Ray Wylie Hubbard

-"Austin City Limits" presents, finally, musical outlaw and iconoclast of the highest order Ray Wylie Hubbard.

-♪ Ramona's got a keen sense of humor ♪ ♪ She got a tattoo down her arm ♪ ♪ It's of a python eatin' a little mouse ♪ ♪ Wearin' a sailor hat that says "Snake Farm" ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna scream ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get me some mescaline ♪ ♪ And then, I'm gonna rhyme that with gasoline ♪ ♪ It's a drunken poet's dream ♪ ♪ Ahhhh ♪ -♪ All my favorite colors ♪ ♪ Right ♪ ♪ All my favorite colors ♪ ♪ Yes, ma'am ♪ ♪ My sisters and my brothers ♪ ♪ See 'em like no other ♪ ♪ All my favorite colors ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's good day to be, a good day for me ♪ ♪ A good day to see my favorite colors ♪ ♪ Colors ♪ ♪ My sisters and my brothers ♪ ♪ They see 'em like no other ♪ ♪ All my favorite colors ♪ -Now, a full hour with legendary Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard.

[ Playing "Rabbit" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I saw this old dog was chasing this rabbit ♪ ♪ I saw a dog was chasing this rabbit ♪ ♪ Saw a dog was chasing this rabbit ♪ ♪ It was on Sunday, about noon ♪ ♪ I said to the rabbit, "You're gonna make it" ♪ ♪ I said to the rabbit, "Are you gonna make it?"

♪ ♪ I said to the rabbit, "You're gonna make it" ♪ ♪ The rabbit said, "Well, I got to" ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, a woman's heart's a sacred thing ♪ ♪ A woman's heart's a sacred thing ♪ ♪ A woman's heart's a sacred thing ♪ ♪ What's a man to do?

♪ ♪ "Try a little tenderness," Otis Redding said ♪ ♪ "Try a little tenderness" is what he said ♪ ♪ "Try a little tenderness," Otis said ♪ ♪ And then, he said "I got to, got to, ow" ♪ ♪ Watch me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, there's two kind of people in the world ♪ ♪ There's two kind of people in the world ♪ ♪ There's two kind of people in the world ♪ ♪ The day people and the night people ♪ ♪ And it's the night people's job ♪ ♪ It's the night people's job ♪ ♪ It's the night people's job ♪ ♪ To get the day people's money ♪ ♪ It's sad ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, between the devil and the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ Between the devil and the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ Between the devil and the deep blue sea ♪ ♪ That's where I am; I don't know what that means ♪ ♪ Maybe it means I'm funky and cool ♪ ♪ Maybe it means I'm funky and cool ♪ ♪ Maybe it means I'm funky and cool ♪ ♪ Maybe it means I'm on "Austin City Limits" ♪ ♪ Ahhhhh!

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, if it's in the groove, everybody loves it ♪ ♪ If it's in the groove, everybody loves it ♪ ♪ If it's in the groove, everybody loves it ♪ ♪ The great Howlin' Wolf said that ♪ ♪ We've a short time to be here ♪ ♪ We've a short time to be here ♪ ♪ We've a short time to be here ♪ ♪ So get out of your rut and let's get in a groove ♪ ♪ Get out of them ruts, let's get in the groove ♪ ♪ Get out of them ruts ♪ ♪ Get in a groove ♪ ♪♪ Well, I hope you're ready for this.

[ Cheering and applause ] Oh, my goodness.

Wow.

[ Whistling and applause ] Appreciate it.

[ Playing "Snake Farm" ] Now!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, the woman I love is named Ramona ♪ ♪ She kind of looks like Tempest Storm ♪ ♪ She can dance like Little Egypt ♪ ♪ She works down the Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Oooh, agh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ramona's got a keen sense of humor ♪ ♪ She got a tattoo down her arm ♪ ♪ It's of a python eatin' a little mouse ♪ ♪ Wearin' a sailor hat that says "Snake Farm" ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Oooooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I asked Ramona how come she works there ♪ ♪ She said, Well, it's got is charms ♪ ♪ There's nothing to do in the winter ♪ ♪ Now and then, some kid gets bit at the Snake Farm ♪ ♪ I said, Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Oooh, agh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ramona likes malt liquor ♪ ♪ And a band from Wales that's called The Alarm ♪ ♪ Said she cried when they broke up ♪ ♪ She still plays their records down at the Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Oooooh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Sometimes Ramona calls me up ♪ ♪ And says "Come on down here; it's gettin' warm" and... ♪ ♪ She runs every body off ♪ ♪ And we...you know, at the Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Ooh, help me now ♪ ♪ I said, Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Oooooooh ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] We're very, very, very honored to be here and, if this is the first time some of you have seen me perform, you're probably a little bit nervous after those first two songs, but I've just written these songs and I talk about them and I sing them.

I wrote this next song here with a young guy named Hayes Carll.

[ Playing "Drunken Poet's Dream" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ So I know a woman and she's wild as Rome ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She likes being naked and gazed upon ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She crosses a bridge, she sets it on fire ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She lands like a bird on a telephone wire ♪ ♪ I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna scream ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get me some mescaline ♪ ♪ And then, I'm gonna rhyme that with gasoline ♪ ♪ It's a drunken poet's dream ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Woh oh oh oh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, there some money on the table ♪ ♪ And a pistol on the floor ♪ ♪♪ ♪ A few paperback books ♪ ♪ By Louis L'Amour ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Whiskey bottles are scattered ♪ ♪ Like last night's clothes ♪ ♪♪ ♪ With cigarettes and papers ♪ ♪ And Oreos ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, my harmonica has got a busted reed ♪ ♪♪ ♪ My lips are chapped and are about to bleed ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She says, "That's nothing," when she was a kid ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, she danced with the dead at the pyramids ♪ ♪ I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna scream ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get me some mescaline ♪ ♪ And then, I'm gonna rhyme that with gasoline ♪ ♪ It's a drunken poet's dream ♪ ♪ Woh oh oh ♪ ♪ Woh oh oh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ow ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, I'll never pay back my student loan ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Smelling like Coors and cheap cologne ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She tells me not to worry about Judgment Day ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She says dying to get into heaven ♪ ♪ Just ain't our way ♪ ♪ I'm gonna holler and I'm gonna scream ♪ ♪ I'm gonna get me some mescaline ♪ ♪ And then, I'm gonna rhyme that with gasoline ♪ ♪ It's a drunken poet's dream ♪ ♪ Ahhhhh ♪ ♪♪ ♪ So I know a woman and she's wild as Rome ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She likes being naked and gazed ♪ ♪ Upon ♪ [ Cheering and applause ] [ Whistling and applause ] Ah.

Thank you guys very much.

Hayes Carll and I made that song up and I'm really -- He's a fine young writer and, once he develops a tolerable personality, there's going to be no stopping him.

[ Laughter ] This is a song here that I wrote with my wife, Judy.

As a matter of fact, I'd done this gig.

It was a real rough gig.

The sound was squealy and feeding back and everything and the promoter was a little sketchy.

There was a little discrepancy in the head count.

And so I got back about 4:00 and I walked in and my wife, Judy, said, "Well, how was the gig?"

And I said, "Man, it was a rough gig."

She said, "Well, everybody turns a bad trick, every now and then."

And then I just realized what I was.

[ Laughter ] Just got to negotiate the price.

And so, anyhow, so we wrote this song together.

The first time we had written a song since we were married, 33 years and everything.

And, on the record, I had the very good fortune to be on this track, to have a Beatle, an Eagle, a Crowe, a Was, and a Not Was.

And thanks to a fellow by the name of Brent Carpenter who helped me put all that together, which, you know, if you really think about it, that's pretty impressive.

[ Laughs ] I mean, I am.

So, anyhow, this is a song Judy and I wrote called "Bad Trick."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't get any on you if you go to Nashville ♪ ♪ Don't operate machinery if you on Benadryl ♪ ♪ You got to have some faith if you in a lion's den ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Club soda don't always remove ketchup stains ♪ ♪ Ain't nothing you can take is gonna cure a migraine ♪ ♪ Broken dreams is a premise in "Of Mice and Men" ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ You got to have some scars, if you wanna be a poet ♪ ♪ To get weeds out of a garden, oh, you got to hoe it ♪ ♪ Possession with intent will get you five to ten ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then, ahhhh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Most gamblers know that they'll never break even ♪ ♪ There's five stages to go through when you're grieving ♪ ♪ The sword is always bloodier than the pen ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ You got to have some scars, if you wanna be a poet ♪ ♪ To get weeds out of a garden, oh, you got to hoe it ♪ ♪ Possession with intent will get you five to ten ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Dancing is promiscuous after midnight ♪ ♪ It's better to be content than to have to always be right ♪ ♪ You can't fix a broken heart with a bobby pin ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ You got to have some scars, if you wanna be a poet ♪ ♪ To get weeds out of a garden, oh, you got to hoe it ♪ ♪ Possession with intent will get you five to ten ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪ And everybody turns a bad trick, now and then ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] I feel very fortunate to sleep with the president of my publishing company, which is my wife, Judy, [ Laughter ] and so she says, "You write whatever you want to write about and make the records that you want to make."

And then she says, "I'll try to sell the damn things."

So, for me, as a writer, that's a really good -- to have that freedom to write about anything.

You know, just drive along and go, "Oh, Snake Farm.

I believe I'll write about that."

But sometimes... ♪♪ you know, you write these things when something you -- you read something or hear something when it just tears off a fragment of your soul and that was kind of why I had to write this.

[ Playing "Rock Gods" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I stood in disbelief ♪ ♪ And wondered when the madness is gonna be done ♪ ♪ The grievous tears had come upon me ♪ ♪ In consequence of Route 91 ♪ ♪ Then I was in a studio ♪ ♪ And, once again, I broke down and cried ♪ ♪ Voice come on my headphones ♪ ♪ Told me Tom Petty died ♪ ♪ And all the rock gods are dead or dying ♪ ♪ It seems the whole world is broken and crying ♪ ♪ It is more than prayers we are needing ♪ ♪ We're all on a cross, alone and bleeding ♪ ♪ And, hey, engineer, don't play it back ♪ ♪ This train we're on is coming off the tracks ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ain't nobody left to sing the blues ♪ ♪ The way they supposed to be sung ♪ ♪ Everybody's talking, nobody's listening ♪ ♪ It's like we're just speaking in tongues ♪ ♪ There's a beauty that we witness ♪ ♪ When standing in a sacred place ♪ ♪ Yet looking at the disarray down here ♪ ♪ You think maybe God's run out of grace ♪ ♪ And all the rock gods are dead or dying ♪ ♪ It seems the whole world is broken and crying ♪ ♪ It is more than prayers we are needing ♪ ♪ We're all on a cross, alone and bleeding ♪ ♪ And, hey, engineer, don't play it back ♪ ♪ This train we're on is coming off the tracks ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ We were as beautiful as angels ♪ ♪ When we's born with virtue and trust ♪ ♪ Then our innocence was lost ♪ ♪ Burned off and turned to rust ♪ ♪ We were betrayed by black-winged shadows ♪ ♪ Rising in the darkness at dusk ♪ ♪ Stealing us away from the light ♪ ♪ Leaving broken toys in the dust ♪ ♪ And all the rock gods are dead or dying ♪ ♪ It seems the whole world is broken and crying ♪ ♪ It is more than prayers we are needing ♪ ♪ We're all on a cross, alone and bleeding ♪ ♪ And, hey, engineer, don't play it back ♪ ♪ This train we're on is coming off the tracks ♪ ♪ Ahhh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] Thank you very much.

[ Whistling and applause ] [ Playing "Fast Left Hand" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ My grandma told my mama ♪ ♪ This boy gonna be the one ♪ ♪ He gonna have a fast left hand ♪ ♪ Same as the seventh son ♪ ♪ And then she lit a candle and set it on a rabbit's skull ♪ ♪ Touched a 9-volt battery to a wad of steel wool ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I was raised with the Pentecostal ♪ ♪ Believing the Word was true ♪ ♪ When I was thirteen, got a flat top Kalamazoo ♪ ♪ Ghosts started howling, lightning lit up the dark ♪ ♪ Smelt like singed hair when they ignited Joan of Arc ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's a dime's worth of blues and a left hand with speed ♪ ♪ Bunch or crows pecking at sunflower seeds ♪ ♪ There's a storm a-coming; I don't need a lightning rod ♪ ♪ And I won't be pushed around, bowing to mediocre gods ♪ ♪ I always bless my food, even if its shredded wheat ♪ ♪ I don't always see the light, but I sure 'nuff feel the heat ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ Oh, there's a fire ♪ ♪ There's a fire ♪ ♪ Burning all the time ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] You know, like I say, I have that freedom to write about whatever I want and this is a song, here, I wrote a while back and this band called Cross Canadian Ragweed put it on their album "Soul Gravy."

And I'm so grateful that they did because, with the royalty check, I was able to buy a fence... [ Laughter ] ...which, where I live, that's very important.

Alright.

[ Playing "Wanna Rock and Roll" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Last night I went down to the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ I watched a train roll by ♪ ♪ There's 99 cars screaming into the dark ♪ ♪ I heard the lonesome whistle cry ♪ ♪ With her name on my arm and the rain coming down ♪ ♪ It was like the very first time ♪ ♪ That I took her down to the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ And her red, red lips touched mine ♪ ♪ She said, I wanna rock and roll ♪ ♪ Hoochie coo, now ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪♪ ♪ The woman's got a walk that make a man cry ♪ ♪ Throw back his head and howl ♪ ♪ I say ruby red lips and liquid hips ♪ ♪ Ah-oo!

More than the law will allow ♪ ♪ Now, I told her once, I told her twice ♪ ♪ I must've told her a thousand times ♪ ♪ I got a red-hot mind and a cold, black heart ♪ ♪ I, I am the jealous kind ♪ ♪ Ah, the woman just laughed; she said, Sweet Daddy ♪ ♪ You know you're the only one ♪ ♪ You're my smooth lover boy, my heartache, and joy, now ♪ ♪ Come on, let's have some fun ♪ ♪ Let's rock and roll ♪ ♪ Hoochie coo ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪♪ ♪ It was early last night, I went downtown ♪ ♪ This little place called Johnny's Last Stand ♪ ♪ Through the blues and the smoke ♪ ♪ I saw her on the dance floor ♪ ♪ She was with another man, now ♪ ♪ The man's name was Louis Dupree ♪ ♪ I pushed a little button on my knife ♪ ♪ I walked up to him, I said, Hello, sonny boy ♪ ♪ Have you enjoyed your life?

♪ ♪ It's time to rock and roll ♪ ♪ Hoochie coo ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Last night I went down to the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ I watched a train roll by ♪ ♪ There were 99 cars screaming into the dark ♪ ♪ I heard the lonesome whistle cry ♪ ♪ With her name on my arm, the rain coming down ♪ ♪ I kissed her for the very last time ♪ ♪ I took her down to the railroad tracks ♪ ♪ And her red, red lips touched mine ♪ ♪ Rock and roll ♪ ♪ Hoochie coo ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪ Rock and roll ♪ ♪ Hoochie coo ♪ ♪ Shake that thing ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪ Love me, do ♪ ♪ You better love me, too ♪ ♪ Ahhhhhhhhh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] This is a song, here, that I wrote with a guy named Eric Church.

Eric Church called me up and he said, "Hey, man, I want to write a song with you."

I said, "Okay."

He says, "Called 'Desperate Man.'"

So I just kind of smartened off.

So I said, "Well, one time, I was so desperate, I went to a fortune teller to get my future read and she said I didn't have one," you know, just being, you know, and, all of a sudden, he says, "Okay, we'll make that the last verse."

So we wrote this song and he said, "Well, I like this song.

I'm going to put it out and name my album 'Desperate Man,' after this song."

I went, "Wow, man, great," and everything.

And then he called me up and says, "Hey, we're doing this video and, in this video, what I'm doing, I'm stealing my masters from my record label and I'm doing a thing like some of these old 'Miami Vice' or 'Blow' or 'American Made' kind of, you know, I'm going to bootleg them and get them, you know, and kind of like a, you know, and everything.

And so we're going do this video and we need somebody that looks like a '70s drug smuggler and everybody said, 'Well, get Ray Wylie,' [ Laughter ] so I did."

I went up there and I actually had my own three-piece denim suit and a gold chain that I'd [ Chuckle ] kept for a while.

But I do want to thank Eric very, very much for asking me to write this song with him.

And, once again, thank you guys so much.

We had a good time.

[ Cheering and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Playing harmonica ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I seen the Joshua Tree ♪ ♪ Fell down on my knees ♪ ♪ Threw the Virgin Mother a prayer ♪ ♪ I walked on glass barefooted ♪ ♪ And across the devil's backbone ♪ ♪ I done everything, I swear ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ Guitar ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Fortune teller told me ♪ ♪ No more last chances ♪ ♪ You got no future at all ♪ ♪ But I ain't listenin' to some ♪ ♪ Black-hearted Gypsy ♪ ♪ Who ain't got a crucifix on the wall, oh, no ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm a half-cocked, full-tilt ♪ ♪ Scarred-hands, stone-hilt ♪ ♪ Don't cross me, I'm a grown-ass man ♪ ♪ I'm flashin'-light caution ♪ ♪ Careful who who cross, son ♪ ♪ I'm wild 'til she come back again ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ I-I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪ I say, Hey, what can I say?

♪ ♪ Oh, Lord ♪ ♪ I'm a desperate man ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] You've probably come to the conclusion that I am an acquired taste [ Laughter ] and that I am not for everyone.

♪♪ And this next song, here, should weed you out.

[ Laughter ] [ Playing "Mother Blues" ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ When I was a young man, about 21 years old, y'all ♪ ♪ All I wanted was a stripper girlfriend ♪ ♪ And a Goldtop Les Paul ♪ ♪ Be careful of the things you wish for ♪ ♪ You might get 'em ♪ ♪ There was a night club in Dallas ♪ ♪ It's called Mother Blues ♪ ♪ It's where Lightnin' Hopkins played ♪ ♪ And Freddie King even paid some dues ♪ ♪ All the dealers and gamblers and young white hipsters ♪ ♪ They all made the scene ♪ ♪ The girl at the door who checked IDs was ♪ ♪ Just sixteen ♪ ♪ It was not a place for law-abiding citizens ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, Jackie Jones, he had him a habit ♪ ♪ He just couldn't stop ♪ ♪ Said, Give me 500 dollars ♪ ♪ I'll sell you my Les Paul Goldtop ♪ ♪ I drove my daddy's car down to Ross Avenue ♪ ♪ And I sold it ♪ ♪ I guess I should've told him ♪ ♪ He alluded to the police that someone stole it ♪ ♪ It was just the first of many bad decisions ♪ ♪ I was to make for the next 20 years ♪ ♪ Oh, but I, I had me a guitar ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ This is the first song that I learned on it, too ♪ ♪ Wohhhh ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You may not be aware of this thing called after hours ♪ ♪ After hours is when the clubs closes ♪ ♪ But the party still goes on ♪ ♪♪ ♪ 2:00 am and everybody's gone ♪ ♪ But the band, the dealers, and Jack Jones ♪ ♪ Then the girls from the Landing Strip club come over ♪ ♪ After they put their clothes back on ♪ ♪ So I'm at Ma Blues and I'm sitting on an amp ♪ ♪ I'm playing "Twist and Shout" ♪ ♪ And this tall drink of water walk in ♪ ♪ Look like she might have to shoot her way out ♪ ♪ She come up to me, she said ♪ ♪ You know anything good on that guitar?

♪ ♪ I didn't say nothing; I just kept playing ♪ ♪ She said, Have you ever heard this song called ♪ ♪ "Polk Salad Annie"?

♪ ♪ I just kept playing ♪ ♪ She said, Every time I hear that song ♪ ♪ My insides feel like warm butter ♪ ♪ And I just wanna take off my clothes ♪ ♪ And dance around in my underwear ♪ ♪ I said, Down in Louisiana ♪ ♪ Where the alligators grow so mean ♪ ♪ Oh, thank you, Tony Joe, thank you ♪ ♪ Yeah, chomp ♪ ♪ So me and this dancer, we hit it off like a... ♪ ♪ Metaphor ♪ ♪ Like a metaphor for a hydrogen bomb ♪ ♪ We was enriched uranium ♪ ♪ Super critical mass, we was a chain reaction ♪ ♪ It was love and lust ♪ ♪ Mostly lust, but it was a mutual attraction ♪ ♪ So there I was, boys, at 21 years old ♪ ♪ I had it all ♪ ♪ I had a fine stripper girlfriend ♪ ♪ And a Goldtop Les Paul, aw ♪ ♪ The future ♪ ♪ Oh, it looked promising ♪ ♪ But there were dark clouds on the horizon ♪ ♪♪ ♪ She was a beautiful girl ♪ ♪ But she liked to drink a lot of tequila ♪ ♪ That ain't all; I come home four or five times ♪ ♪ And she pawned my Les Paul ♪ ♪ So we broke up and she went to Hollywood ♪ ♪ She married her an actor ♪ ♪ She got a job dancing on "The Hudson Brothers" TV show ♪ ♪ And modeling lipstick for Max Factor, ah ♪ ♪ I'm glad she done alright ♪ ♪ I got over her, eventually ♪ ♪ I am glad ♪ ♪ She done alright ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, now, me, you know ♪ ♪ I never really busted through the gates ♪ ♪ Into the big-time as a rock 'n' roll star ♪ ♪ For 40 years, I just been carrying around ♪ ♪ An old Goldtop guitar ♪ ♪ But love and fate are mysterious things ♪ ♪ In this funky old world ♪ ♪ It was 33 years ago I ended up marrying ♪ ♪ The Mother Blues door girl ♪ ♪ We had us a boy ♪ ♪ He's 27 years old now ♪ ♪ He's playing guitar ♪ ♪ That's him, right there, wow ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Now, you know ♪ ♪ I don't know if Lucas ♪ ♪ Is gonna hang his life on the guitar ♪ ♪ It's a hard old road, you know ♪ ♪ Not every gig is as good as this one ♪ ♪ But I'm very, very grateful for the time ♪ ♪ That I get to share the stage with my son ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm very, very grateful to share the stage ♪ ♪ With old Bukka Allen tonight ♪ ♪ Laying down them keyboard grooves ♪ ♪ And I'm extremely grateful ♪ ♪ That Kyle Schneider's back there ♪ ♪ Laying down a groove you could hammer nails with ♪ ♪ And I am extremely grateful that Gurf Morlix ♪ ♪ Came out of hibernation to play bass on this gig ♪ ♪ And I'm very grateful to Terry Lacona ♪ ♪ For asking me to be on "Austin City Limits" ♪ ♪ And, you know, the days ♪ ♪ The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations ♪ ♪ I have really good days ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And this is a fine day ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] Thank you guys so much.

We had a great, great time here.

Lucas, Bukka, Kyle, and Gurf.

We want to thank Jamie and Tony for being our crew.

And everybody here, thank you guys so much.

You people have treated me the way that I deserve to be treated, so thank you guys so much.

We had a great time.

[ Whistling and applause ] [ Cheering and whistling ] My dad was an English teacher and so, when I was very, very young, you know, instead of reading "Three Little Pigs," he'd read "The Raven" to me.

[ Laughs ] And so I would have these discussions.

He'd give me a book, "Tale of Two Cities" and, you know, I was eight or nine or so, and then we'd have to discuss them.

And then, being an only child, back at the time, every day after school, I'd ride the bus down to the Dallas Public Library.

And literature still really is important.

A lot of songwriters will ask me, young songwriters, they say, "Well, you know, give me some advice about songwriting."

And so I say, "Well, don't just listen to Bruce Springsteen's 'The Ghost of Tom Joad.'

Read 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

You know, see where Bruce Springsteen got his inspiration."

Even though it's a very dark time right now, each day, I keep coming back to find something to be grateful for, you know, and that kind of -- that helps, you know, trying to find.

No matter what it is.

If it's just some small, little thing, that attitude of gratitude, and that keeps it from just completely, you know, crawling under the bed and screaming, you know.

-Tune in to Peabody Award- winning "Austin City Limits" to experience the best in original music.

-♪ I take a ride out in the country ♪ ♪ Get some wind in my hair ♪ -♪ There's a hole in Daddy's arm ♪ ♪ Where all the money goes ♪ -♪ Well, it's floodin' down in Texas ♪ ♪♪ ♪ All of the telephone lines are down ♪ -To view full "ACL" episodes, go to pbs.org.

♪♪ ♪ Sometimes Ramona calls me up ♪ ♪ And says "Come on down here; it's gettin' warm" and... ♪ ♪ She runs every body off ♪ ♪ And we...you know, at the Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Ooh, help me now ♪ ♪ I said, Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It just sounds nasty ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It pretty much is ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ It's a reptile house ♪ ♪ Snake Farm ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Oooooooh ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheering, whistling, and applause ] Ooh!

♪♪