Brian Burns

Brian Burns The Eagle & The Snake: Songs Of The Texians

(Bandara Records) Brian Burns grew up in Central Texas listening to Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. He became one of Texas' top songwriters, with songs recorded by artists such as Gary P. Nunn, Johnny Bush, Tommy Alverson and The Geezinslaw Brothers. He began performing at age 16, and shared the stage with such artists as Keith Whitley, Eddy Raven, Gary P. Nunn and Johnny Bush. The Eagle & The Snake: Songs Of The Texians is Brian's 3rd solo release. A bit of a concept album, The Eagle & The Snake explores the history and personal struggles of Texas and the people who lived them, focusing on various time periods starting with 1800's. The music is a luscious blend of Tex-Mex, western and folk tinged balladry, including both covers and original penned songs. The songs on the CD are dated as to the time period they represent. 1810: Man Walks Among Us, is a Marty Robbins song Brian felt best exemplifies the early explorers to Texas, the wide open spaces, and the feeling of freedom. The Spanish guitar makes this song soar. 1825: El Llano Estacado, adapted by Tom Russell, is the story of a young man who falls in love with a seniorita, who says he may have her love if he crosses the treacherous desert to bring her back a flask of water from Mustang Springs. He sets out to win her hand, only to meet his doom. 1836: Revolution-Travis' Letter-Deguello-Ballad Of The Alamo-Goliad is a powerful suite of songs depicting the emotions, bravery and desperation of the Battle of The Alamo. 1852: Evangelina by Hoyt Axton, is the song of a young Texan trying to cross the border to get to the woman he loves in Old Mexico. 1881: Gallo Del Cielo by Tom Russell, is the oft covered classic song, telling the story of Carlos Zaragosa, who steals a rooster named Gallo Del Cielo and roams the west, entering this unbeatable rooster in fights to win enough money to regain the land stolen by Pancho Villa from his father. 1896: Crash At The Crush by Brian Burns, was inspired by a picture he saw in a book on the history of Waco, involving the wreck of 2 trains, as seen through the eyes of the photographer that was photgraphing it and was ultimately caught up in it. 1930: I've Been Everywhere In Texas by Geoff Mack. The song was originally written about the travels of an Australian adventurer, but was adapted to reflect traveling the vast state of Texas. 1965: Well Of The Blues by Gary P. Nunn is a fun song about ignoring all the dire warnings about drinking and it's consequences- and doing it anyway. 1979: Walker Behind The Wheel by Bill Staines, is a song about a country band that finds itself playing in Montana. They meet up with a man who guesses that they are from Texas, and reveals that he too came from Texas. He asks them questions about about what it's like there now, and asks them to sing songs so he can picture it. The story comes full circle when he told the boys to be careful- he too used to sing with a band, and as circumstance would have it, never made it back home to the place he still dreams of. 1986: A Cowboys Prayer by Brian Burns. This song is about a rodeo cowboy who's been on the road many years chasing his dream, now weary and tired, wants leave it behind to go home. 1999: Third Coast by Larry Joe Taylor follows a former hippie from California who wanders the country, making money by illegal means. He's running drugs by boat, when the boat runs into trouble, he washes up on the shore of Port Bolivar, where after near death, he reflects on his life and decides to turn things around, living a modest and honest life in the place he credits with saving his life. 2144: The Last Living Cowboy by Brian Burns is a sci-fi country folk song, Brian wrote as he was thinking about how much Texas has changed, and how even many people there now don't seem to care much about it's proud heritage, and where it may end up someday. It's a sad picture of a lone cowboy, sitting where the creeks are paved over, and all the honky tonks torn down, where there used to be wide open spaces. As he lays down to sleep, listening to the satellite music that's playing an old song of the way things once were, he drifts off to sleep... This CD is a must have for any Texan's music collection, and for everyone else that loves just plain flat out great music. For more info on Brian and his music, visit: www.brianburnsmusic.com AnnMarie Harrington Take Country Back April 2002