Shortly after high school, in 1970, with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed The Flatlanders. According to Ely, "Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it. And Butch was from the folk world. I was kinda the rock & roll guy, and we almost had a triad. We hit it off and started playing a lot together. That opened up a whole new world I had never known existed." In 1972, the band released their first and— until 2002's Now Again— only album, but have appeared together on each other's albums. Since the band's initial break-up just after their album was cut, the three musicians have followed individual paths.
Ely's own first album, self titled, was released in 1977. The following year, his band played London where he met punk rock group The Clash. Impressed with each other's performances, the two bands would later tour together, including appearances in Ely's hometown of Lubbock, as well as Laredo and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, across the border from El Paso, Texas.
Since then, a steady stream of albums have followed, most on the MCA label. Ely's live performances have become legendary, and he has released a live album roughly every ten years (the last was Live at Antone's in 2000). He has had a genre-crossing career, performing with Bruce Springsteen, Los Super Seven, David Grissom, and James McMurtry in addition to his early work with The Clash and more recent acoustic tours with Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, and Guy Clark.
In the late 1990s, Ely was asked to write songs for Robert Redford's movie The Horse Whisperer, which led to reforming The Flatlanders with Gilmore and Hancock for an appearance on the movie soundtrack. A new album from the trio followed in 2002, with a third in 2004.
In February 2007, Ely released "Happy Songs From Rattlesnake Gulch" on his own label, Rack 'Em Records. A book of Ely's writings was published in early 2007 by the University of Texas Press. Ely also released a second album of old lyrics that he has finally recorded.
Several other reissues of Ely's previous work were due out later in 2007 on Rack 'Em.
Rich Man
Joe Ely Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's got time to feel,
He don't have to deal with all his money
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm a travelin' man.
If you wanna be lonely,
Sleepin in bed with all your diamond rings
With a heart as cold as stone
But don't come a knockin' when you wake up all alone
Because a poor boy's got one thing on a rich man, honey
He don't have to pretend,
He's got the world to win with all his money
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm a travelin' man...
If you wanna be lonely,
Sleepin in bed with all your diamond rings
Go ahead and find someone
With a heart as cold as stone
But don't come a knockin' when you wake up all alone
Because a poor boy's got one thing on a rich man, honey
He knows the gift of love
Is a bundle above a whole mountain of money
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm not a candy stand...
The lyrics of Joe Ely's Rich Man Poor Boy seem to be a reflection on the value of money and how it can impact relationships. The song suggests that the materialism and insincerity of wealthy people can be a hindrance to true love and happiness. The chorus emphasizes the benefits of being poor, namely the freedom to feel and the absence of the need to put on a facade, and the importance of accepting someone for who they truly are.
In the first verse, the singer notes that while a rich man may have a lot of money, the poor boy has time to truly experience life and emotions. The line "He don't have to deal with all his money" implies that the burden of wealth can be oppressive and that the rich man may struggle to find joy and connection as a result. The second verse speaks to the paradox of wealth, suggesting that those who prioritize material possessions and status may ultimately be left alone and unfulfilled. The last verse emphasizes the value of love over money and the power it has to make a person truly rich.
Overall, Rich Man Poor Boy is a commentary on the complicated relationship between money and happiness. It suggests that while wealth may bring certain comforts and opportunities, it can also breed isolation and artificiality, while poverty may offer a deeper connection to the world and to others.
Line by Line Meaning
Well a poor boy's got one thing on a rich man, honey
He's got time to feel,
He don't have to deal with all his money
A poor man has an advantage over a rich man as he has the luxury of feeling things deeply and does not have to worry about managing his wealth
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm a travelin' man.
Accept me as I am, I am a passionate and wandering man with no worldly possessions
If you wanna be lonely,
Sleepin in bed with all your diamond rings
Go ahead and find someone
With a heart as cold as stone
But don't come a knockin' when you wake up all alone
If you prefer materialistic things over love and companionship, go find someone who shares your views, but do not come back to me when you realize the worthlessness of your riches
Because a poor boy's got one thing on a rich man, honey
He don't have to pretend,
He's got the world to win with all his money
A poor man does not have to pretend to be someone he is not, and has the whole world to conquer with his passion instead of relying on his wealth
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm a travelin' man...
Accept me for who I am, a passionate and traveling man with no materialistic possessions
If you wanna be lonely,
Sleepin in bed with all your diamond rings
Go ahead and find someone
With a heart as cold as stone
But don't come a knockin' when you wake up all alone
If you choose to value your materialistic possessions over love and companionship, find someone who shares your views, but do not knock on my door when you wake up alone and realize the emptiness of your wealth
Because a poor boy's got one thing on a rich man, honey
He knows the gift of love
Is a bundle above a whole mountain of money
A poor man understands that the gift of love is worth more than a mountain of money, which a rich man may never understand
So if you want me, ya gotta take me just the way that I am.
I'm a poor boy, my heart's on fire, I'm not a candy stand...
Accept me for who I am, a passionate man with no materialistic possessions, not someone who can be bought with sweets and treats
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOE ELY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Keith Palmer
David Grissom on lead guitar added a nice touch . He would get the band rockin' , and the crowd fired up . Yeah !
Cody M
Joe Ely appeared on Austin City Limits during Season 16 (1991). He first appeared on the show with Butch Hancock in Season 5 (1980).
Cody M
Hey AManOfManyFaces, do you have Pt 1 of Hank Williams Jr. on Austin City Limits in 1980? The unedited version. It has the full Austin City Limits Season 5 opening sequence at the beginning, as well as Lickona's introduction.
Emily Money
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼