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).
Wheels
The Flying Burrito Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To take ourselves away
We've got the telephones to say
What we can't say
We've all gone higher
And higher every day
Come on wheels take this boy away
We're not afraid to ride
So come on wheels take me home today
Come on wheels take this boy away
Now when I feel
My time is almost up
And destiny is in my right hand
I'll turn to him
Who made my faith so strong
Come on wheels make this boy a man
We're not afraid to ride
We're not afraid to die
Come on wheels take me home today
Come on wheels take this boy away
Come on wheels take this boy away
The Flying Burrito Brothers' song "Wheels" is ultimately about the freedom that comes with mobility. The lyrics suggest that having wheels and other technologies, such as telephones, allows individuals to escape situations and engage in activities that they may not otherwise be able to accomplish. Specifically, the chorus emphasizes that the singers are willing to take risks and explore new territories- they are "not afraid to ride" or "not afraid to die." Essentially, the song conveys that having the ability to travel opens up a world of possibilities.
The verses of the song are more introspective, focusing on the singer's personal journey. The second verse points to a sense of mortality- "Now when I feel my time is almost up..." It is unclear whether this refers to a physical death or a metaphorical one. The lyrics suggest that the singer has found strength in a higher power, turning to "him who made my faith so strong" as they face their fears. By the end of the song, the singer is requesting for wheels to take them away- either to explore new opportunities or, potentially, to reach an afterlife.
Overall, "Wheels" by The Flying Burrito Brothers conveys a sense of both excitement and dread that comes with having the ability to travel, and invites the listener to examine their own relationship with mobility and what it represents.
Line by Line Meaning
We've all got wheels
All of us have vehicles
To take ourselves away
To travel and escape from our current situation
We've got the telephones to say
We have the means to communicate with others who are far away
What we can't say
Expressing things that we find difficult to say in person
We've all gone higher
We have grown and matured in various ways
And higher every day
Continuously progressing towards our goals
Come on wheels take this boy away
Let the vehicle transport me away to a better place
We're not afraid to ride
We are willing to take risks and face challenges
We're not afraid to die
We are brave enough to face death or danger
So come on wheels take me home today
Bring me home to a safe and familiar place
Now when I feel
When I sense or experience something
My time is almost up
I am nearing the end of my life or opportunity
And destiny is in my right hand
I have control over my own fate
I'll turn to him
I will look towards someone for guidance or comfort
Who made my faith so strong
The person who helped me develop a strong belief system
Come on wheels make this boy a man
Help me grow and mature into a stronger person
Come on wheels take this boy away
Let the vehicle transport me away to a better place
Come on wheels take this boy away
Let the vehicle transport me away to a better place
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER HILLMAN, GRAM PARSONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind