“Hell in Texas”
Description
The Devil, bored with Hell, decides it's time to expand the franchise. The sandiest place available is Texas; the Devil acquires a lease from God after negotiating the water rights. The Devil adds tarantulas, cacti, etc. and opens for business
Notes
This song and "Arizona" clearly are related; one probably suggested and influenced the other. But there is no way to clearly demonstrate which came earlier, so I list them separately. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Arizona" (theme)
References
- Randolph 196, "Hell and Texas" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Lomax-ABFS, pp. 397-399, "Hell in Texas" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Fife-Cowboy/West 27, "Hell in Texas" (3 texts -- one each for Texas, Arizona (this one properly filing with "Arizona") and Alaska, 1 tune)
- DT, HELLTEXS*
- ADDITIONAL: Hal Cannon, editor, _Cowboy Poetry: A Gathering_, Giles M. Smith, 1985, pp. 55-56, "Hell in Texas" (1 text)
- Roud #5104
- BI, R196