My writing schedule is off this week because I’m working more at the Red Lion Inn. Robert, the head chef, had a chance to get away for a few days with his family and I’m filling in some of the shifts. He has been so generous in working with my schedule so I could go on our mission trip and to my in-laws’ fiftieth wedding anniversary party that I was more than happy to adjust how I would have spent these days.
What I want to tell you about is seeing Lyle Lovett last Thursday night. My first date with Ginger was to see Lyle Lovett at Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, Texas, a wonderful little club. Since then, we’ve seen him every year. He never disappoints. I will get a chance to post about the whole evening, but for today I would like to leave you with my nomination for our new national anthem, “If I Had a Boat”:
If I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boatIf I were Roy Rogers
I’d sure enough be single
I couldn’t bring myself to marrying old Dale
It’d just be me and trigger
We’d go riding through them movies
Then we’d buy a boat and on the sea we’d sailAnd if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boatThe mystery masked man was smart
He got himself a Tonto
‘Cause Tonto did the dirty work for free
But Tonto he was smarter
And one day said kemo sabe
Kiss my ass I bought a boat
I’m going out to seaAnd if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boatAnd if I were like lightning
I wouldn’t need no sneakers
I’d come and go wherever I would please
And I’d scare ’em by the shade tree
And I’d scare ’em by the light pole
But I would not scare my pony on my boat out on the seaAnd if I had a boat
I’d go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I’d ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat
Peace,
Milton
I never knew what on earth Lyle was smokin’ when this song came out.
Later I heard him explain it as the point of view of an 8-year-old’s imaginative mind.
I always thought he ended up writing the song because of the way the words pony and boat sound together. They don’t get used together that often.
Peace,
Milton
It makes perfect sense to me….
One of my faves. Thanks, Milton.
This brings back such warm memories — I taught what I could remember of this song to my niece years ago when I visited at Thanksgiving in Texas, we walked all around the farm singing it over and over again and never tired of it. But, “This Old Porch” might still be my favorite Lyle song.