There she was...

That mix of smoking and whiskey has taken a toll on Jake's voice, making his usual melodious croak more froggy than usual, but our audiences have been very helpful by singing along and providing some impromptu and much needed harmonizing.

They know most of the lyrics by heart, but one song has been the subject of much controversy, causing all kinds of arguments, and an occasional bout of fisticuffs in the first few rows. So to soothe the savage beasts, and to actually finish a concert without the local constabulary being called in to manage the melee, we've decided to publish the lyrics to the tune in question.

Along with the content of the lyrics, another rumor that has floated around is regarding the author of this particular ditty. We can now, with his permission, put any questions to rest. The legends are true. "There She Was (Gone)", from our eponymous debut cd, was co-written by the mysterious and reclusive poetic genius of the plains, Red Sendup! Red's notorious monastic lifestyle led him to insist his lyrical contribution to "There She Was (Gone)" be kept a closely guarded secret (although he happily cashed the royalty checks on his rare trips into town). But being a man of peace and harmony, he hated to hear of the tussles resulting from the questions about the song's origins, and he decided to come out as the lyricist and accept the accolades he so richly deserves. So here, for the first time, are the complete lyrics to our classic medium slow shuffle in "C", "There She Was (Gone)".

There She Was (Gone)

Verse 1

There She Was (Gone)
Like a sunset in June
Her memory lingers in the stillness
She was here this afternoon

Verse 2

She stopped by to tell me
That I was worthless and crass and cruel
I'm not the man she'd dreamed of
She was leaving me for veterinary school

Bridge

Oh how the moment was fleeting
Like a butterfly over well cut lawns
Life turned me around in a heart beat
She was there and she was gone

Verse 3

She leaned in to say "Sucker"
I'd left her my bank account numbers
She was taking my hard earned money
She didn't need my car or my lumber

Verse 4

There She Was (Gone)
A vision of love lost forever
I ventured a guess of her return
She said that would be - never

Bridge

Oh how the moment was fleeting
Like a butterfly over well cut lawns
Life turned me around in a heart beat
She was there and she was gone
She was there and she was gone
She was there and........she was gone

Chloe "At Least I'm Still Here" Kleimenhagen,
somewhere in the Texas Hill Country with The GilmerMetcalves, 2008

Listen up and download "A Rough Ride in Luxury" and "The Ballad of el Toro de Fantasma", then saddle up with all of your official GilmerMetcalves merchandise!