Kleinow and Ethridge instigated a reformation of the band in 1975 which continued through 1984. The band was reformed once again in 1985 and were disbanded for a final time in 2001.
The band best known as the "Flying Burrito Brothers" actually 'borrowed' their name from the original "Flying Burrito Brothers", composed of bassist Ian Dunlop and drummer Mickey Gauvin, bandmates of Parsons from the Boston-based International Submarine Band, plus any of a loose coalition of musicians, including Parsons himself from time to time. In a deliberate choice of focusing on just creating and playing music without the distractions of the music industry, in 1968 the original Brothers moved from Los Angeles to New York City. From this base they continued to tour the Northeast playing their eclectic traditional/rockabilly/blues/R&B-oriented version of rock, using the name "The Flying Burrito Brothers East" after Parsons' group became famous.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Parsons and guitarist/mandolinist/bassist/vocalist Chris Hillman thought this same moniker would be perfectly suited to the band they had been dreaming of since early 1968, when, as members of Roger McGuinn's band The Byrds, they created one of the first country-oriented rock albums, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. They immersed themselves in their vision in their house in the San Fernando Valley, dubbed "Burrito Manor", even replacing their wardrobe with a set of custom country-Western suits from tailor to the C&W stars, Nudie's Rodeo Tailors (Parsons's had marijuana leaf embroidery) and began a period of intensely fruitful creativity. At this juncture, the band also included pianist/bassist Chris Ethridge and pedal steel guitarist "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow.
Their first album The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) did not sell terribly well, being a radical departure from anything most of the record-buying public (either rock or country) had ever seen, but the group had a cult following which included several famous musicians, such as Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. Parsons soon became friends with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and left the group after 1970's Burrito Deluxe, which also saw the departure of Ethridge and addition of guitarist/dobro player/vocalist Bernie Leadon and drummer Michael Clarke (of The Byrds). Rick Roberts replaced Parsons and released a self-titled album with the group in 1971. Kleinow then left to become a session musician and Leadon joined The Eagles. Al Perkins and Roger Bush replaced them, and Kenny Wertz and Byron Berline joined as well, releasing The Last of the Red Hot Burritos (1972), a live album. The band fell apart. Hillman and Perkins joined Manassas, while Berline, Bush and Wertz formed Country Gazette. Roberts reassembled a new group for a 1973 European tour, and then began a solo career before forming Firefall with Michael Clarke.
As Gram Parsons's influence and fame grew, so did interest in the Flying Burrito Brothers, leading to the release of Honky Tonks (1974), a double album, and the recreation of the band by Kleinow and Ethridge in 1975. Floyd "Gib" Gilbeau, Joel Scott Hill and Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram) also joined, and the band released Flying Again that year. Ethridge was then replaced by Skip Battin for Airborne (1976), followed by an album of unreleased early material, Sleepless Nights. For the next few decades, the group released albums and toured and had a country hit with "White Line Fever" (1980, a cover by Merle Haggard) and then became the Burrito Brothers. Headed by prolific songwriter and ace guitarist John Beland and Gib Guilbeau, and normally featuring Sneaky Pete, this incarnation scored moderately well on the Country charts in the early 1980s. Through numerous incarnations (including Brian Cadd for a time), the band released albums and toured throughout the 1980s up till 2001 when John Beland "officially" ended FBB. While the bands work during the 1980-1999 period was exceptional, after 1984 none of the many releases had any chart impact. Sneaky created a Burritos spinoff in his new band Burrito Deluxe, which featured Carlton Moody on lead vocals and Garth Hudson from The Band on keyboards. While a good band, there has never been any real continuity with the true Burritos and this group can not be considered anything more than a spinoff. Pete however, left the band due to illness in 2005, leaving no direct lineage to the original masters.
Gram Parsons died on September 19, 1973. "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow died on January 6, 2007. Chris Hillman is still a very successful singer-songwriter, having been part of Souther-Hillman-Furay, McGuinn-Clark-Hillman, then going on to form the Desert Rose Band (1986-1993) with Herb Pedersen. He still sings with Pedersen today as Chris and Herb, having released "The Other Side" (2005).
God
The Flying Burrito Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where he sits when he's able
To walk over from bedridden misery
To record from his thoughts
On a worn out table cloth
Where he'd been while
His mind breaks sleeplessly
You know, he's still out on that stage
Entertaining all his friends
That pause to greet him at the door
Forty-nine years out on the road
Many nights he'd saved a soul
Now he sits and waits
To claim his own reward
God's own singer of songs is going home
Though he's poor, he might be
The richest one you know
All his pain will set him free
Wash his soul and cleans him clean
God's own singer of songs is going home
God's own singer of songs is going home
The Flying Burrito Brothers' song God tells the story of a musician who is aging and bedridden, reminiscing about his life and career. The lyrics paint a picture of an artist who has spent almost 50 years on the road, entertaining his friends and saving souls. He sits at a straight-backed chair and table, where he records his thoughts on a worn-out tablecloth. Despite the physical toll that years of performing have taken on him, he still longs to be on stage, entertaining his audiences.
The song speaks about the musician's impending death, as he prepares to go home to God. The line "all his pain will set him free, wash his soul and cleans him clean" implies that the musician believes that death will bring release from the physical agony he is experiencing. He may be poor in a material sense, but the song suggests that he is rich in experiences and memories.
Overall, the song God is a moving tribute to a well-lived life and a testament to the power of music, which can inspire and uplift even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
Straight-backed chair and a table
A simple, but supportive environment where the singer spends his time
Where he sits when he's able
When he's physically and mentally able, he spends his time at that table and chair
To walk over from bedridden misery
The singer struggles with health issues that often keep him bedridden, but he tries to overcome it and go to that table as much as he can
To record from his thoughts
The artist records his thoughts and emotions while sitting at the table
On a worn out table cloth
The tablecloth is a sign of the artist's history, and how he has been sitting at that table for a long time
Where he'd been while
The place where the singer has spent a lot of his time
His mind breaks sleeplessly
His mind is always active and he has trouble sleeping because of his thoughts
Though his body's bent with age
Despite the physical toll of age on his body, he still keeps going
You know, he's still out on that stage
He continues to entertain people, even at his age and with his physical limitations
Entertaining all his friends
He performs for his friends and others who appreciate his music
That pause to greet him at the door
People who know him come to see him at his home to congratulate him or offer him their support
Forty-nine years out on the road
He has spent close to fifty years traveling, performing, and living the life of a musician
Many nights he'd saved a soul
His music has impacted many people and he has had a positive influence on their lives
Now he sits and waits
At this point in his life, he no longer goes out on the road or performs as much as he used to
To claim his own reward
He awaits the positive effects of his own music in his life
God's own singer of songs is going home
The artist is on his way to a peaceful place
Though he's poor, he might be
Despite his financial situation, he has a lot of wealth in his heart and mind
The richest one you know
He is richer than most people you know in terms of his spirit and artistry
All his pain will set him free
The struggles he has gone through in his life have prepared him for the journey he is about to take
Wash his soul and cleans him clean
He will be purified of his troubles and sufferings as he enters the next phase of his existence
God's own singer of songs is going home
The artist is going to a place where he can rest, reflect, and be reenergized for his next journey
God's own singer of songs is going home
The artist is going to a peaceful place where he can be spiritually rejuvenated
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BERNIE LEADON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind