Braun went on to have a successful solo career, but one of his most famous works is a collaboration with saxophonist Boney James, as they did a duet off the remake of the Hugh Masekela classic "Grazin' in the Grass".
In addition to his solo career, Braun also plays in the band BWB, with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and guitarist Norman Brown. In 2005, he and saxophonist Richard Elliot co-founded a new label, ARTizen Music Group.
Rick's first trumpet actually belonged to his brother, Curt. Curt performed in his high school marching band but gave up playing the trumpet after high school. One day, young Rick found it in his big brother's closet and started to play with it. Obviously, things progressed from there!
Cadillac Slim
Rick Braun Lyrics
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Dances in a fever at the castle rock
Dust-devil cypress and ripening fruit
Ascending quick into the author's bathroom
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
Uninvited, we'll stay if we want
Searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun
We will swim in your kidney, kidney-shaped pool
Scratching at the bottom for another clue, yeah
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
And there's nothing I can do
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can say to you
(Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude)
And there's nothing I can do
And there's nothing I can say to you
I've got a lot of work to do
I guess I'll leave it up to you
The lyrics of "Cadillac Slim" by Rick Braun describe a chaotic and disempowered situation where people are scattered and dancing feverishly at Castle Rock. The imagery of dust-devil cypress and ripening fruit suggests a natural world in flux, while Fawn, Jo, and Tootsie are out on a wire and lettuce-toothed junkies full of desire. The song invokes a sense of powerlessness in the face of an accelerating and unpredictable world, as Rick James takes someone's nudity and there is nothing the singer can do.
The lyrics create a disjointed and surreal narrative that suggests a society in disarray. The lines "uninvited, we'll stay if we want, searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun" evoke a sense of invasion and desperation, while "we will swim in your kidney-shaped pool, scratching at the bottom for another clue" suggests a relentless search for meaning amidst chaos. Through these disjointed images, the song conveys a sense of confusion and dislocation.
Overall, "Cadillac Slim" by Rick Braun is a powerful meditation on powerlessness, fragmentation, and chaos. The lyrics convey a sense of a world unraveling, where people can do nothing but dance wildly and search futilely for meaning amidst the disarray.
Line by Line Meaning
Dis empowered, the scattering flock
Despite their disempowerment, a group of people in disarray dance intensely at a location called Castle Rock.
Dances in a fever at the castle rock
The dancing at Castle Rock is so intense it feels like a fever.
Dust-devil cypress and ripening fruit
The desert plants swirl like dust devils around the ripening fruit.
Ascending quick into the author's bathroom
The dust devils ascend quickly into the author's bathroom as a vivid image of chaos.
Fawn, Jo and Tootsie are out on a wire
Three women named Fawn, Jo, and Tootsie are walking along a wire, potentially representing a risky or thrilling situation.
Lettuce-toothed junkies all full of desire
Junkies with rotted teeth are consumed with an intense desire for their addiction.
Meanwhile, Rick James takes her nude
Meanwhile, Rick James is undressing someone in a sexual way, potentially without their consent.
And there's nothing I can do
The artist feels powerless to stop Rick James from taking someone's clothes off.
And there's nothing I can say to you
The artist feels unable to communicate how they feel about the situation to the person being undressed.
I've got a lot of work to do
The artist has their own work or problems that they need to attend to, rather than getting involved in this situation.
I guess I'll leave it up to you
The singer decides to let someone else handle the situation.
Uninvited, we'll stay if we want
There is a sense of entitlement or disregard for boundaries as the group plans to stay somewhere without an invitation.
Searching through your closets for your grandfather's gun
The group is searching unauthorized spaces for a potentially dangerous weapon.
We will swim in your kidney, kidney-shaped pool
The group plans to use someone's kidney-shaped pool without permission, with the pool potentially representing something personal or private.
Scratching at the bottom for another clue, yeah
There is a sense of desperation or obsession as the group searches for more information or answers to their questions.
Writer(s): RICK BRAUN, PALMER, HUGO
Contributed by Scarlett H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.