The Long Haired Kings

Lyrics

The long haired kings sing songs of love

As they turn their eyes to the skies above

With a grasping hand dividin’ royalties

The long haired kings forsake all loyalties

The long haired kings split up long ago
In a sea of treachery and vertigo

Yes, the long haired kings broke up long ago

In a web of luxury… and treachery

And vertigo

And the long haired kings sang songs of sin

Faced the Pearly Gates with a surly grin

With a broken oath and a grasping hand

The long haired kings pissed away the land

But the long haired kings broke up long ago

In a web of treachery and deep sorrow

Yes, the long haired kings pissed away the band

With a profane oath… and a grasping hand

And a grasping hand

Then the long haired kings’d sung songs of woe

Of how the majors took their birthright long ago

With a willingness to sacrifice their kin

The long haired kings did their own selves in

And the long haired kings faded long ago
In a sea of verdigris and indigo

Yes, the long haired kings pissed away the brand

With a broken oath… and a grasping hand

And a grasping hand

Credits

Songwriter

Words and music by Christian Crumlish (BMI).

Personnel

Recording dates

DateSession details
February 25, 2023Crumlish on uke and vocals. Gans on acoustic guitar and vocals.
April 19, 2023Navarette added shakers and congas.
June 21, 2024Recut the vocals.
July 19 2024Boisen added pedal steel.
July 26, 2024Kyle added upright bass.
July 30, 2024Gans recut acoustic guitar.
August 16 2024Craven added mandolin.
November 13, 2024Final mix.

Song Notes

I had just written this when we went into the studio together for the first time. It seemed prudent to finish it together and for me to learn how to record on a new song, holding some of the ones I felt more sure about for when I had my studio legs under me. You may need to read between the lines a little (no pun intended) for it all to add up, but somehow this lyric started off in the middle ages and ended up in the era of country-rock supergroups.