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Rodney Crowell — Sex and Gasoline
Album: Sex and Gasoline
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 282









Released: 2008
Length: 4:23
Plays (last 30 days): 0
So much beauty, abs and tush
Swoop down on you like a burnin' bush
Pop religion bullwhip thin
Says you ain't nothing but the shape you're in
Come on now girl, genuflect nude magazine
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline
19 candles adorn your cake
Life's simple pleasures is a chance you take
So here's the skinny, indulge the urge
Then sometime later you can binge and purge
Come on little girl, we both know what I mean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline
You're pushing thirty, why you old hag
Here's something dirty for your shopping bag
You spend the money and here's the deal
We'll do our best to mend your sex appeal
Ah, come on dear girl, the process is routine
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline
Your over forty, that's it for you
I'm pretty sure there's nothing else that we can do
Perhaps the convent, perhaps the knife
You woulda, coulda, shoulda been a rich man's wife
Come on old girl, Lolita in her prime was yet thirteen
This star crossed world runs on sex and gasoline
Tired ol' story, sad but true
We mama's boys have got it in for you
Our faults are many, our virtues nil
We never loved you and we never will
Ah, come on now girl, it's time we both come clean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline
From the first grade princess to the last homecoming queen
The star crossed world runs on sex and gasoline
The whole wide world runs on sex and gasoline
Oh yes and your momma's world ran on sex and gasoline
Comments (69)add comment
 veloman wrote:
Well first time ever heard him. Impression was he has been influenced by Dylan and Jagger in vocals  and the track sounds like a Stones track that didn't make the album
 

Always a TEN for me even though I only hear it here on the AWESOME RADIO PARADISE !

 
His voice reminds me of a young Murray McLaughlin.
 Spliff wrote:

She's sexy and has gas.

 
No. no. no. She's sexy and He has gas, you can tell by the look in his eyes...He's thinking, "Man, I'd really like to do her, but, jeez I really have to pass gas,...It's like this mean ol' world runs on sex and gas, wait gasoline, what a great title for a song!"  

Or not, but it could have happened.

{#Devil_pimp} 
 Spliff wrote:

She's sexy and has gas.

 
Good one. That's why he's got that slightly nauseated look on his face.
I am still thinking TEN  (2 years later)!

 

msymmes wrote:

I was thinking TEN.


 



 kcar wrote:
Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 

 
She's sexy and has gas.
 kcar wrote:
Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
 
Are you serious?  To sell a few more records, of course.

Looks like it might be a woman's butt that's pretty good looking.  I'd have buy a full-sized LP to find out, though, because I can't hardly see the pictures on CD covers at my age.
"from the first grade princess to the last homecoming queen ..."  Cute song!
 Proclivities wrote:

Tom Petty unapologetically sings like Dylan.  Rodney Crowell's around the same age as Tom Petty, and has been in the music business as long, if not longer, but it's interesting how many people adopt that vocalizing style.

 
I'd characterize that statement as poorly thought out.

Rodney Crowell was writing songs with Guy Clark, Steve Earl, and Townes Van Zandt when Tom Petty was still practicing music in his buddy's garage in Gainesville.

Then he led Emmylou Harris's band, wrote and produced his own, Roseanne Cash's, and Johnny Cash's records before he was 30. Pretty freakin' good for a white-trash kid from East Houston.

Simply put: Rodney sings like Rodney. Like his Daddy J.D. taught him to.

He is one of, if not the most, original talents in country singer/songwriting in the last 40 years. Not my opinion, just the facts.{#Wave}
 kcar wrote:
Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
 
Re Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the dude in the foreground? He's blocking the view.
I get Rodney.  Good stuff - mostly underrated.


 Saw Rodney at Feat Fan Excursion (nigrel, jamica) in January. What a great four nights of music.
 kcar wrote:

I was thinking of a young Bob, but you're right—you have to throw Tom into the mix.

Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
 
...wondering on the tattoo


 aelfheld wrote:
Sounds like the bastard offspring of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.
 
Tom Petty unapologetically sings like Dylan.  Rodney Crowell's around the same age as Tom Petty, and has been in the music business as long, if not longer, but it's interesting how many people adopt that vocalizing style.

Another song on the CD is "Closer to Heaven" and it is great.
That song alone is worth buying the CD.
 kcar wrote:
Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
  Who cares?


 kcar wrote:

I was thinking of a young Bob, but you're right—you have to throw Tom into the mix.

Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
 



I'm trying to think of all the images associated with with gasolene but non of them seem as interesting as that nice lady's posterior.
 aelfheld wrote:
Sounds like the bastard offspring of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.
 
I was thinking of a young Bob, but you're right—you have to throw Tom into the mix.

Re the album cover: what exactly is the point of the woman's butt in the background? 
Good tunes, great lyrics. You gotta love Rodney Crowell
Sounds like the bastard offspring of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
how can you match sex with gasoline?
 
Ask your momma.

Man - this song is SO good.  Here are lyrics, and what I love most is that one hundred people will interpret this song one hundred different ways. Sometimes viewpoints intersect or run parallel, but the fun is in the listening...

So much beauty abs & tush
Swoop down on you like a burnin' bush
Pop religion bullwhip thin
Says you ain't nothing but the shape you're in
Come on now girl genuflect nude magazine
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline

19 candles adorn your cake
Life's simple pleasures is a chance you take
So here's the skinny indulge the urge
Then sometime later you can binge & purge
Come on little girl we both know what I mean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline

You're pushing thirty why you old hag
Here's something dirty for your shopping bag
You spend the money and here's the deal
We'll do our best to mend your sex appeal
Ah come on dear girl the process is routine
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline

You're over forty that's it for you
I'm pretty sure there's nothing else that we can do
Perhaps the convent Perhaps the knife
You woulda coulda shoulda been a rich man's wife
Come on old girl Lolita in her prime was yet thirteen
This star crossed world runs on sex and gasoline

Tired ol story sad but true
We mama's boys have got it in for you
Our faults are many our virtues nil
We never loved you and we never will
Ah come on now girl It's time we both come clean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline

From the first grade princess to the last homecoming queen
The Star crossed world runs on sex and gasoline
The whole wide world runs on sex and gasoline
Oh yes and your momma's world ran on sex and gasoline


 lmic wrote:

I understand this song as an analogy between the superficial way we approach sex in the U.S and our similarly vapid auto-(and thus oil)-obsessed culture. Think: consumerism, disposability, an aggressively willful ignorance.

 
But the problem comes when he generalizes what is prevalent in US (and to some extent the developed world) to the whole world. And that is where I disagree with the lyrics. So no, the WORLD does not run on sex and gasoline, although some parts of it do.


 jadewahoo wrote:
I find this song to be a rockin' denouement of the commercialized fixation with obsession. And a rollicking good tune!
 
". . .fixation with obsession."  Is that from the department of redundancy department? 
 
I find this song to be a rockin' denouement of the commercialized fixation with obsession. And a rollicking good tune!
End already. As long as a Dylan song and just as shitty.
Wait, I thought it ran on Sax and Violins.
 {#Heartkiss}  Rodney is brilliant!!! {#Sunny} Glad to hear something from him.

 lmic wrote:
11
 
I was thinking TEN.

11

Great lyrics.
Same old story but its true. 

I get gasoline all over town but sex only at home. 
 MJMJ wrote:
Thought this was T Bone Burnett
 
...interesting!...definitely!

I would have to say that Rodney nailed it here....most won't see it, but it IS the bare truth.  I have thought that Rodney Crowell was one of the most innovative, personally, of my youthful days

 lmic wrote:

I understand this song as an analogy between the superficial way we approach sex in the U.S and our similarly vapid auto-(and thus oil)-obsessed culture. Think: consumerism, disposability, an aggressively willful ignorance.
 
Both are highly flammable?
Thought this was T Bone Burnett
 Baby_M wrote:

I think it's more a critique of the attitude toward women displayed by men of a certain immature mindset, such as Hugh Hefner and his target audience:

Tired old story sad but true
We mama's boys have got it in for you
Our faults are many our virtues nil
We never loved you and we never will
Ah come on now girl It's time we both come clean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline


 
Both points are not contradictory at all (yours and IMIC's). in fact they converge pretty much, if understood one as a general attitude towards sex and human relations, the other against women in particular, but same point I think

 lmic wrote:

I understand this song as an analogy between the superficial way we approach sex in the U.S and our similarly vapid auto-(and thus oil)-obsessed culture. Think: consumerism, disposability, an aggressively willful ignorance.

 
I think it's more a critique of the attitude toward women displayed by men of a certain immature mindset, such as Hugh Hefner and his target audience:

Tired old story sad but true
We mama's boys have got it in for you
Our faults are many our virtues nil
We never loved you and we never will
Ah come on now girl It's time we both come clean
This mean old world runs on sex and gasoline


glad to hear somebody tell it like it is..... oh yeah, good song too.
Didn't Rodney give us "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll"?
 Felix_The_Cat wrote:
how can you match sex with gasoline?
 
I understand this song as an analogy between the superficial way we approach sex in the U.S and our similarly vapid auto-(and thus oil)-obsessed culture. Think: consumerism, disposability, an aggressively willful ignorance.

how can you match sex with gasoline?
 slippery wrote:
Exciting piano, great drums, edgy bassline - i like it all, will have a look at the album!
 
Yes, indeed. I love hearing Crowell here. I might have to pick up this cd.

Carrie. Prejean.

 Grammarcop wrote:
Structured and sung as if he was trying to emulate Nick Lowe.

 
or Bob Dylan. {#Puke}
 Manbird wrote:
Reminds me of Bobbidy Dyan.
 
{#Ask} kind of thought I was in a parallel universe for a few minutes....

Structured and sung as if he was trying to emulate Nick Lowe.

 mediamarv wrote:

He got his start playing in Emmy Lou Harris' band.
His late 70s-early 80s stuff is really good, IMHO.
 

Being Johnny Cash's son-in-law didn't hurt Rodney's career. I love all his stuff, especially his stuff from the last few years. He is incredibly talented, a Hell of a nice guy, and a Texan. Sounds like a trifecta to me.  {#Clap}

Rodney Crowell, eh?

 

Talk about a song that gets to the heart of America.....  Good music for a period where American per capita wealth and global influence are slowly, steadily declining.


Exciting piano, great drums, edgy bassline - i like it all, will have a look at the album!
 westslope wrote:

I think I could grow to like this singer/songwriter.

 

His voice reminds me of a country-folk-pop Canadian singer Murray McLaughlin.  The writing makes me think of Bob Dylan.  Not to subtract from the obvious originality.


 


He got his start playing in Emmy Lou Harris' band.
His late 70s-early 80s stuff is really good, IMHO.
 manbirdexperiment wrote:
Reminds me of Bobbidy Dyan.
 


Actually the best version of Like a Rolling Stone I ever heard was a live version done by Crowell and his band at a county fair several years ago.
repeats the same sex and gas way too much.  Repetitive, to say the least

Reminds me of Bobbidy Dyan.
good tune
 lmic wrote:
W00t!!!

Quite biting, I must say.

 
I'll say. 'The Houston Kid' developed quite an attitude, huh?

I like it.

Pedestrian.
W00t!!!

Quite biting, I must say.

I think I could grow to like this singer/songwriter.

 

His voice reminds me of a country-folk-pop Canadian singer Murray McLaughlin.  The writing makes me think of Bob Dylan.  Not to subtract from the obvious originality.


 alux wrote:
Where did this dude come from?  Love it.
 
Houston, actually. Was married to, and still collaborates with, Roseanne Cash. He's been around a long time, just never got the recognition some of his contemporaries have, e.g. Steve Earle.

Wow, didn't know Rodney had something as recent as this.  Gotta love his perspective on life.  He's so overlooked — such an intelligent and insightful writer.  Glad to hear him played here! 
I started to think: "Oh, good, a Bob Dylan song I can't hate, only mildly dislike".

Turns out I was mistaken. :)
 sirrus wrote:
Bzzt!

"What are two things that can immediately be identified by smell?"
 
good one sir
Where did this dude come from?  Love it.
Bzzt!

"What are two things that can immediately be identified by smell?"
Cool