[ ]   [ ]   [ ]                        [ ]      [ ]   [ ]
James McMurtry — Sixty Acres
Album: It Had To Happen
Avg rating:
6.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 589









Released: 1997
Length: 3:28
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Turned off the tv
Sat down to dinner
Phone rang, we were saying grace
Grand ma died
Left us sixty acres
The last of the old home place

Sixty acres up on the cap rock
What am I supposed to do with that
Uncle Claude got a eight wheeled tractor
Plow it under in nothing flat
We could plant some maize
We could plant some cotton
We could plant some oats just to see if they'd grow
But I don't like farming
Don't like the hours
Don't like a life that goes so slow

(chorus)
Glory glory
Hallelujah
Right back atcha
Hope that'll do ya
Don't look at me like theres something I shouldn't a'said
Just cause that old bird's dead

Now cousin Clifford
He got the good land
Right on the highway out by Air Base road
Looks like a Wal-Mart waiting to happen
I mean to tell you it's a pot of gold
It's in the city limits, zoned commercial
Got city water and a sewer line
What with the base expanding from consolidation
It's worth a fortune and it oughta been mine

(chorus)
Glory glory
Hallelujah
Right back atcha
Don't she look natural?
Don't look at me like there's
Something growing outa my head
Just cause that old bird's dead
Comments (48)add comment
When my Mom died, my siblings and I inherited 90 acres.  Given there are 10 of us, we got 9 acres each of sandy central MN land.  Needless to say, I retired the next day......
reminds me a LOT  of Polk Salad Annie
The son of Larry McMurtry, tis my belief that this singer songwriter is way underrated.  Lyrics to "Choctaw Bingo" are hysterical!
 More_Cowbell wrote:
Sounds like Money for nothing Knophler 
 
Yep, I get that too.  Except that my ears think this is better.
Sounds like Money for nothing Knophler 
 Pharlap wrote:
just started getting into Mr. McMurtry in the past couple of years. Good to hear that he was pretty tasty back in .97

 
eeeewwwwww.
Wooo-Hooooooo damn good stompin' tune
 Cynaera wrote:
Dang - hadn't heard this before, but I love it. He's so snarky and sardonic - and I love the lyrics. Well, I just love McMurtry's music, anyway... Apparently, so does my muse, because I was about to hit the sack, but now I think I need to write. {#Sunny}

 
Cynaera liked it, that's good enough for me.
 Quasicoonass wrote:
Great storyteller!  Song after song are both funny with great drive{#Dancingbanana_2} 

 
Brilliant, love it.
Great storyteller!  Song after song are both funny with great drive{#Dancingbanana_2} 
...so I'm not the only one who expected to hear a Talking Heads cover...
Self proclaimed "Most Disinterested Man in the World". My hero.
 Cynaera wrote:
Dang - hadn't heard this before, but I love it. He's so snarky and sardonic - and I love the lyrics. Well, I just love McMurtry's music, anyway... Apparently, so does my muse, because I was about to hit the sack, but now I think I need to write. {#Sunny}

 
{#Yes}
 Alexandra wrote:
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco........

 
 
What a great mashup this would make! 

 
and---  that ain't workin...
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco........

 
 
What a great mashup this would make! 
Looking forward to seeing James McMurtry & the Heartless Bastards play live again this Saturday in northern Michigan. 
www.blissfest.org
Join the party!
Life During Wartime?  
He just sounds bored with what he's singing.
Atx hero!!!
Check out the lyrics (link centered just above the song comments) if you think this is generic.
Checking out your lowest rated songs helps me see that we have very different tastes.... I'd take your "1"'s and rerate them with "8-10"'.... We're just going to have to disagree on this one... And most of any others it looks like ;)
 ckcotton wrote:
Are there THOUSANDS of songs that sound just like this one?

Soooooo generic and boring 
 
 McMurtry = generic?!  Seriously?  That one will keep me chuckling all day.
all songs I've heard from this guy (new to me) is so fokking cool! {#Cowboy}
just started getting into Mr. McMurtry in the past couple of years. Good to hear that he was pretty tasty back in .97
Are there THOUSANDS of songs that sound just like this one?

Soooooo generic and boring 
I think grandma liked Clifford better.
Saw James at the Austin airport a couple of weeks ago.  Apparently he never goes out without that hat.

Dang - hadn't heard this before, but I love it. He's so snarky and sardonic - and I love the lyrics. Well, I just love McMurtry's music, anyway... Apparently, so does my muse, because I was about to hit the sack, but now I think I need to write. {#Sunny}
this guy bugs me - and he's played way too often on RP
 dBdwg wrote:
When this song started to play I thought, "Ahh geezzz another Mark Knopfler song that sounds like every other Knofler song, why can't he  write more than 1 song??", .........well imagine my embarrassment!
 

Too funny, i thought it was the start of a CCR tune!

I LIKE IT {#Bananajam}

When this song started to play I thought, "Ahh geezzz another Mark Knopfler song that sounds like every other Knofler song, why can't he  write more than 1 song??", .........well imagine my embarrassment!
Damn good stuff!  I might have to make a trip out to Austin to see Mr. McMurtry, as he doesn't make it out to California often enough.
Dark lyrics, kick-butt guitar—I like this.
 pugifat wrote:
What?? Is that you Nick Cave?
 
Naw, Mr. McMurtry is WAY more cynical than Mr. Cave.

{#Stop}
njr wrote:
Like the live version of this a *lot* better.
   



Agreed!


Like the live version of this a *lot* better.
 Monoman wrote:
I like James McMurtry's music but a lot of it reminds me of Timbuk3.  Maybe it's just his voice.  Anyone else?
 
I agree about his voice in the sense that he's a "talking singer," like Timbuk 3's Pat McDonald, Dylan, and (on occasion) Nick Lowe. McMurtry and Timbuk 3 are all from Texas and share some sensibilities around that—tho' I think the voice comparison is stronger.


Please pardon the bold(ed) statement above.  Great interface here to reply with.  WOWSER!  HOT!  COOL!

 
ShaggyBison wrote:
I am right with you on that observation, Momoman!  I logged into the website to see who this artist was, because it sounded "familiar", and after reading you thought it sounded like Timbuk3, I had an "ah-ha!" moment.  You're right on the money!
 
Monoman wrote:
I like James McMurtry's music but a lot of it reminds me of Timbuk3.  Maybe it's just his voice.  Anyone else?
 
 


I am right with you on that observation, Momoman!  I logged into the website to see who this artist was, because it sounded "familiar", and after reading you thought it sounded like Timbuk3, I had an "ah-ha!" moment.  You're right on the money!
 
Monoman wrote:
I like James McMurtry's music but a lot of it reminds me of Timbuk3.  Maybe it's just his voice.  Anyone else?
 


I like James McMurtry's music but a lot of it reminds me of Timbuk3.  Maybe it's just his voice.  Anyone else?
This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin around.

Very Talking Heads in its sound.
"we tappin phone lines, I know that ain't allowed"
I usually like McMurtry ... not sure about this song, yet. Doesn't seem to be one of his best. So far. 
sickels wrote:
somethings not quite right about this song, the way it sounds or was produced poorly?

Yes, we refer to that as "being sung by James McMurtry."

fuckin trippy....Weezz{#Cowboy}{#Drunk}{#Nyah}
What?? Is that you Nick Cave?
somethings not quite right about this song, the way it sounds or was produced poorly?