Tom Russell (born in Los Angeles in either 1947 or 1948) is an American sin… Read Full Bio ↴Tom Russell (born in Los Angeles in either 1947 or 1948) is an American singer-songwriter from California, currently living in El Paso, Texas. His music incorporates elements of folk, traditional country & western, border and cowboy music of the American West. Russell's songs have been recorded by artists such as Johnny Cash, Ian Tyson, Nanci Griffith, Dave Alvin and others. In addition to his music, he is also an artist and published author.

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).

Small Engine Repair
Tom Russell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I work right out of my own garage
I keep my own damn books
My wife′s up there in the trailer house, mister
She's 46, but keepin′ her looks
Your lawnmower's needin' it′s carburetor cleaned
Your air filter ain′t suckin' air
Leave it over yonder and call me in the mornin′
Small engine repair

Weed cutters and leaf blowers
Chainsaw rotors and lawnmower motors
One day turnaround, prices are fair
Small engine repair

I worked ten years for the water department
Ditch rider on a big white horse
Turn that wheel, you got irrigatin' water
From the mouth of the mother source
Catfish heads and windblown apples
Blowing ′cross the cotton fields
Back when farmers worked twelve hour days
And lived off their yearly yield

Weed cutters and leaf blowers
Chainsaw rotors and lawnmower motors
One day turnaround, prices are fair
Small engine repair

And if a man's heart was like a lawnmower engine
I′d a done pretty good in my time
Change the oil and keep the carburetor clean
And mow down all the problems of life

I was born right here on the edge of West Texas
'Bout a mile from the Rio Grande
Yeah, I done time, I can see you starin'
At the skull on the back of my hand
Now time ain′t nothin′ but a box of old parts
On a busted-up cement floor
Time ain't nothin′ but a muddy old river
Rollin' out my back door

Weed cutters and leaf blowers
Chainsaw rotors and lawnmower motors
One day turnaround, prices are fair
Small engine repair

Small engine repair

Overall Meaning

The song 'Small Engine Repair' by Tom Russell is an ode to a blue-collar job - small engine repair. The singer of the song is a man who is proud of his job and is content with his life. He works out of his own garage, keeps his own books, and his wife lives in a trailer house nearby. Despite the mundane nature of his job, he takes it very seriously and speaks about the requirements to fix different equipment, from carburetor cleaning to air filters. He talks about how he can fix any equipment within a day and at a reasonable price.

The song also contains some nostalgic elements wherein the man talks about his past life as a ditch rider for the water department. He reminisces about the time when farmers worked twelve hours a day and lived off their yearly yield. He compares a lawnmower engine to a man's heart and states that if the heart were to be like the lawnmower engine, he would have been pretty good in his time. The song ends with the metaphorical line "Time ain't nothin' but a muddy old river rollin' out my back door," signifying that time is always moving and the only thing that remains constant is the need for small engine repairs.

Line by Line Meaning

I work right out of my own garage
I operate my business out of my own garage.

I keep my own damn books
I take care of my bookkeeping on my own.

My wife's up there in the trailer house, mister She's 46, but keepin' her looks
My wife is living in our trailer and she is 46 years old, but looks young.

Your lawnmower's needin' it's carburetor cleaned Your air filter ain't suckin' air Leave it over yonder and call me in the mornin' Small engine repair
If you need help with your lawnmower, and it's carburetor is dirty, and the air filter is not doing its job, bring it to me and call me tomorrow to pick it up, as I offer small engine repair.

Weed cutters and leaf blowers Chainsaw rotors and lawnmower motors One day turnaround, prices are fair Small engine repair
My business services a variety of small engines, including weed cutters, leaf blowers, chainsaw motors, and lawnmower motors, and the turnaround time is only one day, and the prices are fair.

I worked ten years for the water department Ditch rider on a big white horse Turn that wheel, you got irrigatin' water From the mouth of the mother source Catfish heads and windblown apples Blowing across the cotton fields Back when farmers worked twelve hour days And lived off their yearly yield
I previously worked for the water department as a ditch rider, working on a white horse, turning the wheel to bring irrigation water from the source. I recall times when catfish heads and windblown apples would be seen being blown across the cotton fields, when farmers worked long hours to yield crops to live off of.

And if a man's heart was like a lawnmower engine I'd done pretty good in my time Change the oil and keep the carburetor clean And mow down all the problems of life
If someone's heart was like a lawnmower engine, I would have been successful, because one only needs to change the oil, and keep the carburetor clean and they could solve all of the problems in their life.

I was born right here on the edge of West Texas 'Bout a mile from the Rio Grande Yeah, I done time, I can see you starin' At the skull on the back of my hand Now time ain't nothin' but a box of old parts On a busted-up cement floor Time ain't nothin' but a muddy old river Rollin' out my back door
I was born here in West Texas, close to the Rio Grande, and I have also been to jail as evidenced by the skull on the back of my hand, which I notice others staring at. I view time as just some old parts on the ground or a muddy old river moving behind my house.

Small engine repair
This phrase is a simple reminder of the principle service and business that is provided in the lyrics -- small engine repair.

Writer(s): Russell Thomas G

Contributed by Makayla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS