Dustin Welch

Lyrics & Stories Whisky Priest

Track 06

Two Horses

Dustin Welch, Super Rooster Music (SESAC); Mark Germino, Black Rhapsody Music (ASCAP)

I ride behind two horses side by sideThey both profess to be my only guideEach one’s fast and sure afoot they raceWhen one takes off the other keeps the paceI ride behind two horses side by sideThe young one tries to lead me with his prideWhile the older horse whose pride was lost in youthTries to lead me down the righteous path of truth

Both those faithful horses have their whimsBorn with strengths and weaknesses that blendI used to ride them both alone most anywhereBut it takes both horses now to get me there

I ride behind two horses swift and strongThe first horse tries to break loose on his ownTo leave the beaten path he calls a jailWhile the other horse prefers to keep the trailI ride behind two horses jointly boundBoth are always fed and watered downI talk to them and keep them pointed southAnd I never shove a cold bit in their mouth

Both those splendid horses lose their breathShould one horse run the other horse to deathThey lead me to the river when I’m lostBut it takes both horses now to get across

I ride behind two horses pulling slowThey’re harnessed but they’re always in controlShould I ask them both to pick up speedThey prepare themselves in tandem to stampede

Lord, you know them well and you know meWe’re bred to love and cry out to be freeI’ll try to understand them like I do youFor they were born inside a stable, tooYeah I’ll try to understand them like I do youFor they were born inside a stable, too

Played by

  • Dustin Welchacoustic guitar, piano, percussion, vocals
  • Bukka Allanaccordion
  • Brian Standefercello, Joe Beckham: upright bass

The story

My dad was reading a book called, 'How the Irish Saved Civilization,' by a fella named Thomas Cahill and there was a quote from Plato he recited to me that essentially said that our souls are like a horseman driving two horses: the horses correspond to our spirit (easily controlled) and our appetite (difficult to control) while the horseman himself is our reason, which we are supposed to develop so we can better control the horses. I immediately turned around and decided there needed to be a song about this. So, I brought it over to our friend, Mark Germino. Mark has known me all my life and took me under his wing when he realized I was always gonna be a writer and there was nothing anybody could do to talk me out of it. I've never known a more proficient artist, or a person as dedicated to the work that goes into what we do as songwriters. This song reflects the duality and structure of our soul. It's a synthesis of the internal conflict that drives us, what we're made of, the substance that keeps us going and keeps us looking to the heavens for answers. My dad has always talked about the 'engine' that keeps us running. The idea that, no matter what, the one certainty we have is the promise that we will all die, that we are mortal. But our first instinct, the way that we're programed, is for survival. Against all odds, we must survive and procreate. These two things rub up against each other in ways we can't always understand. The two horses which guide us are not aware of the contradiction. They serve nature, as somehow, we all wish we could.