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).
Older Guys
The Flying Burrito Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whether or why is all on another day
And I think it's been said by somebody up ahead
The older guys tell me what it's all about
The older guys really got it all worked out
Since we got the older guys to show us how
I don't see why we can't stop right now
Dead on the beach is where I want to rent my home
And I think it's been said by somebody up ahead
The older guys get the ladies with their style
The older guys squeeze 'em until it makes them smile
What's the sense of looking like a cop on the beat
What's the sense of looking like a girl on the street
The Flying Burrito Brothers' song "Older Guys" is a celebration of living in the moment and seeking guidance from those who have already experienced life. The first verse, "I don't ever think about tomorrow, whether or why is all on another day," expresses the idea of not worrying about the future and focusing on living in the present. The singer finds inspiration in the words of the "older guys," who have already figured out what life is all about. They possess wisdom and knowledge, and it is from them that the singer gets his perspective. The verse "The older guys really got it all worked out" implies that the singer is seeking direction from these "older guys."
The second verse of "Older Guys" focuses on the desire to live by the ocean where life is more bare-bones and natural. The phrase "dead on the beach is where I want to rent my home" suggests a taciturn and solitary way of life, almost like a beach bum. The song shows reverence for those who have already figured out life, including how to get along with women; the lyrics "The older guys get the ladies with their style, the older guys squeeze 'em until it makes them smile," suggest a level of physical intimacy that is only possible with age and experience. The song is a lighthearted celebration of life's pleasures and a tribute to those who have already experienced the ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't ever think about tomorrow
I live in the present moment without worrying about what may happen tomorrow.
Whether or why is all on another day
I do not concern myself with questions about the future, as they will be answered when the time comes.
And I think it's been said by somebody up ahead
I have heard from others who have more experience and knowledge than me.
The older guys tell me what it's all about
The more experienced and wise individuals offer me valuable insight and knowledge.
The older guys really got it all worked out
The seasoned gentlemen have figured out the best way to navigate through life.
Since we got the older guys to show us how
We can learn from the older guys and benefit from their guidance.
I don't see why we can't stop right now
We should live in the moment and enjoy what we have, rather than worrying about the future.
It's so cold staying living down on the ocean
Living near the ocean can be cold and difficult.
Dead on the beach is where I want to rent my home
Despite the challenges, I still find the ocean to be a desirable place to live.
The older guys get the ladies with their style
The experienced gentlemen know how to impress women with their style and charm.
The older guys squeeze 'em until it makes them smile
The older guys know how to make women happy and satisfied.
What's the sense of looking like a cop on the beat
There is no need to dress like a police officer or authority figure to impress others.
What's the sense of looking like a girl on the street
There is no benefit to looking like a pedestrian or ordinary person when trying to catch someone's attention.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNIE LEADON, CHRISTOPHER HILLMAN, GRAM PARSONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hop On pop
One of the most talented groups ever who never really became popular.
Chris Hillman of the Byrds on base plus vocal harmonies
Bernie Leadon of the Eagles on Lead guitar plus vocal harmonies
Sneaky Pete on Pedal
And the great Gram Parsons the Byrds lead vocal
Eli Miller
And Micheal Clarke the Byrds drummer
Hop On pop
Gram really never wanted or needed to succeed he was a Trust fund kid who didn’t need the work like the other guys
He drove his band mates crazy
But I call his voice country blues or soul .
Bernie got it right when he said he could make people cry ( My Man)
Because you could feel his voice coming from some deep dark area
Enrique Loco
This goes to show you how versitile Gram Parsons was... this song is awesome!! I would listen to this any DAY compared to the sh#t of today!!
Shakimono Veras
Those Bass lines are bliss
pgroove211
These cats were great.. from psychedelic Rock to pure country !
peanut79
I would love a colorized version in technicolor from this swinging 60´s psychedelic alt-country ensemble! Would be trippy-tastic fabulous, I bet!
JFS3
The original clip is in color, as it is an excerpt from John Byner's syndicated comedy/music show, Something Else. You can find the clip in full color here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibuUU9uxT8I
Linda. Cafaro
Gram is having a grand time with this song, he looks great and seems to be in charge of himself, I wish so much that he was still here so we all could enjoy him
somuchface
fascinating archive! great tune!