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.
No Lie
Ray Wylie Hubbard Lyrics
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She's lookin' good and southern
She asks me if I want some and I said
'I can't take another one'
I said: 'I can't see to find my stuff'
'Offer some help, I'll accept it'
She said: 'Your guitar's out in the
Back of the truck where you left it'
It's no lie, it's no lie
It's no lie, babe
I got to quit getting' high
I must have been cursed by a woman at one time
That would explain my luck
I was arrested on the 4th of July
Was something about my conduct
When I got out I went downtown to try to find Mr. Foley
He's an ornery son of a bitch
But his songs is almost holy
It's no lie, it's no lie
It's no lie, babe
I got to quit getting' high
Now Jesus is on the mainline
Is what Mr. McDowell tells me
Hen I hear him sing that song, words fail me
Ms. Williams tells me that Jesus
Turned the water into wine
You'd think somebody could do something like that
Would be a friend of mine
The lyrics to Ray Wylie Hubbard's song "No Lie" tell a story of the singer's struggles with addiction and bad luck. The song opens with the singer encountering a woman named Savannah who offers him drugs, but he declines, admitting that he can't handle any more. He also mentions that he can't find his things and Savannah offers to help him. The chorus emphasizes the urgency of quitting drugs, with the singer acknowledging that he needs to quit getting high.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on his bad luck and implicates a woman for cursing him. He mentions being arrested on the 4th of July for his conduct, and he goes on to seek out Mr. Foley, a cantankerous songwriter whose songs the singer holds in high regard. The singer then hears from Mr. McDowell about Jesus being on the mainline, and Ms. Williams tells him about Jesus turning water into wine. The song ends on a wry note, with the singer commenting that someone who can perform miracles like turning water into wine should be his friend, but he is still struggling with addiction.
The lyrics to "No Lie" offer a straightforward narrative to the listener, highlighting the struggles of addiction and difficult times in life. The inclusion of other characters, such as Savannah, Mr. Foley, and Ms. Williams, add depth to the story and create a sense of community in the singer's world. The overall theme of quitting drugs is emphasized through the repetition of the chorus, adding weight to the importance of making that change.
Line by Line Meaning
Savannah she stands in the door
A woman named Savannah is standing in the doorway
She's lookin' good and southern
Savannah has a good-looking southern appearance
She asks me if I want some and I said 'I can't take another one'
Savannah offers the singer a drink, but he declines saying he's had enough
I said: 'I can't see to find my stuff'
The singer cannot find his belongings
'Offer some help, I'll accept it'
The singer asks for help finding his belongings
She said: 'Your guitar's out in the Back of the truck where you left it'
Savannah informs him that his guitar is in the back of the truck
It's no lie, it's no lie It's no lie, babe I got to quit getting' high
The singer acknowledges that he needs to stop doing drugs
I must have been cursed by a woman at one time That would explain my luck
The singer believes a woman has put a curse on him, which is why he feels unlucky
I was arrested on the 4th of July Was something about my conduct
The singer was arrested on Independence Day for misbehaving
When I got out I went downtown to try to find Mr. Foley He's an ornery son of a bitch But his songs is almost holy
After being released from jail, the singer looks for a musician named Mr. Foley, who writes good music even if he's hard to deal with
Now Jesus is on the mainline Is what Mr. McDowell tells me When I hear him sing that song, words fail me
Another musician named Mr. McDowell sings about Jesus being available, but the singer doesn't know how to react
Ms. Williams tells me that Jesus Turned the water into wine You'd think somebody could do something like that Would be a friend of mine
A woman named Ms. Williams claims that Jesus can perform miracles, and the singer wonders if Jesus could help him out if they were friends
Writer(s): RAY WYLIE HUBBARD
Contributed by Victoria Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.