Ten Great Joe Ely Songs
- cutlercomms
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
When the Flatlanders were formed in the West Texas town of Lubbock in 1971, no one had ever heard the term Americana music. But the eclectic mix this likeable trio would produce in the early 70’s laid the foundation for the Americana genre when it was formally inducted nearly 30 years later.
Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock were high school buddies with a love of music. Ely was rock orientated, Gilmore had an intense love of country while Hancock was more folky. But this was the perfect formula, which, eventually, would find them fame both as a group and individuals - all three would have successful solo careers.
Ely died of pneumonia on December 15, aged 78. He had also been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Both Gilmore and Hancock are still performing at the age of 80.
The Flatlanders recorded their first album, the aptly titled All American Music, in 1972, but disbanded the following year to pursue solo careers. They would reunite off and on over the years – there are 10 Flatlander albums – and the trio successfully interpreted each other’s songs over five decades.
But it was Ely who had the most prominent genre-crossing career and went on to perform with a variety of artists from each end of the musical scale from Bruce Springsteen to The Chieftains and even punk rockers The Clash.
He released 16 studio albums, the first self-titled in 1977, and the last, Love and Freedom - an appealing compilation of unreleased material from his vault - in February 2025. From these, he produced 20 singles. None were chart-toppers but his appealing distinctive vocals elevated many to the must-listen list among progressive country fans.
The following ten Joe Ely songs have this must-listen appeal.
Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)
Ely and Gilmore co-wrote “Honky Tonk Masquerade,” the title track of his second album. As the name implies, it has a wonderful honky tonkish, rockabilly feel and defined the multi-mix sound Ely produced over the years. The opening stanza is, in itself, enough to want more of the man and his music: You sure look fine tonight/In the beer-sign light/Why did you seem surprised/When I saw through your disguise
She Never Spoke Spanish To Me (1977)
This is one of many Butch Hancock compositions recorded by Ely over the years. It first surfaced on his self-titled debut album. And it would be one of the most popular in Ely’s live shows throughout his career. Indeed, this Tex-Mex ballad is probably the best example of Hancock’s amazing lyrical inventiveness. And it features one of the more clever lines in Americana: She said if you’re from Texas son/Where’s your boots and where’s your guns/I smiled and said I got guns no one see/We laughed at that/We both agreed/Spanish is a loving tongue/But she never spoke Spanish to me
The Road Goes On Forever (1992)
The flatness of West Texas, where the roads seemingly never end, earned the well-travelled Ely the nickname “Lord of the Highway.” No surprise then that he released the classic “The Road Goes On Forever,” written by another Texas troubadour Robert Earle Keen. It was included on Ely’s 1992 release Love and Danger and he gives the intriguing ballad a real upbeat progressive-country injection. It is the most popular song on his Spotify playlist.
Magdalene (2015)
Guy Clark – the song-writer’s song-writer – wrote the alluring “Magdalene.” Ely first recorded it on Panhandle Rambler (2015). It was one of his favourites. “It’s just the most beautiful song,” Ely told No Depression in 2025. He would include a very-passionate, stripped-down version – with just guitar and accordion – on his last album.
Fools Fall In Love (1980)
Live Shots was Ely's first live album. It was recorded in London during a 1980 tour when Ely and The Joe Ely Band were supporting The Clash. And a key member of his backing band was long-time Lubbock friend and legendary producer Lloyd Maines, father of Natalie Maines, lead singer for The Chicks. Maines makes his onstage impact with some distinctive slide guitar riffs. And this is another Hancock composition. Here he takes heartbreak to a new lyrical level: Fools fall in love/Wise men they fall too/Wise men hit the bottom/ Lord a fool falls on through.
Gallo Del Cielo (1995))
The story goes that Bruce Springsteen first heard Ely sing the Tex-Mex classic "Gallo Del Cielo" when the pair were touring England in the mid-90's. He was impressed and asked Ely if he had written the song. No, said Joe, it was Tom Russell. A few weeks later, Russell received a letter saying how wonderful the song was. It was signed: Bruce Springsteen. Enough said!
If You Were A Bluebird (1977)
Yet another Butch Hancock song from Ely's self-titled album. Core members of the backing band toured with him for the next five years. Among them, Lloyd Maines, whose steel guitar permeates this beautiful song. It was made popular by Emmylou Harris on her 1988 release Bluebird. But Ely's original still stands tall
Musta Notta Gotta Lotta (1981)
Ely and his band had just finished touring with punk rockers The Clash when this was released as the title track to his fourth album. It has all the energy you would expect, with some distinctive guitar picks peculiar to Progressive Country. It is a deserved title track to one of his most impressive early albums.
Dallas (1981)
If there is one song that says The Flatlanders, then it is Jimmie Dale Gilmore's inventive classic "Dallas." It was first recorded during studio sessions in 1972. A promotional single was released featuring Gilmore's high-flying lead vocals. But the album it was intended for got a limited release. So Ely really got in first when he included it on Musta Notta Gotta Lotta. His vocals are again superb and the song remains somewhat faithful to Gilmore's original. The Flatlanders took back stewardship in 1990 when it was released in the More a Legend Than a Band compilation.
Love Is The Beating Of Hearts (1992)
When Ely released the album Love and Danger in 1992, it was his first studio release in four years. It includes a number of covers, but one of the highlights is his own composition "Love Is The Beating Of Hearts." It begins very passively before pounding into life with penetrating percussion and guitar licks, not the least some intrusive slide guitar by the influential David Grissom who toured with Ely for six years.
Lotta (1981)
Ely and his band had just finished touring with punk rockers The Clash when this was released as the title track to his fourth album. It has all the energy you would expect, with some more distinctive guitar licks peculiar to progressive country. It is a deserved title track to one of his most impressive early alttps://open.spotify.com/track/0MJiECmrhQvEggBvVfBSOj?si=8894d1b0246