In the 1980s Russell made four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band. These featured Andrew Hardin and accordionist Fats Kaplin.
In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing original material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane", co-written with Nanci Griffith, became a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. His most significant album from this period is the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.
His more recent albums include "Blood and Candle Smoke" (2009) and "Mesabi" (2011).
Rayburn Crane
Tom Russell Lyrics
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Through the Farewell Gap and the Franklin Lakes
Up North to Chagupa Plateau
With the government men and the hunters and the dudes
And the leaders of the business world
Yea, Rayburn Crane was a packhorse man
And a mighty good hand with a mule.
Rayburn Crane, Rayburn Crane
The Mountains and the
Valleys and the Trees Remember your name.
He rode 45 years through the mountains
And the valleys just a-pullin' them strings of mules
And the ropes and the chaps and the halters
And the saddles well these were
Rayburn's tools Sittin' down at night by the firelight
Talkin' and a-pullin' at the whiskers on his chin
You didn't need no music when
Rayburn went to talkin' 'bout the mountains and the packhorse men.
Rayburn Crane, Rayburn Crane
The Mountains and the
Valleys and the Trees Remember your name.
Well the business men they bought these mountains for a big time ski resort
An Ol' Rayburn he's gone down to die in a
Three Rivers' trailer court
And the canvas-flapjack-cooktent moans with the bushes and the trees in the wind
'Cause there ain't no place in a ski resort for a mule skinnin' packhorse man.
Rayburn Crane, Rayburn Crane
The Mountains and the
Valleys and the Trees Remember your name.
Rayburn Crane, Rayburn Crane
The Mountains and the
Valleys and the Trees Remember your name
In Tom Russell's song "Rayburn Crane," the titular character is depicted as a skilled packhorse man who navigates the mountains and valleys with ease. He is described as having a deep connection to nature, as he seems to know every inch of the terrain he travels through. The lyrics suggest that Rayburn Crane was a well-regarded figure in his community, as he interacted with government officials, hunters, and business leaders. Despite his prominence, however, Rayburn continued to embody the simple life of a packhorse man, using only ropes, halters, chaps, and saddles as his tools.
Line by Line Meaning
Rayburn Crane he rode these mountains like the streams he rode 'em through
Rayburn Crane was intimately familiar with the mountains he traversed, as if they were second nature to him, like the streams that flowed through them
Through the Farewell Gap and the Franklin Lakes
Rayburn Crane rode through the Farewell Gap and Franklin Lakes during his travels
Up North to Chagupa Plateau
Rayburn Crane journeyed to Chagupa Plateau, which is located in the northern region of the mountains
With the government men and the hunters and the dudes And the leaders of the business world
Rayburn Crane traveled with an entourage that included government officials, hunters, tourists, and powerful business leaders
Yea, Rayburn Crane was a packhorse man And a mighty good hand with a mule.
Rayburn Crane was a skilled packhorse man, with great expertise in handling and working with mules
He rode 45 years through the mountains And the valleys just a-pullin' them strings of mules And the ropes and the chaps and the halters And the saddles well these were Rayburn's tools
For 45 years, Rayburn spent his days riding through the mountains and valleys, pulling along mule trains for transporting goods. The ropes, chaps, halters, and saddles were all instruments he used to do his job
Sittin' down at night by the firelight Talkin' and a-pullin' at the whiskers on his chin You didn't need no music when Rayburn went to talkin' 'bout the mountains and the packhorse men.
At night, Rayburn would sit by the fire and stroke his beard as he shared stories about the mountains and the packhorse men who traveled through them. His words were so captivating that music was not needed as accompaniment
Well the business men they bought these mountains for a big time ski resort An Ol' Rayburn he's gone down to die in a Three Rivers' trailer court And the canvas-flapjack-cooktent moans with the bushes and the trees in the wind 'Cause there ain't no place in a ski resort for a mule skinnin' packhorse man.
The mountains where Rayburn worked were eventually bought by businessmen who turned them into a ski resort. In the twilight of his life, Rayburn had to live in a rundown trailer court in Three Rivers. The cooktent, made of canvas, flaps in the wind and makes eerie sounds, a sad reminder that no place was left for a skilled packhorse man like Rayburn in a ski resort
Rayburn Crane, Rayburn Crane The Mountains and the Valleys and the Trees Remember your name.
Through this song, Tom Russell pays homage to Rayburn Crane, a legendary packhorse man who lived and worked in the mountains for many years. Despite the changes brought about by time, Rayburn's spirit and legacy live on through the mountains, valleys, and trees he knew so well
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TOM RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind