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Workingman's Guma

by Guma

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    Pressed on ultra clear vinyl and housed in a classic "tip-on" style jacket with poly-lined inner sleeves, these LPs are ready to hit the factory floor for 8 hours.

    All LPs are shipped Media Mail — prices reflect the ever-increasing creep of inflation as well as the cost of the ultra-sturdy oversized mailer necessitated by the tip-on jackets. Nevertheless, I'm still taking ~$1 hit on every order because I can't bring myself to charge more than $7 for domestic shipping. I'm a one-man operation and your order comes direct from me. Your patience, tolerance, and support are much appreciated!

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Workingman's Guma, Highway 10 Blues, Driving the Highways of Texas, A List of Sightings, Guma, and Guma 2016 (2021 Remaster). , and , .

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1.
I was alone one day and I had the place to myself When upon my eye, by chance's tide, I beheld a lettered veil In some strange hand though at first glance it looked just like mine It was in gold leaf and a master's weave; I had never seen anything so fine And it stretched from line to line When the light had dimmed I could see the hem, and it looked just like skin And it seemed to me it could only be a living thing, yes indeed And in all fairness I became embarrassed and hid my face But the veil remained — only rearranged — and the words were lost, a precious cost And it blew my mind to know That I had missed the boat Well you've got no choice for this world's invoice but to pay your dues If in some small moment a lettered veil should appear to you — see it through If you get the chance to take a glance, would you write it down? Put it in my song or address it wrong and send it on
2.
Try Try Try 02:17
When the morning comes All I can think is what have I done to deserve you? True, try though I do I bend in the way of goodness for goodness's sake What a relief just to see you smiling In the afternoon I'll write a tune and try to explain how I love you Still, try though I will My mind is a garden and none of the seeds are sown What do you think when you see me smiling? Asking each other “what?” all the time What a relief after just a while Tending my reply When the words arrive Sundown in between time of eating and time of cleaning up Darkness fits like a shoe Well, it's supposed to
3.
Jesus Christ I almost was T-boned by a trailer full of tires It’s another day driving the highways of Texas Big truck or sedan, you can take it on the road out here in Texas Outlaw or law abider, temporary plate provider Nothing could stop nobody from driving Credit goes wherever it is due And you go wherever you want to On any other day driving the highways Riding the byways of Texas Don’t worry if you blow it, if it’s got wheels you can tow it here in Texas Driving drunk or designated, no ID, un-registrated They can’t catch ‘em all and they won’t catch you, darling Treat every yellow light like it’s a question And the speed limit as merely a suggestion And you’ll spend another day driving the highways Riding the byways Beating the back roads of Texas Naturally, out of four lanes you’d suddenly change three Texting with your sister you had almost missed her exit Now if you don’t cause an accident I will But put between a brick wall and the wheel I’ll smoke your ass with gasoline and steel To spend another day driving the highways Riding the byways Beating the back roads Dodging the tolls of Texas Hiding in a canteen somewhere just outside of Abilene am I Three killed in the crash, almost out of cash and three drinks in If the waitress looks at me again I’ll die, darling I’ll treat every flashing light like it’s a question And the speed limit as merely a suggestion And I’ll spend another day driving the highways Riding the byways Beating the back roads Dodging the tolls Avoiding the highway patrol
4.
Possession 04:49
Possession in itself a crime leaves the confident confined Better to know than to not; better too ripe than to rot But for me I think the opposite agrees I was once beholden to a different point of view And I did what I did; and I've hid what I could But you know, some things you don't outgrow Possession 'til the bridge is burned; as if we could return Land, sea, and sky — Europe in July Is it so bad to speak about things that we've had? I was once remanded by a different sense of time But now I am free just to be And you know, I think I'll never stop
5.
Poor Wanda 04:13
Poor Wanda the hen Not the first in line but far from the end Doesn't stand out as much as she blends in Wanda the hen She's got filtered water and organic feed The basic level on the Hierarchy of Needs Now we'll see if she'll borrow and beg Or lay us an egg But who took the wire and stuck it to the wall? And who put Wanda in the middle of it all? That's the part that gets stuck in her craw, is: What does it all mean for poor Wanda? Winter Arthur is a kinder version of himself And I think it suits him well There's no explanation as to why — when the temperature is high — He just gets meaner Who could ever be like that? Out with reason, only reacts It's no wonder I keep feeding that cat Arthur speaks to me Wanda and Arthur Two sides of a coin One seeks to buy, one to purloin Arthur and Wanda Neither knows shame Pity the players, don't hate the game In 2020 Wanda stood up for herself Gained a couple pounds and made the rounds in ten seconds flat First out the door in the morning, yes she is Later that year, Arthur kept us from tears He knows habits have a way of weeding in First at my feet in the morning
6.
What is the inchworm’s game? I swear I saw the same one Hanging from the same spot Just the other day outside Waiting for it knows why — some other game to try Even the air has changed Sure that there’s a name for when Everything is new again Bigger than it’s ever been Different each time it comes — under the same old sun My favorite time of year I don’t even mind letting you know I’ve started saving dates As if it takes much will Harder still is waiting for the day to come I miss you all so much Take pictures and be in touch I am the same old son I don’t even mind (most of the time) Different each time it comes Given in kind Most of the time I have figured out how it works — pretty circular Things that happen tend to reoccur And the world turns
7.
Some thirteen got up, crack of dawn No choice in the matter, not that it matters Riding the thread of a vision By the end of the day, twelve would remain No choice in the matter — doesn't that sound dire? Find her in the dusty twilight covered in ants The body remains; something has changed The absolute meaning relative to the being After the threat of revision A kettle of birds all got the word You can hear them beating, “come to the feeding” Left her in a thousand pieces under the moon
8.
There’s 50 miles to New Orleans 50 miles to town If you ain’t home, you don’t pick up the phone I’m gonna turn this rig around I got a place to be, and more than one place to go You better believe I got a woman in every town I know There’s 50 miles to Houston That’s 50 miles from here When I get in, no matter where I’ve been I’m gonna wind up full of beer I’ve been on Highway 10 from the day that I was born I’ve been from Jacksonville all the way to California I’ve seen the Mississippi Delta shining like an oil pan in June But I’ll blow out 18 wheels before I ever spend the night in Baton Rouge Just keep on driving right on through I’ve been on Highway 10 from the day that I was born Living on that long white line from Jacksonville to California There’s 50 miles to El Paso And just a couple more to your bed When I get in, if there’s another man He’s gonna wind up full of lead Well it’s too late now to head on back to San Antone You better believe, woman, I ain’t going to Mexico There’s 50 miles to Phoenix And I’m starting to feel the heat When I get there, I’m gonna cut my hair And get me something to eat If I make it through the desert, I’ve got a little spot in Venice Beach But if I hear the sirens, I’ll just turn around and head back east I’ve been on Highway 10 — that’s the story of my life That long white line is just a noose I haven’t tied And I’m gonna ride it ’til I die ’Til the day I die

credits

released October 20, 2023

Produced by T.J. Masters
Engineered by Gary Calhoun James
Mixed by T.J. Masters and Gary Calhoun James
Mastered by JJ Golden

Recorded at Estuary Recording, Austin, TX
Nov. 14, 2021
Feb. 21, 2022
Mar. 14, 2022
Mar. 21, 2022

James Gwyn - drums
Bob Hoffnar - pedal steel guitar
Gary Calhoun James - electric and upright bass
T.J. Masters - acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals
Sweet Gary Newcomb - pedal steel guitar
Sam P. Rives - acoustic piano
Jay Stiles - Wurlitzer electric piano
Dees Stribling - drums

with:
Cat Clemons III - electric guitar on “Highway 10 Blues”
Selena Rosanbalm - vocals on “The Lettered Veil,” “Highway 10 Blues”
Etan Sekons - dobro on “The Lettered Veil,” “Poor Wanda”

and:
Antonio Cevallos - violin
Geoff Manyin - cello
Zach Matteson - violin
Karl Mitze - viola

Strings on “Driving the Highways of Texas” arranged by Bob Hoffnar
Strings on “My Favorite Year of Time” arranged by Sam P. Rives

Design and layout by Robert Carroll
Cover photography by Bridgette Miller

All songs written by T.J. Masters
Published by Guma University Publishing (BMI)

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Guma Austin, Texas

T.J. Masters is a writer, musician, and community radio host in Austin, TX.

Guma is the name of the group.

Small Cool World airs every Thursday from 4:30pm-6:00pm on KOOP 91.7FM in Austin or online at koop.org
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