BEN H ENGLISH ~ TEXAS 🤠

SOMEWHERE IN THE LOWER BIG BEND:

When Lone Star Literary Life was conducting their tour for my book ‘Destiny’s Way,’ they asked for a playlist of songs to fit the story line. This was easy to do, what was hard was limiting my choices to a certain number of offerings.

Music had much to do with how Destiny’s Way was written, as music has had much to do with my life. When I am alone in this lonesome country conducting ‘boots on the ground’ research, certain songs go through my mind and often enough repeatedly.

Many of those tunes have been around for generations, some going back a century or more. Each mean something special to me and each in turn is enduring, much like the land I have used them to describe.

If Destiny’s Way has a theme song, it would have to be ‘La Golindrina.’ In fact, the lyrics start the book as a preface. I stated how some of these songs go back a century or more and this sad Mexican ballad has roots running back even further than that, to a time when Mexico was fighting desperately to free herself of a French-imposed emperor.

An additional thought in this: Several of the songs selected come from across the river, because things Mexican helped shaped the culture of the Big Bend as much as many of the contributing Anglo influences. In truth, they do not clash as much as complement each other.

Below you will find two different links to the song ‘La Golindrina,’ one with lyrics and one without. To set the mood for those who can only visit the lower Big Bend vicariously, I am also including a favorite photo taken some time ago.

This was taken during a mid-December evening and the sun was starting to set over El Solitario. I was standing in a saddle formed by Wildhorse Mountain, looking toward the Chisos. Appropriately enough, the peak for Little Christmas stands prominently in between.

I encourage you to enlarge the photograph on your screen and really listen to the music, without distraction. It will take you away to a different time and place, if even for a few minutes.

You will find the trip well worth the effort.

God bless to all,
Ben

Solo guitarra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-tQpvK8jqE

With lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh4MzFupw90

Ben H. English
Alpine, Texas
USMC: 1976-1983
THP: 1986-2008
School teacher: 2008-2010
Author: 2016-Present

Facebook: Ben H. English
Webpage: benhenglish.com

‘Graying but still game’