Led by brothers Willy (vocals/guitar) and Cody Braun (vocals/fiddle/mandolin/harmonica), the alternative country-rock outfit Reckless Kelly formed in Bend Oregon in February 1996 before moving to Austin, Texas. The Brauns had previously toured with their father in Muzzie Braun & the Boys, a Western swing band, and were joined in their own group by the lead guitarist Casey Pollock, the bass guitarist Chris Schelske and the drummer Jay Nazz.
With their younger brothers Micky and Gary, Cody and Willy were raised in central Idaho near the Sawtooth Mountains, between Clayton and Challis in Custer County, and were homeschooled by their mother. Originally they were "Muzzie Braun & the Little Braun Brothers", as Muzzie and his brothers Gary and Billy were the "Braun Brothers" from Twin Falls in the 1970s and early 1980s, sons of the musician Eustaceus "Mustie" Braun (1917–1981). From North Dakota, Mustie was a neighbor and relative of the bandleader Lawrence Welk, and was a keyboard player during the last days of legalized gambling in Idaho at Weiser in the early 1950s. He then moved to the new Club 93 in Jackpot, Nevada, on the Idaho border, and moved his family to Twin Falls, about fifty miles (80 km) north. In February 1981, Mustie and wife Marian (née Beckman) were involved in a head-on collision north of Jackpot, and both died from their injuries.
In 1989, Muzzie and his sons appeared on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show twice.
Reckless Kelly played locally on the historic Sixth Street in Austin. They turned Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar, a small bar and restaurant, into a noted music venue. From November 1996 to May 1998, they filled the venue with their Monday night show. During this period, other music venues in Austin invited them to play, including the Continental Club, the Saxon pub, Stubb's barbecue, and Antone's home of the blues.
Reckless Kelly's first album, Millican, appeared in fall 1997 and was officially released in 1998. Acoustic: Live at Stubb's and The Day followed two years later, after which David Abeyta replaced Pollock on lead guitar. Under the Table & Above the Sun in 2003 began the band's relationship with the high-profile Sugar Hill label and won the hearts of the music press and the honky tonkin' legend Joe Ely, who sang the band's praises in interviews. Wicked Twisted Road was released in 2005, and the next year the live album Reckless Kelly Was Here captured the band's stage presence. Bulletproof was released in summer 2008 on a new label, Yep Roc Records, and includes tracks critical of and reflecting on recent sociopolitical unfoldings, such as the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, Reckless released an album of songs by one of their musical heroes, Pinto Bennett. Somewhere in Time, in the band's own words, highlighted their love of "straight-up honky tonk". The band regularly returns to Austin to play before capacity crowds at venues like Nutty Brown Cafe & Amphitheatre.
Younger brothers Micky and Gary Braun front their own band, Micky & The Motorcars. Both bands play at the annual Braun Brothers Reunion in Challis, Idaho, in August.
Motel Cowboy Show
Reckless Kelly Lyrics
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We'll drink and dance, there's no place else to go
We'll stay out all night long, we'll toast the break of dawn
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
Well, they rolled one for the road, put on the same dirty ol' clothes
Down the trail they rode to the Motel Cowboy Show
Well, they parked at the end of the line underneath the cold beer sign
Something stronger would be fine, something stronger would be fine
I said hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
We'll drink and dance, there's no place else to go
We'll hang out all night long, we'll toast the break of dawn
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
Well, they walked through the swingin' doors
Through the sawdust on the floor
Everybody was ready to go at the Motel Cowboy Show
Well, they've been all over the land, not bad for a honky tonk band
Well, it's a long hard hill to climb when you're so far ahead of time
And you've never seen a dime, you're so far ahead of your time
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
It's late but there ain't nowhere else to go
We'll hang out all night long, we'll toast the break of dawn
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
Well, the doses soon kicked in
And the fun would soon begin, the fun would soon begin
And the world did a great big spin
Ooh, baby, it's fun, it ain't no sin
I know you well, you don't remember, we partied way back in November
Of 72 or was it 73, I know you well, you don't remember me
All the faces changed and the room went round
What a mystic place, what a mystic sound
Well, they rolled one for the road and they candied up their nose
Down the trail they rode to the Motel Cowboy Show
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
We'll drink and dance, there's no place else to go
The boys are in their prime, we'll see 'em one more time
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
The lyrics of Reckless Kelly's "Motel Cowboy Show" describe a story of two lovers who are headed to a venue to drink, dance and have fun, knowing that there is no other place to go. The Motel Cowboy Show is a honky-tonk establishment, where music, whiskey, and wine flow freely. The events of the night are told through the lens of the singer, who refers to the girl he's with as "ol' lady," showing that they have been together for some time.
The song's first verse tells us that the lovers are on their way to the Motel Cowboy Show, where they'll drink, dance, and toast as the night fades away. It's a place of escape, where life's worries can be forgotten. The second verse describes the journey as they ride down a trail, park their vehicle at the end of the line, and enter the venue. The mood is set by the sawdust on the floor, and they join a crowd that is ready to party. The lyrics note that the band playing at the Motel Cowboy Show has been all over the land and has paid their dues, creating a sense of admiration and respect for the performers.
The chorus repeats twice in the song, highlighting the themes of drinking, dancing, and having a good time without a care in the world. The third verse further amplifies this by describing the scene once everyone is fully immersed in the happenings of the night. It's all about having fun, taking doses of something strong, and enjoying themselves as the world spins around them. The final verse refers to the shared memories of the past, all while knowing that they won't remember this moment in the future. The song ends with the climactic line "Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show" before fading out.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, ol' lady, let's go to the Motel Cowboy Show
Inviting someone to go to Motel Cowboy Show because it seems there's nothing else to do
We'll drink and dance, there's no place else to go
Planning to just drink and dance because there's no other activity available
We'll stay out all night long, we'll toast the break of dawn
Intending to stay out until morning and cheers to a new day
Well, they rolled one for the road, put on the same dirty ol' clothes
Preparing to hit the road and putting on the same clothes without minding their condition
Down the trail they rode to the Motel Cowboy Show
Started the journey towards the venue
Well, they parked at the end of the line underneath the cold beer sign
Found a parking spot at the far end of the line and situated right below a sign advertising cold beer
It's a long long way to ride without your whiskey and your wine
The journey seems long without any stock of whiskey or wine
Something stronger would be fine, something stronger would be fine
Desiring for an even stronger beverage
We'll hang out all night long, we'll toast the break of dawn
Still planning to spend the whole night and cheers to a new day
Well, they walked through the swingin' doors, through the sawdust on the floor
Entered the venue through the swinging doors and noticing sawdust on the floor
Everybody was ready to go at the Motel Cowboy Show
Everyone seemed to be already hyped up for the show
Well, they've been all over the land, not bad for a honky tonk band
The band has already traveled a lot and is not bad for a honky tonk band
Well, it's a long hard hill to climb when you're so far ahead of time
Becoming successful is tough when you're ahead of your time
And you've never seen a dime, you're so far ahead of your time
They never earned much despite being ahead of their time
It's late but there ain't nowhere else to go
Despite it being late, the Motel Cowboy Show is still the only option for them
The boys are in their prime, we'll see 'em one more time
Stating that the band is still in their prime and they will see them play again one more time
Well, the doses soon kicked in and the fun would soon begin, the fun would soon begin
Getting high and the fun is about to start
And the world did a great big spin, Ooh, baby, it's fun, it ain't no sin
Feeling euphoric and carefree while having fun despite the consequences
I know you well, you don't remember, we partied way back in November
Addressing someone who might have a slight chance of remembering them from previous partying experiences
Of 72 or was it 73, I know you well, you don't remember me
Uncertain of the exact year but still thinks they know the person even if they don't remember them
All the faces changed and the room went round, What a mystic place, what a mystic sound
Realizing that the people and the venue changed but still appreciates its unique vibes and sounds
Well, they rolled one for the road and they candied up their nose
Preparing to hit the road while taking drugs through their nostrils
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CODY BRAUN, DAVID ABEYTA, WILLY BRAUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind