Gilmore also played "Smokey" in The Big Lebowski
Borderland
Jimmie Dale Gilmore Lyrics
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When the home-guard went insane
No use trying to work with people
Who can't tell fire from rain
The judge had tried to hitch a ride
But I only took him half way
Friends are friends, but in the Borderland
You can't be careful of what you say
The sheriff sent me every warning he could
But I knew more than he
My home is both sides of the Borderland
So he knows where I'll be
The businessman in a sleek sedan
Thought he could beat me here
But roads fade out before you reach the line
And the signposts disappear
So good to be home in the borderland
Where things are not what they seem
So good to be home in the borderland
Between the dawn and the dream
The brown-eyed girl from the battleground
Had just met me half-way
The border-guard had let her pass
But said you could not stay
She gazed upon the mountain above
And she reached out her hand
The she let go with all her might
And loved the borderland
So good to be home in the borderland
Where things are not what they seem
So good to be home in the borderland
Between the dawn and the dream
The lyrics of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's song "Borderland" paint a picture of a place where rules are not always clear, and reality is often hard to discern. The singer appears to be returning to this "borderland" after some time away, during which the "home-guard went insane." This suggests a society that has become unmoored from its values, where people can no longer distinguish "fire from rain."
Despite warnings from the sheriff and the judge, the singer seems to feel at home in this borderland, where he can't be too careful about what he says. The border itself is portrayed as a place where lines of authority and control blur and disappear, making it difficult for anyone to claim complete control over it. Even the signposts are described as fading out, suggesting a sense of ambiguity and impermanence.
The song's title implies that this "borderland" may be a metaphor for some larger social or political divide, and the lyrics offer a sense of yearning for a place where things are not always what they seem. The brown-eyed girl from the battleground, who meets the singer "half-way," perhaps represents this desire for something beyond the boundaries of what is known or familiar. The final lines of the song suggest that this borderland exists between the "dawn and the dream," which could be interpreted as a state of limbo or uncertainty, but also as a place of possibility and renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I headed back to the borderland
I returned to the place that divides two countries
When the home-guard went insane
When the locals lost their minds
No use trying to work with people
It's pointless to cooperate with those who are confused
Who can't tell fire from rain
Who can't make basic decisions
The judge had tried to hitch a ride
The judge asked me for a lift
But I only took him half way
I only took him part of the way
Friends are friends, but in the Borderland
Friendships are valuable, but in this place, caution is necessary
You can't be careful of what you say
You must be mindful of what you express
The sheriff sent me every warning he could
The law enforcement officer gave me all possible alerts
But I knew more than he
But I had more knowledge than he did
My home is both sides of the Borderland
I belong to both countries separated by the border
So he knows where I'll be
So he can predict my location
The businessman in a sleek sedan
The entrepreneur in a posh car
Thought he could beat me here
Believed he could defeat me in this territory
But roads fade out before you reach the line
The route vanishes before the border
And the signposts disappear
And the markers vanish
So good to be home in the borderland
How wonderful it is to be in the area between nations
Where things are not what they seem
Where reality is not always apparent
The brown-eyed girl from the battleground
The lady from the old fighting zone with brown eyes
Had just met me half-way
She recently met me in the middle
The border-guard had let her pass
The immigration officer let her enter
But said you could not stay
But informed her that she can't remain
She gazed upon the mountain above
She viewed the mountain peak above
And she reached out her hand
And extended her arm
The she let go with all her might
Then she released with maximum force
And loved the borderland
And adored the area between the two countries
Between the dawn and the dream
The boundary between reality and imagination
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID ALLEN HAMMOND, JIMMIE DALE GILMORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind