The four-time Grammy winner has acted in a number of films and been a guest-star on television. Lovett was married to actress Julia Roberts for a short time in the mid-1990s. In 2002, he was gored by a bull while working on his uncle's farm in Texas, but soon recovered and resumed touring.
Long Tall Texan
Lyle Lovett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wear a ten-gallon hat
(He rides from Texas wearing a ten-gallon hat)
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
I wear a ten-gallon hat
(He rides from Texas wearing a ten-gallon hat)
Well people look at me and they say
Is that your hat
Well I'm a long tall Texan
I ride a big white horse
(He rides from Texas on a big white horse)
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
I ride a big white horse
(He rides from Texas on a big white horse)
Well people look at me and they say
Is that your horse
(He rides from Texas on a big white horse)
Well I was walking down the street
With my shiny badge
My spurs jingling there at my feet
I seen a man a'coming
Coming with a gun and
I just can't be beat
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
I enforce justice for the law
(He rides from Texas to enforce the law)
Well I'm a long tall Texan
I enforce justice for the law
(He rides from Texas to enforce the law)
Well people look at me and they say
Is you the law
(He rides from Texas to enforce the law)
Well I'm a long tall Texan
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
The song Long Tall Texan by Lyle Lovett is a catchy tune that paints a vivid picture of a Texan cowboy. The lyrics hint at the cowboy's physical appearance, his attire, and his demeanor. The cowboy is a tall man who wears a ten-gallon hat and rides a big white horse. The people he encounters on his journey seem to be fascinated by him, pointing at his hat and his horse and asking if they belong to him.
The cowboy is portrayed as the embodiment of justice, with a shiny badge and spurs that jingle at his feet. He enforces the law, as he rides from Texas to maintain order and punish wrongdoers. The lyrics suggest that the cowboy is both confident and skilled, as he faces a man with a gun and emerges victorious.
Overall, the lyrics of Long Tall Texan celebrate the cowboy archetype, an icon of the Old West who embodies rugged individualism and a spirit of adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm a long tall Texan
I am a Texan who is quite tall
I wear a ten-gallon hat
I have a ten-gallon hat that I wear
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
I am indeed a Texan of above-average height
I wear a ten-gallon hat
I have a ten-gallon hat that I put on my head
Well people look at me and they say
Passers-by tend to gaze at me and wonder
Is that your hat
They often inquire if the hat belongs to me
Well I'm a long tall Texan
Again, let me reiterate, I am a Texan who happens to be tall in stature
I ride a big white horse
I regularly ride upon a sizable horse that happens to have a white coat
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
One more time, in case you were uncertain, I am a man from Texas with a greater-than-average height
I ride a big white horse
I often sit astride a horse that is large and coated in white fur
Well people look at me and they say
Many individuals will glance at me and ask themselves
Is that your horse
They might want to know if it is my horse that I am riding
Well I was walking down the street
At one point, I was making my way down a public thoroughfare by foot
With my shiny badge
I had a gleaming badge with me
My spurs jingling there at my feet
The spurs on my boots clattered as I walked
I seen a man a'coming
I noticed a fellow approaching me
Coming with a gun and
He had a firearm with him
I just can't be beat
However, I knew that I would ultimately triumph
Yes I'm a long tall Texan
One final instance of me restating that I am a Texan of considerable height
I enforce justice for the law
My role involves upholding the law in a just manner
Well I'm a long tall Texan
Again, I impart upon you that I originate from Texas and have lofty height
I enforce justice for the law
My responsibilities involve implementing the law and ensuring fairness is served
Well people look at me and they say
Many individuals will glance at me and ask themselves
Is you the law
They might wish to know if I am a representative of the law
Well I'm a long tall Texan
I'll say it one more time, I hail from Texas and happen to be quite tall
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, MUSIC COPYRIGHT CONSULTANT GRP
Written by: HENRY STRZELECKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lazydazs
What a fantastic upbeat version of this classic song from my youth.
minivanjack
Man, those four singers have a lot of class.
Lenny whisenant
Yep. I want the one in the middles hat :)
daveo macron
Dripping with it.
Lori Jones
Nobody has done better with this song. He's fantastic. They all are.
jbro74
I had only heard the Beach Boy's version years ago when I was a kid. So cool to have discovered Lyle's excellent Blues version. Apparently the interwebs are good for something other than cat videos.
lookinglassalice
LONG TALL TEXAN was written by Henry P Strzelecki. bass player for Jerry Woodard. He went on to perform with Chet Atkins. Originally recorded by Jerry Woodard in 1960, Murry Kellum had a big hit with it in 1963. It has been covered by The Beach Boys, Les Black, The Kingsmen, Sleepy LaBeef, Lyle Lovett, The Chad Mitchell Trio, The Pyramids, Conway Twitty, and several others.
notbraindead
@dbruceaitken5829 Great pun!!!😂😂
Sheila Lee
I went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments with Lyle. He doesn't know it, but this beautiful man with compassion in his soul has brought me through many a trying time. Thank you Lyle - Heck I even named my dog Lyle and he's a sexy little guy just like the man. Love you Lyle, thank you darlin.
Diana Mathieson
I remember singing this in choir competition.... we won 😁