Bus From Amarillo...was it driven by Bugs Bunny?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/20/10 at 8:35pm

So, I was discussing Best Little Whorehouse in Texas today, and got curious and pulled out my atlas...and discovered something odd.

The lyric explicitly states that:
"They were driving on through Cisco, on the way around to Baird." It's at that point that Mona freaks out and gets off at the next stop.

Now, Cisco and Baird are both on I-20, between Abilene and Fort Worth. The problem is...Cisco is east of Baird. If the bus started in Amarillo, went down to Abilene and across to Fort Worth, that would make sense. You take I-35 south from Fort Worth and you run straight into San Antonio. But to go the way the lyrics state, the Bus went from Amarillo to Fort Worth to Abilene...which makes no sense.

Not a big deal, just something I noticed.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 4/20/10 at 11:08pm

(crickets)

[p.s.]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 4:19pm

I'll give it a shot:

Around to Baird is Texas-speak for In the Vicinity of Baird.

The bus was travelling east. It had just passed Baird (which would be somewhat more familiar to people because it is the county seat of Callahan County), and was continuing on, with Cisco as the next somewhat recognizable town.

"Around the Way" is slang for "In the Neighborhood" or "From the Neighborhood."

It is very possible that "on the way, around to Baird" is Texas-speak, like saying "drivin' on through Cisco, which is nearby, or in the vicinity of, Baird," informing the listener where Cisco is.

p.s.

Alternatively, the lyric may be more like "on the wayaround to Baird," with the one word, wayaround, meaning "around the way' or "in the neighborhood of."





{crickets}

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 4:33pm

Trust me, I'm from the area, I know Texas speak and never once have I heard any of what you said.

And, in both the published script and the vocal score, it's way around, not wayaround. It's very clear that they are driving through Cisco to Baird.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 5:35pm

My only contribution to this thread is just to say that I used to live in Baird. Antique Capital of the World, haha!

Also, maybe they just needed a rhyme for "scared"...

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 5:42pm

Just 32 years a little late!

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 4/21/10 at 5:48pm

I'm not familiar with Texas geography, but if I were this is EXACTLY the sort of thing that would drive me crazy!

[Scripps2]

Posted: 4/22/10 at 4:57am

The programme for the London production included a glossary of Texas-speak to help British audiences understand better what was being said (it makes funny reading).

But it didn't include a map.