Calexico — Sunken Waltz
![](https://img.radioparadise.com/covers/m/B000089CPF.jpg)
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Length: 2:24
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Washed my face in the rivers of empire,
made my bed from a cardboard crate,
down in the City of Quartz.
No news, no new regrets.
Tossed a Susan B. over my shoulder,
and prayed it would rain and rain,
submerge the whole western states.
Call it a last fair deal
with American zeal
and corporate handshake.
Take the story of Carpenter Mike,
who dropped his tools and his keys and left
and headed out as far as he could,
past the cities and gated neighborhoods.
And he slept neath the stars,
wrote down what he dreamt,
and he built a machine
for no one to see.
Then took flight, at first light
of new morning.
made my bed from a cardboard crate,
down in the City of Quartz.
No news, no new regrets.
Tossed a Susan B. over my shoulder,
and prayed it would rain and rain,
submerge the whole western states.
Call it a last fair deal
with American zeal
and corporate handshake.
Take the story of Carpenter Mike,
who dropped his tools and his keys and left
and headed out as far as he could,
past the cities and gated neighborhoods.
And he slept neath the stars,
wrote down what he dreamt,
and he built a machine
for no one to see.
Then took flight, at first light
of new morning.
Comments (81)add comment
gortacleva wrote:
Not merely a gem of a song, but a gem of a band. Brilliant.
What a gem of a song. First time I've managed to catch it on RP.
Not merely a gem of a song, but a gem of a band. Brilliant.
tulfan wrote:
This song makes me crave hearing some Buckwheat Zydeco...
Now that's a stretch, but I see where you're coming from.
Personally, I thought it was a nice segue from Noche Tequiluc.
![{#Kiss} {#Kiss}](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_kiss.gif)
This song makes me crave hearing some Buckwheat Zydeco...
Boy_Wonder wrote:
The Susan B. Anthony dollar coin would be my first guess...
'Tossed a Susan B over my shoulder'?
Anyone care to elucidate?
Anyone care to elucidate?
The Susan B. Anthony dollar coin would be my first guess...
'Tossed a Susan B over my shoulder'?
Anyone care to elucidate?
Anyone care to elucidate?
ALGIERS is a bitter-bitter disappointment in my opinion!
this song makes me dance!...in my seat as i work, work, work...
lysisphere wrote:
westslope wrote:
Plague-borne, or plague-bearing?
Maybe we should ask Eryn. If the fleas didn't get her.
Andrew Bird followed by Calexico - reminds me of my days counting plague-borne fleas in the lab with Eryn Wilder - hi Eryn if you're out there!
westslope wrote:
Plague-borne, or plague-bearing?
Maybe we should ask Eryn. If the fleas didn't get her.
Wonder if this is written from the perspective of a Quartzite, Arizona resident? That is one spooky, desperate place (unless the nomadic dealers are in for a mineral show). Haunted eyes everywhere, self exiled ghosts looking for anything to blame but themselves. A spaghetti Western that never made it out of the editing room.
"Caught a last fair deal with an American Seal" - what a beautiful song to celebrate our disaffection on this day. Thanks.
kaybee wrote:
I really like this piece; even the accordion (normally an instrument I can't stand and have to mute) doesn't marr it.
How do you feel about the glockenspiel on Little Wing?![](https://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/318135843_01d2266511_b.jpg)
Volker Zander and Paul Niehaus by mikerizzi
Mike Rizzi
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rizzi/
Calexico soundcheck at the Fillmore.
4-DSCF1217
![Copyright](https://l.yimg.com/g/images/icon_all_rights.png)
.
What a gem of a song. First time I've managed to catch it on RP.
lysisphere wrote:
Plague-borne, or plague-bearing?
Andrew Bird followed by Calexico - reminds me of my days counting plague-borne fleas in the lab with Eryn Wilder - hi Eryn if you're out there!
Plague-borne, or plague-bearing?
Andrew Bird followed by Calexico - reminds me of my days counting plague-borne fleas in the lab with Eryn Wilder - hi Eryn if you're out there!
wonderful. . . .\
Waltzes. . .I cannot believe I'm liking Waltzes! Calexico does one one their newest CD (News about William)
XO by Elliot Smith is another favorite
Waltzes. . .I cannot believe I'm liking Waltzes! Calexico does one one their newest CD (News about William)
XO by Elliot Smith is another favorite
I really like this piece; even the accordion (normally an instrument I can't stand and have to mute) doesn't marr it.
These guys are incredibly good live, I highly recommend them!
mandolin wrote:
++
...first when i discovered them three years ago my reaction was much the same - their back catalog is vast, lots and lots of great music to wade through...
Yes, so much good, have them all! I have clipped the beginning of "Crystal Fronter" for my ring tone, the horns sound great!
Vocal sounds like Dan Haseltine from Jars of Clay also. But I sound like kermit the frog. Doesn't mean I am him or want to be, or am trying to be. I am however looking for the rainbow connection. Could it be RP?
prickelpit96 wrote:
How could I've been existing for so many years without Calexico? This doubtless is great music!
++
...first when i discovered them three years ago my reaction was much the same - their back catalog is vast, lots and lots of great music to wade through...
A great track from a great group. Like a sad movie in which nobody actually died, everyone made it across the river. I have no idea what I am talking about.
xkolibuul wrote:
Al Stewart?! Its a friggin' waltz. Show me where Al Stewart ever played a waltz.
And a much more than decent waltz at that. Tucson's finest.
Take a pill, dude. The voices are similar.
How could I've been existing for so many years without Calexico?
This doubtless is great music!
![shifty](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_shifty.gif)
That is one frightening piece of artwork...
Love it
Ah, I so looooovvvveeeee these guys, am acquiring all their CD's. Thanks for playing them RP.
Al Stewart?! Its a friggin' waltz. Show me where Al Stewart ever played a waltz.
And a much more than decent waltz at that. Tucson's finest.
westslope wrote:
Al Stewart.... true. Decent.
Al Stewart.... true. Decent.
I'm hearing Al Stewart . . . not in a bad way.
Radiohead and Calexico back to back....to good to be true...is it a Friday, too?.....
![sunny](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/sunny.gif)
can you Bob Dylan?
i am really enjoying this!
First song I heard from these guys. Instantly started downloading more. Got myself into a huge calexico addiction. Saw them live @ The Effenaar, Eindhoven - The Netherlands. Really guys, if you like this: Go and see them live, they're even better live than on CD's! Worth every penny!
And if you by any chance own a serious record player, buy the vinyl. Sounds way better than the CD's.
Holy shniz if this set keeps going i'm gonna 'splode... RH- subterranean homesick alien now this!
More Calexico!
![](https://www.edutainingkids.com/reviews/powerpuffgirlsclone5.jpg)
no more obscure than mojojojo
I love these obscure album titles, like "Feast of Wire". It reminds me of the subject lines in all the crap-ass, junk emails I get.
![crashcomp](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_crashcomp.gif)
![fire](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_fire.gif)
![crashcomp](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_crashcomp.gif)
mrselfdestruct wrote:
Sounds like you've drinking. Mush.
hmmm sarcasm isn't your strong point?
And again July 3 - this has been a recording.
vandal wrote:
oddly enough, the same songs in the same order on 21.April
still great stuff!
hippiechick wrote:
Big fan of Calexico, thanks to RP
Me, too, THANKS TO RP -- and to think, I used to go through that place several times a year (was married to a Mexicana from San Felipe)...
Hey, what are the chances of hearing Caifanes (or Los Jaguares) on RP?
Anyway, RP sure takes good care of us, no?
Con mucho carino!
![heart eyes](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_hearteyes.gif)
Ahh thank you Bill. Iron & Wine, Radiohead, and Colexico all within the same listen. I'm feeling quite spoiled.
Big fan of Calexico, thanks to RP
om pa pa om pa pa
nothing like a polka inspired pop folk tune
time to upload some polka inspired rock, maybeThe Kehoe Nation "Polka yer eye out!"
Sunken Waltz right after Subterranean Homesick Alien - Radio Heaven!
![dancing banana](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/dancingbanana.gif)
this song is terrific.
i can't wait for the day to see calexico live ... they are one of the very few bands whose live shows I actually like listening to.
![music](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_music.gif)
mojoman wrote:
Tell me a single thing Michael Moore has been right about. Just one, please.
Well, I read that he's a big Calexico fan. How's that?
mojoman wrote:
Tell me a single thing Michael Moore has been right about. Just one, please.
He bet on the gullability of the American left and hit the jackpot.
Back on topic: I really like this piece. Dear Santa, please put some Calexico under the tree this year . . . .
physicsgenius wrote:
He's loud but he turned out right. Who has no brain cells now?
Tell me a single thing Michael Moore has been right about. Just one, please.
physicsgenius wrote:
He's loud but he turned out right. Who has no brain cells now?
If you throw out enough conjecture as he did some of it will stick. It doesn't make him a good prognosticator though. IMHO.
mojoman wrote:
Several impossibilities:
...
Find a brain cell in Michael Moore's head
He's loud but he turned out right. Who has no brain cells now?
mojoman wrote:
Several impossibilities:
Paint the wind
One canister of orange smoke does the trick.
Find a brain cell in Michael Moore's head
He has a large brain, it is the over ride and control systems that sometimes overwhelm him
Play too much Calexico
Okay, I'm with you on this one.
Ooooooh, GREAT piece of relaxing music. Absolutely great wibes that chill your soul. This is 10/10 from me.
:sunny.gif:
" I'm never gonna know you now, but I'm gonna love you anyhow."
Several impossibilities:
Paint the wind
Find a brain cell in Michael Moore's head
Play too much Calexico
Nuance wrote:
Been drinking??
This beautiful song is mush to short.
Sounds like you've drinking. Mush.
masterhead wrote:
I mush prefer this Calexico than the epic mexican interpretations...
Been drinking??
This beautiful song is mush to short.
I mush prefer this Calexico than the epic mexican interpretations...
tonypf wrote:
Is that the faint memory of Gram Parsons I hear?
No, you just hear the dude who burnt him to a crisp!
Is that the faint memory of Gram Parsons I hear?
love this song. have just added the album to my wishlist.
Feast of Wire reveals the wonderful diversity of music played by Calexico. No cut is a loser, and each one sounds quite comfortable and can be considered an old friend from the first listen. (Give Neko Case a try, who owes much of her sound to the group.)
![yell](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_yell.gif)
these guys aren't half bad.
Great song, great album.
mrmonkey wrote:
played way too often!
I like the song but agree with mrmonkey
i don't know what it is, but i just love a waltz...
diegodude wrote:
I bought this album hoping that all the songs will be as good as this one and Quattro. Unfortunately I wasnt very impressed with the others.
That's funny. I bought the album hoping that it would more like Quattro and less like Sunken Waltz. I'm really enjoying it. Granted, I skip Sunken Waltz more often than not.
To each his (or her) own, right? :)
I bought this album hoping that all the songs will be as good as this one and Quattro. Unfortunately I wasnt very impressed with the others.
Listen to entire albums before you buy them :-)
played way too often!
This tune, while nice, leaves me jonesing for a Leonard Cohen Waltz after it\'s over. Tastes like another. :p
I think these guys have taken a page right of the book written by Los Lobos..... ![clap](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_clap.gif)
![clap](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/eusa_clap.gif)
Originally Posted by ndanger666:
This should have been named "Suckin' Watltz" ;)
Gee, you'd have to be a contortionist, with exceptional coordination. ![lol](https://img.radioparadise.com/emoji/icon_lol.gif)
This should have been named \"Suckin\' Watltz\" ;)
Me Too
Love love love....
I love how eclectic this band is... you don\'t get bored..:)
:D
Andrew Bird followed by Calexico - reminds me of my days counting plague-borne fleas in the lab with Eryn Wilder - hi Eryn if you're out there!
saw them together at the former Blue Hills Pavilion - outdoor harbour event venue in Boston - thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. never would have paired them but it was fantastic. PS i love whistling...nowhere near good but what a happy past-time