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Gringo Honeymoon is a song by Texas-based country and folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, released in the United States in August 1994 on Sugar Hill Records. The song is about a visit to Boquillas del Carmen, a small Mexican village along the banks of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park. The village was accessible through an unofficial border crossing, which has since been closed indefinitely, devastating the local population. The song is known for its accuracy, detailing the singer and his wife's journey across the river to the village, where there was a man who operated a rowboat for tourists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Title | Gringo Honeymoon |
| Artist | Robert Earl Keen, Jr. |
| Album | Gringo Honeymoon |
| Album Release Year | 1994 |
| Record Label | Sugar Hill Records |
| Song Subject | A visit to Boquillas del Carmen, a small Mexican village along the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park |
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What You'll Learn
Gringo Honeymoon is a song by Robert Earl Keen Jr
The song, Gringo Honeymoon, serves as a narrative of the singer's personal experience and adventure in Mexico, providing listeners with a glimpse into the culture and atmosphere of the border town. It captures the essence of a spontaneous trip, highlighting the beauty of exploring new places and embracing the unknown.
As a seasoned singer-songwriter, Robert Earl Keen Jr. has built a reputation as a master storyteller, often drawing inspiration from his own life experiences and the landscapes of Texas. Gringo Honeymoon showcases Keen's distinctive style, blending captivating lyrics with a blend of country and folk melodies.
The album Gringo Honeymoon, including the title track, was released on Sugar Hill Records, marking a significant contribution to Keen's body of work. The song's release in 1994 further solidified his standing as a talented artist within the country and folk music genres.
For listeners interested in learning to play Gringo Honeymoon, understanding the context and story behind the song can enhance their connection to the music. The knowledge of the song's inspiration and the imagery it evokes can add depth and meaning to the musical performance, making it a more engaging and enjoyable experience for both the player and the audience.
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It was released in the US in August 1994
Gringo Honeymoon is an album by Texas-based country and folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen. It was released in the US in August 1994 on Sugar Hill Records. The album includes a title track that recounts the singer and his wife's journey across the Rio Grande in Texas's Big Bend National Park. They cross into Mexico and have an eventful time in the small town of Boquillas del Carmen, located in the state of Coahuila. All the songs on the album were written by Robert Earl Keen.
The release date of the album in the US in August 1994 is significant as it marked the first time that Keen's music was widely available in his home country. Prior to this, Keen had built up a following in Texas and throughout the American South, but the release of Gringo Honeymoon on Sugar Hill Records brought his music to a national audience. This was Keen's fourth studio album, and it showcased his unique blend of country and folk music, often featuring narrative storytelling and drawing on his Texas roots.
The title track, "Gringo Honeymoon", is a perfect example of Keen's ability to spin a yarn through song. It paints a picture of a couple's adventurous trip across the border from Texas into Mexico, capturing the excitement and unpredictability of their experience. This song, along with the rest of the album, showcases Keen's talent for storytelling and his ability to create vivid, atmospheric music that transports listeners to the heart of the story.
The release of Gringo Honeymoon in the US in 1994 also holds significance in the context of the evolving country and folk music scene at the time. Keen's music offered a blend of traditional and contemporary sounds, appealing to both longtime fans of these genres and attracting a new, younger audience. The album's release contributed to a growing movement of artists who were pushing the boundaries of country and folk music, incorporating elements of rock, pop, and other influences to create a more diverse and dynamic sound.
Additionally, the album's release coincided with a period of increased interest in Texas-based music and culture, with a wave of Texas country and folk artists gaining prominence in the early to mid-1990s. Gringo Honeymoon helped to solidify Keen's place within this thriving Texas music scene, and it continues to be recognised as a seminal work within this genre and era.
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The song is about a visit to a small Mexican village
Gringo Honeymoon is a song by Texas-based country and folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen. Released in 1994, the song is about a visit to a small Mexican village called Boquillas del Carmen, located in the state of Coahuila. The village is situated along the banks of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, on the Mexican side of the river.
With a population of around 300 residents in the late 1990s, Boquillas del Carmen was a quaint and remote village that seemed untouched by time. The song describes the singer and his wife's journey across the Rio Grande to reach this idyllic destination. The village boasted a bar, a restaurant, taco stands, and children selling rocks collected from the desert or nearby caves.
The unofficial border crossing in Big Bend has been closed indefinitely, impacting the village's population and economy. Despite this, Boquillas del Carmen remains a legendary place in Texas, known for its unique charm and magical experience. The song "Gringo Honeymoon" captures the essence of this border town, frozen in time somewhere between the Roaring Twenties and World War II.
Robert Earl Keen Jr. frequently visited this small Mexican village, and his song accurately portrays the reality of the place. The lyrics mention the rowboat operated by a man who would ferry tourists across the river, adding to the allure of this remote destination. The song invites listeners to embark on their own "Gringo Honeymoon," exploring a world where time stands still and unique adventures await.
Overall, the song "Gringo Honeymoon" serves as a testament to the allure of this small Mexican village, nestled on the banks of the Rio Grande. Through its lyrics, listeners are transported to a place where they can escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and embrace a slower pace, surrounded by the warmth and hospitality of the local community.
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The village, Boquillas del Carmen, is located on the banks of the Rio Grande
At the height of the mining operations, Boquillas del Carmen was home to between 2,000 and 4,000 people. However, the end of the mining industry in the 20th century saw a shift towards tourism as the main trade. Visitors would cross the Rio Grande to enjoy the village's bar, restaurant, and taco stands. Jose Falcon's restaurant, which opened in 1973, has been a mainstay of the local tourism business. The village also features a Roman Catholic church and a small Baptist church.
The events of September 11, 2001, had a significant impact on Boquillas del Carmen, and in May 2002, the border crossing from Big Bend National Park to the village was closed indefinitely. This closure forced most of the town's residents to move away, leaving only 19 families comprising around 90 to 100 residents by October 2006.
In recent years, there have been developments in the village, including the addition of electricity, a new medical care office, and improvements to the public elementary school. The border crossing was reopened in 2013, and visitors can now enjoy a range of tours, including horse trips to the mouth of Boquillas canyon, trips to nearby hot springs, and canoe trips.
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The song is known for its accuracy, including a man with a rowboat
Gringo Honeymoon is a song by Texas-based country and folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen. The song recounts Keen and his wife's journey across the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park, Texas, to visit the small Mexican town of Boquillas del Carmen. The song is known for its accuracy, including the detail about a man with a rowboat.
In the song, Keen describes standing "on a mountain top / Where the cactus flowers grow". He and his companion are reluctant to leave, but they eventually set off in a rowboat, guided by Captain Pablo, who rows them across the Rio Grande for two dollars. This detail is reportedly accurate, as there was indeed a man who operated a rowboat to transport tourists across the river.
The song continues with Keen and his companion arriving on the other side and renting donkeys from an old blind man to ride into town. They tie their donkeys to an ironwood tree and seek out cold beer in the shade. They meet a cowboy who is running from the DEA and follow him to his rundown shack.
The accuracy of the song, including the detail about the man with the rowboat, adds to its appeal and has contributed to the small town of Boquillas del Carmen becoming something of a legend in Texas. The song's narrative and imagery evoke a sense of adventure and celebration, with the chorus proclaiming: "We asked the world to wait / So we could celebrate / A gringo honeymoon".
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