Guy Clark - Randall Knife (live)

[uwrobinson]

If you've ever heard a better song, let me know....

[flomurdock]

Texas Connection was a half hour show that ran on the old Nashville Network. It had the same producers as Austin City Limits, so the set looked similar.

[TLPhoto1]

I'm no die hard country music fan (if that counts as country) but that was a great and very moving song.

[XOkie]

One of the great storytellers of our time.  Thanks Guy.

[swellofthespeakers]

Beautiful, sincere lyrics. This song always chokes me up. I especially love the line, "I need the thing he's haunted."

[curbshoppin]

one of the best dam songs ever written...

[GRobb62]

i have a custom made stag handle, Randall skinning knife.

[loki1066]

my mum gave my dad a potato peeler.

right up the arse, when she caught him with the woman from number 15.

[Brewhammer870]

What ever show this was.. It looks like a good one.. Four guys with guitars?? Yep they dont make shows like that anymore...

[TheBasenjiman]

@Brewhammer870 The show was Austin City Limits and when you have people sitting around playing guitars like they are is called a guitar pull.

[piknfish]

@TheBasenjiman Actually, this was a short-lived program called, "Texas Connection". Great rendition of a Clark classic...

[baytownship]

This sends chills to me. Love the different levels of this piece. I had the honor to know Bo Randall, a real gentleman. Alas, my FIL gave his 6" #12 to his grandson, and I haven't purchased my own yet. You had to have had a Randall to write a piece like this.

[curbshoppin]

great song........great songwriter

[ojuist]

I have a son and a daughter. I also have a Randall #1 and a #5.  I hope they will enjoy them as much as I have.

[faulconer54]

Never heard this song, until my 20 year old son sent it to me. I think it was kind of his way of saying things to me that he couldn't articulate. Sweet and sad, because I had hoped to change that father - son paradigm.

[nevillejking]

This is one of the few songs that gives me goosebumps and puts a tear in my eye - my Dad would have loved it, IF I'd played it for him - regretfully I "grew up" too late !

Captures the traditional, old-fashioned type Father-Son relationship perfectly.

Thank you Guy!!!

[nevillejking]

This is one of the few songs that gives me goosebumps and puts a tear in my eye - my Dad would have loved it, IF I'd played it for him - regretfully I "grew up" too late !

Captures the traditional type Father-Son relationship perfectly.

Thank you Guy!!!

[MRMED123]

GUY IS A NATIONAL TREASURER,,, I WILL DRIVE FROM ROCKFORD, IL TO VAN BUREN, MO TO SEE HIM IN APRIL 2010, WITH VERLON ....

THAT'S A 8 HOUR DRIVE AND IT WILL BE AN HONOR TO MAKE THE TRIP..

AT 8 HOURS, IT IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY TO SEE GUY AND VERLON ...

KINDA LIKE SEEING JOHN, PAUL, RINGO AND GEORGE, BUT BETTER WITH

MUCH MORE TALENT!!!!

MM

[Yarmasmichael]

Beautiful

[nevillejking]

@Yarmasmichael - I love this: ALL BEAUTIFUL and positive comments - SO RARE on Youtube - Y'all must be Mature People, given that you listen to good music and don't need to sling sh1t in order to feel good about yourself.

Thank you Guy

[losttroubadour1]

sort of like excaliber..damn

[deborahkauffman09]

this song always makes me cry, thanks for posting it...

[tele65]

i've said it before. . .i'll say it again. . .Keats, Byron, Blake. . .none of these wrote better than he.

[LRooster4Prez]

damn what a great song

[customerjon]

This is one of those songs that is a privilege to hear. Guy Clark is amazing.

[hiram02]

Genius. That's all I can say!

[RickHempy]

The consummate songwriter.

[EstiaHolzspielwaren]

I heard this song the first time. It reminds me so much on my old riggers knife. I bought it from my pocket money with 13½, needed to bring my father that the salesman could hand it me. With 14½ I went to sea for about 20 years always with my riggers knife. Even as a Chief Mate I carried it with me. Now it hangs together with all my tools in the workshop, hardly used anymore but if I collect some of the tools, the first item I pick, is the old knife.

[jerdeb4evr]

This song isn't about the Randall Knife. It speaks of the much more powerful emotions that bind us together, yet, of which we seldom speak, until too late.

[beaverwithachainsaw]

Whatasong...My Daddy handed me his Randall #1 Fighting Knife shortly before his passing. I didn't realize how sick he was until that moment.....

[SmokeEdge]

I had a model 14,#1 hilt,border patrol handle.Handed it down to my son,along with a model #3.If anyone ever gets a chance to own such a fine knife.DO IT,don't think twice,it'll be just another regret on your burden list.

[SindhiFox]

I held a Randall A5 and an A7. A good friend has an A5. It is every bit as moving as the song sang here.

[redshaftedflicker]

Finally saved up money and got my dad a Randall--was looking up the famed knifemaker on the tube and here comes Guy Clark singing about the best blade ever. Can't get better than this--never new about this song before other than the melody from Let Him Roll.

[macvjohn]

One of the best songs I have ever heard.I am waiting on my 5th Randle right now.I love this song!

[bigbasscat]

I'd never heard this song before, and it hits home with me about as hard as any song every has. About 20 feet away from me as I write this is the Randall #1 that my father carried as a Marine in Korea. I'm having a pretty hard time typing through tears.

[jerdeb4evr]

But nothing ever felt better, did it?

[upthecreek34]

This is simply amazing.  There is not currently a better songwriter in our great land.

[shadrussell]

@upthecreek34 -- It's great that you like the song, but calling him the best songwriter in our land is an exaggeration, and purely opinion. It is a good story though.

[upthecreek34]

@shadrussell---if you can come up with a better songwriter, I'm all ears. i will then provide you with my opinion, stating whether i think you are correct or severely misguided. thx.

[howboutthemcowboys09]

shadrussell i got your back on this one

1.hank williams (jr)

2. billy joe shaver

3. kris kristofferson

[probinson1337]

@howboutthemcowboys09 the three you mentioned are not even comparisons except for (possibly) Kristofferson. Hank has become a sellout and Billy Joe is a very 2nd rater

[upthecreek34]

@howboutthemcowboys09

yr full of it. if you'd said Hank Williams (Sr), Merle Haggard, and Buck Owens, just as three random examples, you'd have had a third leg to stand on.

[jerdeb4evr]

Don't take yourself so serious, you don't matter that much.

[shadrussell]

You dingle berries can give me all the thumbs down votes you want to - You obviously can't accept that this is my opinion. How about this - "darlene" as done by Led Zeppelin is the greatest rock song ever! -- there, does that make it true? No it makes it my opinion - get a fucking clue.

[mouthisi]

Like! ;)

[onceadad]

Knives, Fathers and Sons...I heard this song on the radio in the early 80s, at work in a computer room. I'm standing like a fool, crying like a baby at work.

I got some beautiful knives from my dad, and he showed me how to take care of them.

Just before my ex melted down, my little boy found my knife collection. At 3 years old, Ken wasn't ready yet, but I let him pick out one for when he was bigger. He picked out about the cheapest little jack knife I had, but he insisted..

[onceadad]

@onceadad Well, obviously I was never able to give Ken the knife.

In the late spring of 2009, my old house trailer was razed and taken away in a few dumpster loads, and a new foundation and home built.

I was walking around the lot shortly after the new foundation was put in, and I found the knife I had been saving for Ken. I didn't even know I still had it....

[onceadad]

@onceadad Sorry, these 3 comments are not in order...#1 begins with "Knives."

2 begins...Obviously..

This is #3.

Can't imagine why I dug this song up. I'm blubbering like you wouldn't believe.

When you lose a child, I don't think you ever get over it.

I believe it's tougher, if you know they are still alive. I'm sorry...

[ubuibiok]

@onceadad thanks for the share...

[onceadad]

You're welcome.

God bless

[Canadianspunge]

I haven't cried for my dad in over a year. This song helped me let it out for the first time in too long. Thank you Guy Clark

[teamfab]

Just a lovely song..

[villagesmithy52]

Guy, At first, you looked surprised when you got the standing ovation after singing "Randall Knife" Wednesday night at the Belcourt. We stood for all those broken knives of our fathers in so many bottom drawers

[teamfab]

A lovely thought....

[ThreeChordGuitar]

To me, the best song ever written about a dad. Bar none.

[canajian]

What an incredible songwriter..

I too just recently discovered Guy`s music & I will be enjoying catching up..

I got goosebumps listening to this song.

I know there will be many more to come..

Wow!

Thanks for sharing..

*****

[kenroom]

One of the great American song writers....thanks for the music Mr. Clark

[barrythemod]

Hey,I've just discovered this guy.What fun I'm gonna have catching up!!!!!!!!!!

[Tailothebank]

Superb, gets me every time! Just imagine what it must have been like when Guy got together with Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt and Rodney Crowell, just jamming in the early days! Songwriting gold.

[handymf1]

Immense

[bigbeninjax]

Thanks for posting. I still appreciate and have the samurai swords my father brought back from Japan and one day I'll pass them down to my sons to pass on. Thanks, Guy, for passing on your heritage.

[YourUncleFester]

What a great song writer.

[john9944]

I am a reasonably good picker. I have worked on this song for many years and can finger pick "The Sweet Bye and Bye" and can recite the words to "Randall Knife." Just not at the same time. He is amazing. And not a horrible golfer.

[TyteFystedFolkie]

Glad to have found this. I saw him perform it at a festival in 2001.

That lyric "..and he put it in his bottom drawer without a hard word one," just wipes me out.

[gretzle]

If you order a Randall Made Knife today, 21 May 2009, you will get it in 2014. I have owned several and they are worth the wait.

[jerdeb4evr]

It isn't just the music, words or performer. It is the total package. You hear his guitar so clear, his words so close and our own meaning. Who can possibly pick A favorite. My favorite is the one I am listening to

[evans5150]

Nobody...I mean NOBODY can even COMPARE to these greats these days!!

[johnwalterm]

Oh, I don't know about that. It pretty well depends on whose ears are listening doesn't it? Beauty being in the eye - or ear - of the beholder and all.

As for me, I like Guy.

[johnwalterm]

But I should add that I'd take In The Arms Of an Angel by Sarah McLaughlin over any Guy song... even Stuff That Works.

[am60mo]

Thanks for posting this. I met Guy and got to talk to him for about a half an hour once. Wonderful man.

It's a damn shame we will never hear music like this on radio.

[ThreeChordGuitar]

One of my favorite songs ever.

[piddorhonsa]

Great song about Guy: s father . You also learn that Guy:s mother had her priorities right.

" my father had a randallknife my mother gave it to him "

[barflew]

The Randall Combat Knife was so back ordered during the Vietnam War that guys would give up a months pay to get one from a guy going home. I only saw one and the guy took it home. Great song, and it does produce chills.

[jerdeb4evr]

@barflew And a tear

[Sashok007]

Thank you very much!!!

[ehmcke]

look up cowboylyrics at google and then search on that site for Randall knife

[Sashok007]

where can I see words from this song?

[Rauoul]

Awesome song. A great country story song you'll never hear on country radio. That is a sad commentary on country radio, or should I say country/pop radio.

[Sashok007]

any body, please, write words of thise song here...

[jebitelny]

great America

[sjlee1951]

I ran into Guy in Austin at the SXSW in 1992. I'd been covering this song for several years and it is one of my all time favs. I shook his hand, told him I was his greatest fan and ask him if The Randall Knife was a true story. He kinda gave me that "long and gangly look" and said "son you don't make up shit like that".... I just smiled and said thanks for everything Guy and left him alone. He's one of the hero's of our country.....

[john9944]

I like the lyric at the end of your post. I wonder if there is anyone else that got it? I first saw Guy about 1964. He's gotten old before my eyes, and I his. It makes me wonder why I hum the Red River Valley and he's dressed up like that old man.

[jerdeb4evr]

fortunately we age along with those we surround ourselves with. One can't latch on to anything and hope to stay young. I enjoy these old songs as much or more now. I didn't understand the father mourning lines until my Father passed, and now so sweet. God bless life and aging..and music

[Hannes87]

Oh...wow...

[incoserv]

My goodness. I gots chills, me...

[bmrti]

Good lord...pure magic

[tmeau]

Well done Guy. As usual

[Logicalpsycho2323]

Mystery.

[mrsostost]

haha mysterys song when his father died:D

[magicishaq]

lmao.. thats why i checked it out (was looking for sum routines to steal frm it)

[ceroeck]

thats an amazing story

[Gekokujo76]

Such an amazing song...I have only heard Townes Van Zandt do it before.  Thanks so much for posting this!