took place.
Somethin' strange is goin' on, and we's all in the way
Something peculiar is happening, and all of us are just in the way.
Well there's fifty or sixty people they're just sittin' on their cars
There were fifty or sixty individuals just sitting on their cars.
And the old men left their dominos and they come down from the bars
Even the elderly men left their dominos and went down to the station from the bars.
Everybody's checkin', old Jack Kittrel check his watch
Everyone was double-checking, and old Jack Kittrel was checking his watch.
And us kids put our ears to the rails to hear 'em pop
As kids, we placed our ears on the rails to hear the sound of the train as it arrives.
So we already knowed it, when they finally said 'train time'
We already knew when the train was going to arrive, as they announced train time.
You'd a-thought that Jesus Christ his-self was rollin' down the line
The excitement was such that it felt like even Jesus Christ was riding on the train.
'Cause things got real quiet, momma jerked me back
Everything became silent as the train arrived, and my mom had to pull me back.
But not before I'd got the chance to lay a nickel on the track
But I was able to place a nickel on the track right before it arrived.
Look out here she comes, she's comin'
Look, here comes the train.
Look out there she goes, she's gone,
Look, there it goes, it's gone now.
Screamin' straight through Texas
The train passed straight through Texas.
Like a mad dog cyclone
It was so fast that it looked like a mad dog cyclone.
Big, red, and silver
The train engine was big, silver, and red.
She don't make no smoke
It wasn't producing any smoke.
She's a fast-rollin' streamline
It was a fast-rolling streamline engine.
Come to show the folks
It had come to present itself to the people.
She left fifty or sixty people still sittin' on their cars
It left fifty or sixty people still sitting on their cars.
And they're wonderin' what it's comin' to
And they're curious about what it's all about.
And how it got this far
And how it got all the way here, so fast.
Oh but me I've got a nickel smashed flatter than a dime
I had a nickel that got smashed flatter than a dime.
By a mad dog, runaway red-silver streamline...train
Thanks to the runaway red-silver streamline train that smashed my nickel.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Guy Clark
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
unclebobunclebob
One of the best debut albums ever.
John Henderson
Yes, so many outstanding tracks.
Jim Barfield
Love this song! Every word is important. No bullshit.
Acoustic Distinction
The uploader says: "I would probably have dismissed this as a country LP" John, it IS a country LP - in fact, it's the best country LP ever released.
John Henderson
In my defence Patrick, I would say that the general definition of "country music" in 1975 in the UK was fairly narrow, and not my favourite type of music. I think it's difficult to look back and pinpoint when changes happened, but I've a feeling that I bought John Prine's "Diamonds In The Rough" around the same time as "Old No. 1," so I perhaps had it in my mind (rightly or wrongly) that at the time I was broadening my musical horizons. Maybe I'd been softened up by the "country rock" of the Eagles and others!
Justin Myslive
I never knew this song was made in the year I was born until now. Just heard it not too long on Sirus XM 60 Outlaw Country
John Henderson
Very evocative. Makes me feel as if I was there.
Shirley Jennings
Great Tune!
John Henderson
Yes - the words and the music are so good it's like being there.
albacore101
Greetings from Oregon. Great upload. Thanks..