Carlisles Haul by James McMurtry Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Old Carlisle needs some money
He's runnin' a seine out off the point
We'll all go help him though
Commercial season's closed
We might all wind up in the joint
There's bright lights out on the sand bar
Hear the donkey motor whine
The donkey man minds his business
I know to be mindin' mind
I learned from the best
Hear them crabbers cuss the weather
And they cuss the government too
'Cause nowadays crabbin' and fishin'
Hangin' on to a pot to piss in
Is just about the best a man can do
[Chorus 1]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Verse 2]
Old Carlisle and Uncle Freddy
Don't you know they've seen some times
They remember gas light
Oyster war machine gun fights
I wished I'd known 'em in their prime
Now they stare out past the lights
To the darkness on the water
I don't think they're likin' what they see
Long before that seine can make a circle
They'll know what the outcome's gonna be
They learned from the best
They learned from the best
So, haul that seine up in the long boat
We get to keep whatever's gilled
We'll take a bag of bunkers home
For crab bait and blue fish chum
A string of croaker for the Sunday meal
String of croaker makes a meal
[Chorus 1]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Chorus 2]
Staring down that long, steep slope
We gather 'round and we hold out hope
Because at the end of the rope
There's a little more rope most times
[Verse 3]
Uncle Freddy said we did a good job
He's sendin' us home with a nine-pound blue
But I don't see a truckload for the market
What's old Carlisle gonna do?
'Cept haul them lights in off the sandbar
Shut the donkey motor down
Tow them longboats up the river
Let's all get on back to town
Let's all get on back to town before the warden comes
He knows better than get here before dawn
He's got that green uniform
And the kids think he's a jerk
But you know he's somebody's cousin
And we can't have a hometown boy out of work
[Chorus]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Outro - Chorus 2]
Staring down that long, steep slope
We gather round and we hold out hope
Because at the end of the rope
There's a little more rope most times
Old Carlisle needs some money
He's runnin' a seine out off the point
We'll all go help him though
Commercial season's closed
We might all wind up in the joint
There's bright lights out on the sand bar
Hear the donkey motor whine
The donkey man minds his business
I know to be mindin' mind
I learned from the best
Hear them crabbers cuss the weather
And they cuss the government too
'Cause nowadays crabbin' and fishin'
Hangin' on to a pot to piss in
Is just about the best a man can do
[Chorus 1]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Verse 2]
Old Carlisle and Uncle Freddy
Don't you know they've seen some times
They remember gas light
Oyster war machine gun fights
I wished I'd known 'em in their prime
Now they stare out past the lights
To the darkness on the water
I don't think they're likin' what they see
Long before that seine can make a circle
They'll know what the outcome's gonna be
They learned from the best
They learned from the best
So, haul that seine up in the long boat
We get to keep whatever's gilled
We'll take a bag of bunkers home
For crab bait and blue fish chum
A string of croaker for the Sunday meal
String of croaker makes a meal
[Chorus 1]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Chorus 2]
Staring down that long, steep slope
We gather 'round and we hold out hope
Because at the end of the rope
There's a little more rope most times
[Verse 3]
Uncle Freddy said we did a good job
He's sendin' us home with a nine-pound blue
But I don't see a truckload for the market
What's old Carlisle gonna do?
'Cept haul them lights in off the sandbar
Shut the donkey motor down
Tow them longboats up the river
Let's all get on back to town
Let's all get on back to town before the warden comes
He knows better than get here before dawn
He's got that green uniform
And the kids think he's a jerk
But you know he's somebody's cousin
And we can't have a hometown boy out of work
[Chorus]
It's hard not to cry and cuss
When this old world is just bigger than us
And all we got is pride and trust in our kind
[Outro - Chorus 2]
Staring down that long, steep slope
We gather round and we hold out hope
Because at the end of the rope
There's a little more rope most times