Songs -- Writing

Scope and Contents From the Collection: The archives of Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry include a career-spanning (from 1984 up to and including his 2021 album, The Horses and the Hounds) collection of personal papers and original song lyrics, press clippings, photographs, master audio recordings, and video cassettes. The collection is divided into nine series, with Series I-VIII comprising all of the papers, notepads and photographs (and some small personal items) and Series IX all of the audio and video recordings. ...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Series Description From the Series:

Series II, “Lyrics for Singles, Unrecorded Songs, and Unidentified Songs,” contains 94 folders of lyrics for released as singles or that have yet to be recorded or released. Songs are separated into their own folders, and labeled either by song title (if known) or by a key phrase or line that either “opens” the song or appear to be thematically significant.

Series Description From the Series:

Series V “Business Records,” is arranged into separate folders containing copyright forms for songs, correspondence with record labels regarding CD production and royalties, and concert performance contracts, plus miscellaneous other business paperwork, business cards, and receipts

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Abstract Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Series Description

Series II, “Lyrics for Singles, Unrecorded Songs, and Unidentified Songs,” contains 94 folders of lyrics for released as singles or that have yet to be recorded or released. Songs are separated into their own folders, and labeled either by song title (if known) or by a key phrase or line that either “opens” the song or appear to be thematically significant.

Series Description

Series III contains folders of legal-sized notepads, each containing lyrics and/or notes for multiple songs. Song titles (or first lines/key phrases) are listed on each folder.

Abstract The archives of Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry include a career- spanning (from 1984 up to and including his 2021 album, The Horses and the Hounds) collection of personal papers and original song lyrics, press clippings, photographs, master audio recordings, and video cassettes. The collection is divided into nine series, with Series I-VIII comprising all of the papers, notepads and photographs (and some small personal items) and Series IX all of the...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Series Description From the Series:

Includes 19 VHS tapes of performances and music videos.

Series Description From the Series: Series IV, “Notes, undated,” includes an assortment of miscellaneous personal notes, doodles, and directions that were found on loose pages among McMurtry’s song lyrics. Also included is a notepad labeled “Vocal Exercise” and a journal containing pages of prose, short fiction, and song lyrics. Series V “Business Records,” is arranged into separate folders containing copyright forms for songs, correspondence with record labels regarding CD production and royalties, and concert performance...

Series Description From the Series:

Series II, “Lyrics for Singles, Unrecorded Songs, and Unidentified Songs,” contains 94 folders of lyrics for released as singles or that have yet to be recorded or released. Songs are separated into their own folders, and labeled either by song title (if known) or by a key phrase or line that either “opens” the song or appear to be thematically significant.

Series Description From the Series:

Series II, “Lyrics for Singles, Unrecorded Songs, and Unidentified Songs,” contains 94 folders of lyrics for released as singles or that have yet to be recorded or released. Songs are separated into their own folders, and labeled either by song title (if known) or by a key phrase or line that either “opens” the song or appear to be thematically significant.

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Scope and Contents From the Collection: The archives of Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry include a career-spanning (from 1984 up to and including his 2021 album, The Horses and the Hounds) collection of personal papers and original song lyrics, press clippings, photographs, master audio recordings, and video cassettes. The collection is divided into nine series, with Series I-VIII comprising all of the papers, notepads and photographs (and some small personal items) and Series IX all of the audio and video recordings. ...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...

Abstract From the Series: Series I, “Lyrics for Released Albums,” is divided chronologically into sub-series by album, one for each of his studio albums (and one live album) released between 1989 and 2021: Too Long in the Wasteland, Candyland, Where’d You Hide the Body, It Had to Happen, Walk Between the Raindrops, Saint Mary of the Woods, Live in Aught-Three, Childish Things, Just Us Kids, Complicated Game, and The Horses and the Hounds. Within each album sub-series, the lyrics — mostly hand-written on loose notepad...