Friday July 29, 2022 “If I Had a Boat” Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett has the most wistful suggestion for our nautical week because if we’re heading out to sea we will, as he sings, definitely need a boat, maybe not that pony though.

Whenever I listen to Lyle Lovett the word eccentric usually comes to mind but I use that term in the absolutely most complimentary way possible.  His music is always original, his lyrics intriguingingly filled with character studies and dry wit and I am usually smiling whenever I am listening to him.

Born in Klein, Texas, a small town named after his great-grandfather, Lovett was raised on his family's horse ranch. He didn't begin his musical career until he started writing songs while attending Texas A&M University in the late '70s, where he studied journalism and German. After signing with MCA his first hits would be on the country top forty charts but his musical style grew to include  jazz, folk, and pop which he incorporated into a country framework.

In 1993 Lovett jumped into a larger frame of consciousness when he married actress Julia Roberts, perhaps an unlikely pairing as seen by most, but who can account for love.  Lyle Lovett has done his fair share of acting as well appearing in the Mickey Rooney film Bill: On His Own as well as Robert Altman’s The Player,  Fear and Loathing and several others.

Stay safe and well…and for you Lone Ranger fans you have to love the Lyle Lovett line in today‘s song: “But Tonto he was smarter and one day said, "Kemo sabe kiss my ass I bought a boat I'm going out to sea", I did mention that he was eccentric.

And 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

I said me upon my pony on my boat

 Now if 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 ridin' through them movies

And we'd buy a boat and on the sea we'd sail

 And 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

I said me upon my pony on my boat

 And now the 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 sea"

 And 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

Said me upon my pony on my boat

 And if I were like lightning

I wouldn't need no sneakers

Well I'd come and go whenever 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 sea

 And 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

I said me upon my pony on my boat

I said me upon my pony on my boat