With a keen eye of observation and a wise man’s knowledge, Ray Wylie Hubbard composes and performs a dozen songs that couldn’t spring from anywhere else but out of his fertile rock and roll bluesy poet-in-the-blistering-heat southern noggin. ”I like to look at both enlightenment and endarkenment,” he declares. “I feel comfortable observing each.”
His 2010 album "A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment" demonstrates the kind of talent that every great songwriter yearns for. Throughout the album, his focus remains on the song-constructing and performing stories set to music that resonate in a way that is completely his own. Hubbard recruits an ensemble of accomplished musicians to make the album’s larger than life outlaw tunes echo from track to track. Among the musicians featured on the album are Kevin Russell (The Gourds), Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen), Bukka Allen (Ian Moore, Jack Ingram), Billy Cassis (Bob Schneider,Double Trouble, Soulhat), Ray Bonneville (B.B. King, JJ Cale, Muddy Waters), Seth James (Percy Sledge, Delbert McClinton), David Abeyta (Reckless Kelly) and The Trishas as well as his own son, Lucas Hubbard.
The writing and recording of A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment came on the heels of Hubbard’s first screenplay endeavor, which was funded and filmed with a cast of icons including Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam and Lizzy Caplan. A weekly radio show, constant touring, and producing kept him busy, but didn’t manage to steal the Texan singer-songwriters focus. The outcome of the album is a juxtaposition of songs like “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” a fundamental gospel piece, and “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” cowritten with Hayes Carll.
Bones
Ray Wylie Hubbard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Ain't no cane on the Brazos"
The sun goes down she's moved on to
"Rise up poor Lazarus"
Daddy comes in in a gabardine suit says
"Go fire up the rocket"
He throws me the keys to the 88
And slips some dice in his pocket
Shakin' them bones
Shakin' them bones
Shakin' them bones
Ah baby needs a new pair of shoes
We drive out of town across the river
To this club called Three Deuces
We walk in and my daddy says
"I'm feelin' my juices"
There's a crap game going on in the back room
And right off he throws a seven
He says "Let it ride" and with the devil's good graces the old man
Throws an eleven
He throws Little Joe from Kokomo
And a Fever in the Funk house
Eighter from Decatur
And the Preachers in the Whorehouse
Now there ain't no gamblin'
Or loud talk on the streets of glory
The losers say roll them dice
And the winners tell smutty stories
It seems all the money in the civilized world
Is bet on his next toss
And he's praying to them gambling gods
For a Neener Ross on a Faughtin Hoss
Now when the sun comes up mama's singing "Fattening frogs for snakes"
Me and daddy walk in and he says
"Hey baby we had what it takes"
"You also had some loaded dice"
Mama says and she kisses him
"And I'm just glad I didn't have to get you out
Of the criminal judicial system"
The song “Bones” by Ray Wylie Hubbard tells the story of a night out with his parents who are both gamblers. The first verse describes the morning routine of the family, including Mama singing the song “Ain’t No Cane on the Brazos” as the sun comes up, and then later singing “Rise up poor Lazarus” as the sun goes down. The father enters and gives the son the keys to the car, instructing him to “fire up the rocket,” and they head to a club called Three Deuces across the river. In the second verse, we learn that there is a crap game happening in the back room of the club and the father is encouraged by his recent win to keep playing. The gamblers reference a number of dice terms and places, including “Little Joe from Kokomo,” “Fever in the Funk House,” “Eighter from Decatur,” and “Preachers in the Whorehouse.” The third verse describes the early morning return home and the aftermath of the gambling, including Mama’s comment on the loaded dice and relief that they didn’t have to be bailed out of jail for their criminal behavior.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the danger and excitement of gambling, the thrill of risk and reward, and the consequences that can come with taking those risks. The lyrics are vivid and descriptive, painting a picture of a lively, vivid world of gamblers and bars, of losers and winners, and of the ups and downs of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun comes up Mama's singing
"Ain't no cane on the Brazos"
When morning comes, Mama sings about a place where there is no slavery and people are free.
The sun goes down she's moved on to
"Rise up poor Lazarus"
In the evening, Mama sings about the resurrection of Lazarus, a biblical story about the power of faith.
Daddy comes in in a gabardine suit says
"Go fire up the rocket"
He throws me the keys to the 88
And slips some dice in his pocket
Daddy arrives wearing a nice suit and tells me to start the car. He gives me the keys and secretly puts some loaded dice in his pocket, ready to gamble.
Shakin' them bones
Shakin' them bones
Shakin' them bones
Ah baby needs a new pair of shoes
We are all shaking dice, hoping to win big so we can buy new things like shoes for the baby.
We drive out of town across the river
To this club called Three Deuces
We walk in and my daddy says
"I'm feelin' my juices"
We leave town and cross a river to go to a club named Three Deuces. Dad is excited and ready to gamble.
There's a crap game going on in the back room
And right off he throws a seven
He says "Let it ride" and with the devil's good graces the old man
Throws an eleven
There is a game of chance happening in the back room and Dad wins right away. He decides to keep playing and wins again, as if the devil is helping him.
He throws Little Joe from Kokomo
And a Fever in the Funk house
Eighter from Decatur
And the Preachers in the Whorehouse
Dad keeps winning and throws various combinations of dice, which are also names of popular betting rolls.
Now there ain't no gamblin'
Or loud talk on the streets of glory
The losers say roll them dice
And the winners tell smutty stories
In heaven, there is no gambling or bragging. The losers accept their fate and the winners are not gracious, telling inappropriate stories instead.
It seems all the money in the civilized world
Is bet on his next toss
And he's praying to them gambling gods
For a Neener Ross on a Faughtin Hoss
Everyone in the world is gambling recklessly on Dad's next throw, and he is praying to the gambling gods for a rare and lucky roll.
Now when the sun comes up mama's singing "Fattening frogs for snakes"
Me and daddy walk in and he says
"Hey baby we had what it takes"
"You also had some loaded dice"
Mama says and she kisses him
"And I'm just glad I didn't have to get you out
Of the criminal judicial system"
In the morning, Mama sings about fattening frogs for snakes, meaning getting things ready for trouble. When Dad and I return, he boasts about his winnings, but Mama reveals that he cheated with loaded dice. She is just relieved that he did not get caught by the law.
Writer(s): RAY WYLIE HUBBARD
Contributed by Callie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.