Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys – "New San Antonio Rose" (1940)

Deep within my heart lies a melody

A song of old San Antone

One of the highlights of my recent trip to San Antonio to visit my sister were the breakfast tacos at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant in her neighborhood.

I overheard one of the friendly waitresses and a customer she addressed as “Mr. Jim” talking about the various jobs they had held while I was eating there one morning.  (Most of the customers must have been regulars because the waitresses called almost everyone who came in by name.) 

(Listen to Sean Bean!)

“I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 22,” the waitress told Mr. Joe.  

“Is that so?” he said.  “You know, I used to deliver Domino’s pizzas.”

“What do you do now?” she asked.

“I’m a realtor,” he replied.  “When I was getting started in real estate, I used to stick one of my business cards in each of the pizzas I delivered.  I got quite a few clients that way.”  

Really?  If you were looking for someone to help you sell your house, would you hire a guy who had to deliver pizzas to make ends meet?

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In 1938, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys had a #1 hit with a recording of a Western swing instrumental titled “San Antonio Rose.”

Shortly thereafter, Wills and his band added lyrics to the song and released it as “New San Antonio Rose.”  That recording also made it to #1.

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

If you don’t know the music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, you are missing out.  “That’s What I Like ‘Bout the South,” “Ida Red,” “Roly Poly” and especially “Take Me Back to Tulsa” are just a few of their many great records.

Click here to listen to “New San Antonio Rose.”

Click here to buy that recording from Amazon.