The Self-Aware Giant: Asleep At The Wheel Puts a Swing Spin on the ‘Long Tall Texan’ Myth
By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine
Asleep At The Wheel is not merely a country band; they are the foremost preservation society and living embodiment of Western swing. Founded in 1970 by the towering, Philadelphia-born vocalist and guitarist Ray Benson (who is literally 6’7″ tall), the group transplanted from West Virginia to Austin, Texas, becoming the genre’s standard-bearer. Their sound is a sophisticated, jazz-inflected fusion of traditional country, big band swing, and rockabilly, marked by tight horn arrangements, dueling fiddles, and Benson’s deep, commanding baritone. With a career spanning over five decades and multiple Grammy Awards, Asleep At The Wheel has dedicated itself to carrying the torch of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, often injecting technical brilliance into humorous, often self-aware, novelty tunes.
Their cover of “Long Tall Texan,” a song originally written by Henry Strzelecki and notably recorded by The Beach Boys in the early 1960s, serves as the perfect vehicle for the band’s unique brand of musical irony and reverence. The song is, fundamentally, a simple, cliché-packed narrative about an intimidating figure who strides into a saloon, wearing a ten-gallon hat, boots, and the swagger of the Lone Star State. While the original recordings leaned into the novelty rock of the era, Asleep At The Wheel’s interpretation transforms it into a polished piece of Americana that both celebrates and gently mocks the Texan mythology.
The song’s power lies in its performance, particularly the version featuring Texas troubadour Lyle Lovett. Benson, a literal ‘long tall Texan’ himself, delivers the boilerplate verses with a tongue-in-cheek gravitas. His massive frame and characteristic dry delivery lend authenticity to the hyperbole, yet the arrangement ensures the listener knows the band is in on the joke. The collaboration with Lovett elevates this comedic meta-commentary, with Lovett often providing a deadpan “Greek chorus of commentary,” acting as the straight man or the skeptical observer to Benson’s larger-than-life character.
Musically, Asleep At The Wheel turns the simple rock structure of the original into a full-bodied Western swing workout. The instrumentation is impeccable: a driving rhythm section gives way to hot, complex solos from the fiddles, guitars, and horns. The tempo is brisk and celebratory, making it ideal for the dance floor. This masterful, jazz-influenced arrangement demonstrates the band’s core mission: taking a simple, roots-based concept and elevating it with high-level musicianship, proving that Western swing is not just historical music, but a vibrant and technically demanding art form.
“Long Tall Texan” is a cornerstone of Asleep At The Wheel’s live performances and a brilliant encapsulation of their identity. It’s a song about Texas pride, delivered by a man who adopted that pride, turning a regional cliché into an enduring piece of musical history that is both technically impressive and genuinely fun. It reminds audiences that in the world of Western swing, you can be both the torchbearer of tradition and the biggest, most self-aware showman in the room.