Uncle Meth

Choctaw Bingo by James McMurtry
clay foster

Since I started using playlists, I'm getting to know some of the tunes there. You hear a tune a couple- three times and you might think it's a cool tune and then not think about it any more until you find it coming through air to you. But you hear a tune a couple dozen times and it starts to worm its way into your brain you get to feel like you really know it, you know man? Whatever.

I've been listening to Choctaw Bingo  and the lyrics about Uncle Slayton are kind of interesting. First we have the verse that introduces him:

Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride

Back in the thickets with his Asian bride

He's got a Airstream trailer and a Holstein cow

He still makes whiskey 'cause he still knows how

He plats that Choctaw bingo every Friday night

You know he had to leave Texas but he won't say why

He owns a quarter section up by Lake Eufala

Caught a great big ol' blue cat on a driftin' jug line

Sells his hardwood timber to the shipping mill

Cooks that crystal meth because the shine don't sell

He cooks that crystal meth because the shine don't sell

You know he likes his money he don't mind the smell

And a bit later he gets mentioned again:

And some surplus tracers for that old BAR of Slayton's

Here's the closer:

Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride

Back in the thickets with his Asian bride

He's cut that corner pasture into acre lots'

He sells 'em owner financed

Strictly to them that's got no kind of credit 'Cause he knows they're slackers

When they miss that payment

Then he takes it back

He plays that Choctaw Bingo every Friday night

Drinks that Johnny Walker at that Club 69

So we get the idea that he's a tough old bird and knows how to make some money from land, lumber and drugs. Golly gee, that sounds a whole like ol' Milton Thump from Winter's Bone. You don't see much of him in the show, but he was in charge. Everyone that we see in the show are just his minions.

Here's the whole tune if you are interested.

Strap them kids in
Give 'em a little bit of vodka in a cherry coke
We're going to Oklahoma to the family reunion for the first time in years
It's up at uncle Slayton's cause he's getting on in years
You know he no longer travels but he's still pretty spry
He's not much on talking and he's just too mean to die
And they'll be comin' down from Kansas
and from west Arkansas
It'll be one great big old party like you never saw
Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride
Back in the thickets with his Asian bride
He's got a Airstream trailer and a Holstein cow
He still makes whiskey 'cause he still knows how
He plats that Choctaw bingo every Friday night
You know he had to leave Texas but he won't say why
He owns a quarter section up by Lake Eufala
Caught a great big ol' blue cat on a driftin' jug line
Sells his hardwood timber to the shipping mill
Cooks that crystal meth because the shine don't sell
He cooks that crystal meth because the shine don't sell
You know he likes his money he don't mind the smell
My cousin Roscoe Slayton's oldest boy from his second marriage up in Illinois
He was raised in East St. Louis by his momma's people
Where they do things different
Thought he'd just come on down
He was going to Dallas Texas in a semi truck called from that big McDonald's
You know the one they built up on that great big ol' bridge
Across the Will Rogers Turnpike
Took the Big Cabin exit stopped and bought a couple of cartons of cigarettes
At that Indian Smoke Shop with the big neon smoke rings
In the Cherokee Nation hit Muskogee late that night
Somebody ran a stoplight at the Shawnee Bypass
Roscoe tried to miss 'em but he didn't quite
Bob and Mae come up from little town
Way down by lake Texoma where he coaches football
They were two A champions now for two years running
But he says they won't be this year no they won't be this year
And he stopped off in Tushka at that "Pop's Knife and Gun" place
Bought a SKS rifle and a couple a full cases of that steel core ammo
With the berdan primers from some East bloc nation that no longer needs 'em
And a Desert Eagle that's one great big ol' pistol
I mean .50 caliber made by badass Hebrews
And some surplus tracers for that old BAR of Slayton's
Soon as it gets dark we're gonna have us a time
We're gonna have us a time
Ruth Ann and Lynn come down from Baxter Springs
That's one hell raisin' town way up in Southeastern Kansas
Got a biker bar next to the lingerie store
That's got them Rolling Stones lips up there where everyone can see 'em
And they burn all night you know they burn all night you know they burn all night
Ruth Ann and Lynn they wear them cut off britches and those skinny little halters
And they're second cousins to me
Man I don't care I want to get between 'em
With a great big ol' hard on like a old bois d' arc fence post
You could hang a pipe rail gait from
Do some twisted sisters 'til the cows come home
And we'd be havin' us a time
Uncle Slayton's got his Texan pride
Back in the thickets with his Asian bride
He's cut that corner pasture into acre lots'
He sells 'em owner financed
Strictly to them that's got no kind of credit 'Cause he knows they're slackers
When they miss that payment
Then he takes it back
He plays that Choctaw Bingo every Friday night
Drinks that Johnny Walker at that Club 69
We're gonna strap them kids in give 'em a little bit o' Benadryl
And a cherry coke we're goin' to Oklahoma Gonna have us a time