The fact that all that these Texas music titans, on their first go-round as The Flatlanders in 1972, were completely rejected by the country music establishment is surprising in retrospect but, ultimately, poetic. That each went on to have formidable solo careers is a testament to their talent and determination. Add to this their diverse yet complimentary styles - Joe the street-wise rocker, Jimmie Dale the mystic with the classic country voice and Butch the cerebral folk singer - and you've got a story of one of the most extraordinary kinships in American musical history.
It took these Flatlanders a mere three decades to release the sequel to their legendary debut. So the swift arrival of the group's latest New West album Wheels of Fortune - which comes hard on the heels of 2002's widely acclaimed Now Again - is a delightful and very welcome surprise. The fourteen songs that make up Wheels Of Fortune are absolute wonders of songcraft, sung by three of the most authentic voices in music today.
Joe, Jimmie and Butch initially reunited as The Flatlanders in 1998 to do a one-off recording, at the behest of Robert Redford's people, for the soundtrack of The Horse Whisperer. It was so much fun, the trio regrouped and cut an entire album. The result, Now Again, was unanimously received as a triumph. Mojo magazine dubbed them a "country Beatles." Rolling Stone gave it 3 and 1/2 stars. The Washington Post said, "Given the jaw-dropping quality of the disc, three decades almost seems a reasonable wait." Billboard raved, "An event record that lives up to all expectations." Now Again spent 17 weeks at #1 on the Americana charts and 21 weeks on the Billboard Country charts.
It was only a matter of weeks after the band had completed an 80-date U.S. and European tour when they re-entered the studio. "Once you get somebody on stage, it's kind of hard to get 'em off," Hancock says with a laugh. "Once we got a roll going, it felt good to keep working on something."
"We didn't want to go another 30 years before we made a record," Ely says. "After our last date of the tour, we were talking about it on the bus. We said, 'Well, ought to just get together while the band is hot and fresh and record. Not even think about it.' Basically, that's what we did. We didn't plan it or anything. We just sat down and started recording songs that we'd like to hear on tape. That's what this record is."
In March 2003, the Flatlanders and their band - Robbie Gjersoe (guitars, banjo, vocals), Steve Wesson (musical saw), Tony Pearson (vocals), Gary Herman (bass), and Chris Searles (drums) - convened at Joe Ely's Austin studio, with Ely again producing. Guests included steel guitarist (and noted producer) Lloyd Maines, guitarist Mitch Watkins, and accordionist Joel Guzman. The Flatlanders ended up cutting more than 30 songs, 14 of which appear on Wheels of Fortune. Some of the tunes are brand new while others have been kicking around in the individual repertoires of Ely, Gilmore, and Hancock for some time.
Hancock reflects, "We came together as a bunch of friends who happened to be musicians, too. There's just that crazy Lubbock mystery to it. We've all had our focus on the quality of the songs and the music, instead of any kind of 'me first' thing, or any kind of ego trips. It's almost like the old Marx Brothers thing: Three guys get to the door at the same time, and they all say, 'Oh, no, you go first.' 'No, you go first.' 'No, please, please, you go first.'"
Ely adds, "We've always been close, but now I think that we all realize that this is something that is really special. There are very few people who have remained as close as we have, especially in the music world. There are cases out there where brothers won't even talk to each other because they've been in the music business together. We consider this a real precious thing."
"For it to still be as much fun as it was in the beginning, I feel blessed," says Gilmore. "A lot of musicians don't get that luxury."
Copied and pasted from http://newwestrecords.com/theflatlanders.php
Midnight Train
The Flatlanders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The timetable's set, the brakernan is tired
Your seat is reserved with exceptions for no one
No luggage allowed, no ticket required
It will be there right on time at the station
Even if midnight must come at high noon
And you will not know that tram's destination
You may sit beside fear and go worse than lonely
Or travel with trust and love and faith restored
These choices you have and these choices only
When that tram rolls in and you step on board
Now that whistle blows, yes it's already whimn'
If you listen close, you can hear it soft and clear
And that headlight burns, yes it's already shimn'
You might as well choose right now, it's love or fear
It's love or fear
The Flatlanders’ “Midnight Train” is a piece that tells the story of life’s journey, comparing it to a midnight tram that moves slow and steady. In the lyrics, the tram is painted as a reserved journey with a pre-determined path, it will move at its own pace, and nothing can change that. The brakerman who controls the tram is portrayed as someone who is tired but still on a mission to push the train towards its end point. The passengers' description is particularly interesting as the writers identified the feeling of loneliness, uncertainty, and trust as some of the traits a passenger might carry with them as they embark on the journey of life.
The lyrics also talk about the inevitability of life and the decision between love and fear. The song urges the listener to choose love, as if it was a critical decision that must be made quickly before the midnight tram arrives at the station. The urgency of the decision is emphasized by the already-humming whistle and the already-glowing headlight. The lyrics remind listeners that that one decision would determine their perspectives on their life’s journey.
Overall, the message in “Midnight Train” is to embrace life’s journey, no matter how slow or mundane it might seem. The song reminds listeners that life is a journey, and we have the power to choose our attitude towards that journey.
Line by Line Meaning
That midnight tram is a long and a slow one
The train that runs at midnight takes a lot of time to reach its destination.
The timetable's set, the brakernan is tired
The train's schedule is fixed, and the driver is fatigued.
Your seat is reserved with exceptions for no one
Your seat on the train is already booked, and there is no room for anyone else.
No luggage allowed, no ticket required
You do not need a ticket to board the train, and you cannot carry any baggage.
It will be there right on time at the station
The train is punctual, and it will arrive at the station on time.
Even if midnight must come at high noon
The train will run at the scheduled time, regardless of the circumstances.
And you will not know that tram's destination
You have no idea where the train is going.
And you'll not leave late nor one minute too soon
You cannot board the train early or late.
You may sit beside fear and go worse than lonely
You have the option to sit with anxiety and feel worse than being alone.
Or travel with trust and love and faith restored
Alternatively, you can board the train with faith, trust, and love for a rejuvenating journey.
These choices you have and these choices only
You only have these choices, and there are no other options available.
Now that whistle blows, yes it's already whimn'
The train's whistle has already blown, and it is ready to depart.
If you listen close, you can hear it soft and clear
If you pay close attention, you can hear the train's whistle faintly but clearly.
And that headlight burns, yes it's already shimn'
The train's headlight is already on and glowing brightly.
You might as well choose right now, it's love or fear
It is entirely up to you to decide the nature of the journey: whether it will be filled with love or fear.
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FAYM FAYM
So freaking good. Can’t decide which is better Butch’s 1994 version or this - the answer is both. This new Flatlanders is what my heart needed. So happy they did this. Hands down the best thing to come out of covid is them recording this album.
Charmaine de Burgh
Want this whole album, just so good
Don Birdseye
A really good song!
katzo7
Great interplay of guitar vs. vocal, nicely done.
Charmaine de Burgh
Just love it
Justin Myslive
How could you not
Bill Burks
words fail...even as the soul knows it's being hit on big time.
L I V E 2022
Great great ballad
FAYM FAYM
Can’t get this out of my head....
Tory Gates
I'm taken from the very first track! I interviewed Joe Ely a few years ago; one of the nicest people and best interviews I ever had. He said this is a project that is not about money, but fun and something they love doing...you feel it.