Doyle Harseth - Told Ya That My Name Is Doyle

Doyle Harseth

 This recording was sent along to us here at Big And Tall Records by Delmar Gentry. Lately Delmar has been working with some of his employees on the horse ranch he bought that have talent. His housekeeper/cook Marie Flores has recorded a song that Delmar wrote and produced, and his head ranch hand Amos Carter has recorded two songs, co written by Amos and Delmar that Delmar plays piano on as well as producing them. He also wrote this song Told Ya That My Name Is Doyle, played the piano and produced it. We'll let him tell the rest of the story:

 The recording session for the latest song we recorded of Amos Carter, Ain't Never Gonna Be Famous,  was attended by a few folks from the ranch, as well as Doyle and Blanche Harseth, the couple I bought the horse ranch from not so long ago. Now originally, Doyle and Blanche were going to have a house built in town and move in there, but I offered to sell them back some land to build their house on so they could stay out here. They're both horse people, and we're boarding their horses at the ranch. They're country folk anyway, and they jumped at the chance to stay. Their house is all done, they're moved in and happy, and I'm happy to have 'em! 

I've been practicing my honky tonk piano style on the upright piano in the studio, and Doyle's been bringing around a six pack every night to share. He likes to hear me play, and one night after we finished the six pack off, he told me he used to sing in the church choir for years since he was a kid. I checked his voice out, and considering he's in his 70's and used to be a heavy smoker, he's still got a semblance of a voice. We came up with the idea to change the lyrics of Amos' Ain't Never Gonna Be Famous song, and after a few nights of dinking around with it, we came up with Doyle's version. He had a lot of input with the words, while I pretty much improvised the music. We recorded it one night, just us two, about 2 in the morning. Everybody was surprised when we played it for them! Figured I'd send it a long for ya'll there to have a chuckle over!

Well, we got more than a chuckle out of it! Doyle's got a way with a song, so we decided to publish it! Doyle's got a voice deep as a foghorn in spots, and it's a good parody of Amos' song. 

If I had to choose what I like, 

A horse would be first of course 

The second thing I like after that 

Would still be a goddam horse! 

 

Relate to 'em better than humans 

They sure can be a lot of work 

Ranch hands are paid to shovel shit

 Somethin' that they try to shirk 

 

Told ya that my name is Doyle 

I love this Arizona soil 

A retired life, with my sweet wife

 Live with damn little strife 

 

 I were the Boss, and treated everyone well 

Raised horses from little babies 

Trained them, fed them, kept them healthy 

No ifs, ands, or maybes! 

 

Always dressed in blue jeans 

Never wore no damn bandana 

Yessir, I’m a horse man 

And I never could play the piana! 

 

Told ya that my name is Doyle 

I love this Arizona soil 

A retired life, with my sweet wife 

Live with damn little strife 

 

The skies over Flagstaff, 

Are a wonderful sight 

But don't take no horse ride 

In the Arizona night

 It's dark as hell! 

 

 Mountains and trees

Trails through the scene 

Horses like it for sure

 So peaceful and serene 

 

Told ya that my name is Doyle 

Whippin’ a horse makes me boil! 

Ya ain’t gotta do it, put yer mind to it 

It’ll make me throw a real fit! 

And that ain’t no shit!