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From The Plains To Mexico (song)

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"From The Plains To Mexico" (sometimes simply "Plains To Mexico") is a song by The Residents, based on the traditional cowboy ballad "Home, Sweet Home"[1] (first recorded by country singer Jimmie Davis in 1938). It is best known for being featured as the opening song in their live show Cube-E, which toured internationally between 1989 and 1990.

In Cube-E, the song opens the show's first suite, "Buckaroo Blues". An early studio version of the song, recorded between April and June 1989, was released in August 1989 as a limited edition single included with copies of the Italian book An Almost Complete Collection of Lyrics, 1972-1988. This version of the song has since been featured on various compilations, beginning with Daydream B-Liver in 1991.

The song has since made recurring appearances in The Residents' live shows since Cube-E; in 2002 and 2003 it appeared in the set list of the Demons Dance Alone tour, and in 2017 it was performed on the In Between Dreams tour.

Lyrics[]

From The Plains To Mexico (single version)[]

We were lyin' on the prairie, on Slaughter's ranch one night,
With our heads upon our saddles, and a campfire burnin' bright.
Soon we started talking of distant friends so dear,
When a boy raised up his saddle, and he brushed away a tear

"I fell in love with a neighbor girl, her cheeks were soft and white.
Another feller loved her too, and it ended in a fight.
Oh now, it makes me shake and shudder to think of that awful night,
When Tom and I began to fight, and I stabbed him with my knife."

"I fell down on my knees and tried to stop the blood
That came out all spurtin' from his side
Like some bright red crimson flood."

"At night when I am dreamin' I hear him softly say,
'Oh Bob, I know you're sorry, but I've gone to a better place.'
And I guess I believe it, but I just can't let it go.
His dyin' eyes are with me, from the plains to Mexico.[1]

"Home, Sweet Home" (traditional)[]

We were lying on a prairie on Slaughter's ranch one night,
With our heads upon our saddles while the fire was burning bright.
Some were telling stories and some were singing songs,
While others were idly smoking as the long hours rolled along.
At last we fell to talking of distant friends so dear,
When a boy raised up in his saddle and brushed away a tear.
"Now though it's only a Kansas dugout I left behind to roam,
I'd give my saddle and pony to be at home, sweet home."

We all asked why he had left his home, if it was so dear to him,
He looked the rough crowd over and spoke in a voice that was dim:
"I fell in love with a neighbor girl, her cheeks were soft and white;
Another feller loved her too; it ended in a fight.
This feller his name was Thomas Jones, we'd known each other from boys;
We had rode each other's horses, we had shared each other's joys.
Tom was tall and slender, his face was young and fair;
His eyes were the color of heaven, he had dark curly hair."

"Oh, now it makes me shudder to think of that awful night;
When Tom and I began fighting, I stuck him with my knife.
I fell right down on my knees and tried to stop the blood
That from his side came spurting all in a crimson flood.
And now whenever I sleep, I dream I hear him say:
'Bob, old boy, you'll be sorry; I'll be gone before it's day.'
Now, boys, you can see the reason why I am compelled to roam;
But I'd give my pony and saddle to be at home, sweet home."[1]

List of releases[]

List of versions[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Clementina Street studio recording, April-June 1989 (3:27)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cube-E live recording, Cowell Theater, San Francisco, California, September 24th 1989
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cube-E live recording, Arena Auditorium, Valencia, Spain, March 29th 1990 (4:11)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Night Music live TV studio recording, January 14th 1990 (4:55)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cube-E live recording, January 1990 (4:24)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Demons Dance Alone live recording, Warsaw Theatre, New York City, November 15th 2002
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cube-E live recording, Muziektheater, Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 6th 1990 (4:18)
  8. ↑ Clementina Street studio recording, April-June 1989 (3:29) (2000 Dynasone mix)
  9. ↑ Demons Dance Alone live recording, Rockefeller, Oslo, Norway, February 27th 2003
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 In Between Dreams live recording, The Chapel, San Francisco, California, April 2018 (7:04)

See also[]

External links and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
Residue of The Residents
(1983)

Side A
"The Sleeper" · "Whoopy Snorp" · "Kamakazi Lady" · "Boy in Love" · "Shut Up! Shut Up!" · "Anvil Forest" · "Diskomo"

Side B
"Jailhouse Rock" · "Ups & Downs" · "Walter Westinghouse" · "Saint Nix" · "Open Up"

Residue Deux (1998)
"Scent of Mint" · "From The Plains To Mexico" · "In San Francisco" · "Dumbo The Clown" · "Is He Really Bringing Roses?" · "Time's Up" · "Daydream Believer" · "Safety Is A Cootie Wootie" · "Daydream in Space"

Superior Viaduct edition (2014)
"Loser ≅ Weed" · "Death In Barstow" · "Melon Collie Lassie"

Related articles
MOP tapes · The Tunes of Two Cities · Residents Classic Series · pREServed · Leftovers Again?! · Pour No Graphics · Elvis Presley · Richard Nixon

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