Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Choctaw Bingo

Lately I've been listening to this song way too much.  My husband is a huge Ray Wylie Hubbard fan, thus the reason for my exposure to his various compilations.  I don't know a ton about him, but I think he's a buddy of Willy Nelson's and I think he wrote a song or two that are classic country hits but he himself did not sing.

Anyhow, he's a popular guy in the south, especially amongst those who deem contemporary country music to be disgusting, poppy, shit.  I guess you might say that he's part of the "underground" country music scene, or "Americana", or whatever.  His songs must contain subliminal messages because I have yet to hear a song that I loved immediately.  The first time I heard Snake Farm, I thought it was stupid.  The first time I heard Choctaw Bingo, I was disgusted.  The things he says about his cousins at around 4:40 will make you cringe.... the first time.  After that, you're a little desensitized to the whole thing.  Then the third time, you think it's hilarious and it becomes your favorite, twisted song!  Plus, he's singing about my home.  I only lived about 40 minutes away from Choctaw Bingo.  My Granny would go there all the time and when I was 16 my cousin Josh took me there to gamble for the first time.  At that time it looked like this...
I haven't seen it in years, but this is what a google image search turned up...

WTF is that?!  The Oklahoma border is becoming a bigger and bigger gambling spot.  It's kind of funny.  Texans cross the border to gamble, but Okeys cross the border for higher alcohol content in their beer.  Unless things have changed.

Anyhow, here is Ray Wylie singing about the people and places that I grew up with.



3 comments:

  1. NO, Oklahoma hasn't gone up in the alcohol %/content. BUT, the gambling is phenomenal, lol! THe Winstar World Casino (Chickasaw-my tribe) is on I-35 at the Ok/Tx border and it's HUGEEEEE!!! The Riverwind (Chickasaw) in Norman is good too! There are 2 big ones here in Tulsa now, Hard Rock (Cherokee) and the River Spirit (Creek). Now you are caught up on your Okie gambling hot spots :)

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  2. Lol, I'm so glad I found you Angie! I knew about Winstar (Who can miss that giant spectacle when driving down 35?)and anther small one... crap... south of Chikasha in some small town. Maybe it's that town that is the "Watermelon Capital of the World"?

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  3. Um, i have never liked his stuff...i think randy is a big fan. ugh, snake farm? Hate that song...But i am fixing to buy the new reckless kelly...it sounds awesome!

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