Works for me. It's funny but not in a ha-ha kind of way. I'm okay with more Mario Lanza in my life. Ween, too.

Love this song - the synergy between Iron and Wine and Calexico is very real.

Wow, I can't imagine not liking this. I think it's great. Yeah his voice is left field but it sounds so pure and powerful. The guest vocalist's name is Salvador Duran and he's great.

Without the bad operatic interjections, it rated a 6 but with them, a 3 is pushing it.

It's different?

Great sounds clip, clip, clip, ....

RP should never EVER play that Rush Limbaugh theme music.  Never. Ever.

The operatic elements to this song goes together like peanuts and bubblegum. 

This is a brilliant song.
A collaboration between two of my favourite Artists.

Ahh turned on the radio this morning, first track was this.  As my husband is in Vegas working and going to the Grand Canyon this week, this was my soundtrack to the same trip 12 years ago.  Perfect timing RP thank you

What a train wreck of a piece. It's like they just didn't know what they were trying to achieve... I only stayed to the end out of morbid curiosity.

 StillAwake wrote: 
Funny!  Maybe next time I hear it it'll be down-voted. 

 lizardking wrote: 
Ha ha....yes, see I didn't even have to identify which part....you KNEW. You're kinder than I, Lizardking, I couldn't rate it an 8....mostly out of the fact I didn't want to hear it again....my sincerest apologies to Uncle Denny. ; ) 

 StillAwake wrote: 
That's exactly what I felt!  Like...really...did my uncle Denny start fake opera singing while I was listening to this?  Huh...no...it DID happen!  I want to rate this an 8....oh to hell with it...it's an 8!

I...I don't know what to do with this. I like both artists separately, and was starting to dig this song...until that part...then I spent the rest of the song worried it was going to come back. 

:absolutely:

it works for me :^)

 jagdriver wrote: 
Fine until the opera bit kicks in.  This doesn't work to my ears.

Beuaaark

Love their collaboration.
 

 Proclivities wrote: 

I love Calexico and a few I&W tracks, but this isn't one of them.

 rdo wrote: 
Driving range, rifle range, whatever works. I once put a scope on my driver. Didn't help.

 Proclivities wrote: 
Sheesh, you really don't like Adam.  LOL. This is the place to get that stuff out.  I also like going to the driving range to hit little white balls.  It is good.

There's a bootleg home recording of Sam Beam playing this song without the stupid opera singer that's much better.

 stockvc wrote: 
It's sad that anything resembling opera would remind people of a fifth-rate Jerry Lewis imitator like Adam Sandler.  Don't we get enough exposure to that hack from the TV ads to his four movies a year? 

 oilydwarf wrote: 
Right-e-o!

An unlikley mix of styles, doesn't work for me but I'll give them a 6 for effort!

This is on my Droid. In other words, always with me.

If you have not explored this music, please do.

Yes, Salvador Duran often plays with Calexico.  He lives in Tucson.

 lemmoth wrote: 
Salvador Duran is a friend of Calexico - he often performs with Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta. 

Serenata al pie de la ventana de mi amor! 

Interesting mix this afternoon... Mind gallery art... pictures, vignets, and scenarios... It -MUST- be Friday... Oh-yes. It is with a great big moon tomorrow nite...and Eddie Izzard as Long John Silver in Treasure Island on Sy Fy... Yep, an interesting, eclectic weekend... RP at my side the whole time... background music for my life-?... certainly seems that way

Is the Opera Singer Iron and Wine or Calexico - or the guy below?

                         
Opera Man!

The more I hear it the more I like it!!!

... the hell?  At one point I thought someone outside my cube was doing bad opera.  Adding that singer at that relative volume level was a strange strange choice.

 Vinni_NL wrote: 
That's three tens.  Just sayin'.

One of my favourite songs ever! 10 10  double 10!

 sirdroseph wrote: 
It certainly has grown on me.  Great album.

Love the cover the music superb

 TexasAggies wrote: 
(just wanna bring this to the top again)

This song is very strange and probably not very good, but it is so weird, I think I kinda like it.

Ray LaMontagne - Empty —-> Iron & Wine and Calexico - He Lays in the Reins

Well done Bill...

They match in every way (sonically and lyrically) and are amazing songs. I agree that the Spanish Opera is a bit over the top but the Spanish lyrics are beautiful.
"One more kiss tonight from some tall stable girl
She's like grace from the earth
When you're all tuckered out and tame

One more tired thing the gray moon on the rise
When your want from the day
Makes you to curse in your sleep at night"
Sam Beam channels human darkness into beautiful sound.

 Beanie wrote: 
...yeah, so do I.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
I felt the same way - kind of still do, but it is great live. . .that guy is pretty cool.   I guess Calexico brings along a bunch of friends sometimes.

I like Calexico but that puffed up, overstuffed sounding opera guy spoils it for me on this song...

 Beanie wrote: 

A ridiculously good album.  It helped me court my wife.

I bought this album a while back, and I love it.  Then again, I am all tuckered out and tame.

 whtahtefcuk wrote: 

 kaybee wrote: 
Perfect...just like this song, just like this album. Sam Beam needed Calexico. Incredible collaboration.

 kaybee wrote: 
Kaybee, your adding this image has me chuckling so hard as I listen. 

Wow!

I love Calexico and starting to really appreciate Iron and Wine.

I like this very much...   

I lived in Tucson for 10 years and never saw Calexico...oops. 

 felam wrote: 

 felam wrote: 
Calexico came to town a couple of months ago... and the "Mexican Opera Guy" was present.  Dude has Flare!  Got to give it to them for being bold!

This is probably one of my top 5 albums of this decade... It is just fantastic!!!  Love IT!!  9 > 10

When I hear this song, I see a lone horseman, exhausted, leaning over the neck of his horse, trying to reach the next town before he passes out.  When the "operaman" comes in, I see the hoseman approaching a small bordertown where he will lay up for the night, and in the distance, he hears the voice of cantina singer pouring out his ballad.  Whatever the horseman is running from, I'm sure the sound of the ballad brings it up sharp in his chest and for a moment, as tired as he is, he considers just riding by.

Operatic Y'Alternative!

YEE HAW!!!

Agreed...the operaman makes this song!
 ercasul wrote: 

 wedgetable wrote: 
hmm, each to their own, but I rather liked the contrast myself.  There's something about the lilting quality of this that raises it above the norm, and the "mexican operaman" that so many are bitching about just gives it an interesting break.  

Segue from Ray was spot on!  Kudos, Bill.

felam wrote:


Yeah, he drops it about 2 or 3 points.  Just doesn't belong in this song.

Sounds like a tornado going through a recording studio and/or a producer playing a joke. Could have done without it. 4.

Operaman! That was very funny. I was loving this track until the opera dude started singing. I think I'll take my iron and wine straight up, thanks. cutterjudd wrote: I couldn't agree more. Bill and Rebecca are the best there is.

I feel the SAME way. Whose terrible idea was that in the studio, anyway? Just makes it sound pretentious. felam wrote: AphidA wrote:

TheFriendlyCat wrote: I have to jump into this one, Wild Bill and Rebbeca are my music gurus.........I believe they are in it for the love of music. We give what we can when we can, thats what makes it so wonderful.

Calexico Part= Mexican Opera guy=

This is a good song but I could do without the operatic nonsense.

I just find this EP to be fantastic. The opera piece does not put me off at all, it does make it quirky, and perhaps inaccessible to many listeners. oh, and by the way...I am a huge pedal steel fan...so I am digging that as well...

Probably my favorite off this album. Great stuff.

So much for verity. Veredicto wrote:

cosmiclint wrote: Thank you so much for having such wonderful taste and sharing it with all of us! I swear when I have money someday I will send it to you in large quantities! Until then, thank you for letting even moochers like me share in the wonderful music!

saw Iron & Wine and Calexico on "Austin City Limits" loved it! great bands!

Ohhhhhhhooooaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.........operatic noh?

wow - visions of Johanna and now this...YUMola!

TexasAggies wrote: Amy Fisher. Buddafuco. El narc-o, el shoot-o, In jail-o. No bail-o. Senora, you're a whor-a!

Horrible!!!!! (in any language)

Just bumped it from 8 to 9. So beautiful.

I dig the album cover art. Castinada

TexasAggies wrote: Too 'effin funny. Ha!

good one!

Another great discovery listening to Radioparadise Thank you! Francesco

As much respect as I have for Sam Beam as a songwriter and record producer, the collaboration with Calexico is the first time I've heard his work fleshed out by a proper band and IMHO is the better for it. Great, if short, album.

TexasAggies wrote: That's friggin hilarious!

The opera voice just rubs me the wrong way. It doesn't seem to fit with the steady country vibe. Maybe if I knew what it meant...

davin wrote: That's friggin hilarious!

TexasAggies wrote: operaman!

Very Nice.

jubilantme wrote: I was there. I nearly passed out when Iron & Wine joined Calexico on stage as a "surprise" guest.

TexasAggies wrote: hahahahahahahaha i too was gonna leave some quote digging on the opera part, but this just so perfectly sums it up. well done texas. opera-MAANNN, a-byyee BYYYYYYYYEEEE-YA!!!!!!

qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno? qué el infierno?

TexasAggies wrote:

I'm tellin ya'll, this is the album, this is the stuff...this is music for me

Makes me want to get some Tequila.

auburntigerrich wrote: I on the other hand find this a lot more appealing than anything I've heard of Iron & Wine by themselves....I too like the album art a good deal...

Good song, I enjoy it! But I have to admit, when I heard the mariachi/opera part, I immediately saw this:

Me gusto!

saw this on pbs for austin city limits. awesome!

auburntigerrich wrote: Yes, thanks Bill & Rebecca. I don't say that enough.

'Tis good, 'tis good, pass the mezcal...I like the cover art too.

Iron and wine. Tears and sighs. What a voice !!!

I concur heartily. Gonna hit that "Support RP" button now. horstman wrote:

Aye. Thanks, Bill and Rebecca.

Iron and Wine is a wonderful band, but I'm not sure if Calexico really mixes well with them. I dunno. I'm definately looking into Iron and Wine, though.

ginger wrote: my experience exactly...good song overall...maybe opera/mariachi guy will grow on me.

Iron & Wine and Calexico........and some mezcal Muy Bueeeeno

eh?

Every time this song comes on, I'm like, "oh yeah, I like this song". Then Opera Guy does his part, and I'm like, "oh yeah, it has that weird opera part in it". Call it opera. Call it mariachi. Whatever -- I find it distracting.

Mariachi, opera, whatever it is, I like!

If I had a dollar for every band that Bill Goldsmith has turned me onto, I'd take it, put it in an envelope and mail it to him. And that's what I do. Its usually much more than a dollar though. Its called being a supporter. Bill turns me onto new music and expands my soul. This station is the best musical forum, medium that I have EVER found. Thanks Bill and Rebecca! Oh, Calexico and Iron & Wine are great. This song reminds me of the west when I was kid - back in Tucson when it was a "small" town.

mrmojorisin wrote: Ya gotta be kidding. What's not to like?

The voice of Iron & Wine singer mesmerises me...

Like Iron & Wine, like Calexico Don't like 'em together

I still don't like this song, no matter how often I hear it!

Excellent CD! I actually think these groups sound better together.