Embedded Files
Combine Man
By Dennis Alexander, Crag Jensen, Marc Jackson & Greg Bond
Woojeen: You know him?
What, what, what you know him for?
Oh my god he's-he's tall, or-or he’s just a kid?
(Just a kid, just a kid, just a kid)
Paw-Paw: He’s made of steel and glass rod and he’s got wood in him.
Woojeen: Ha, ha, ha...
Ol’ man’s wife he was! Ha!
Oh my god he’s strong!
Or-or - he can't break em' - or-or-or or he can't knock 'em down?
Paw-Paw: He can't knock 'em down!
Lead: Once upon a time there was a combine man
Did anybody know that big ol’ man?
Once upon a time there was a big crane man
Now everybody said he had a wood brain – yeah… oh yeah!
The Singing Men: He’s got wood in him
Lead: Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows.
The Singing Men: He’s a combine man
He can’t break ‘em
He’s a tractor man
He can’t knock ‘em down
He’s a tall man
He’s a walkin’ man
He’s a combine
Combine (combine) man
Woojeen: Whoa - you-you-you know him?
The Singing Men: A combine man
Woojeen: Oh-oh-oh god! Oo-oo -what, what was he? Six-one or he was six two he was?
The Singing Men: He’s just a Combine man
Woojeen: Oh-oh-oh - he's a big ol' guy he was!
Lead: The world was full of holes until he made his plan
He buried ‘em right up inside a big tin can
Big old Ernie Ford he tried to play his hand
Now everybody’s callin’ him the combine man - oh yeah!
The Singing Men: He’s got wood in him
Lead: Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows.
The Singing Men: He’s a combine man
He can’t break ‘em
He’s a tractor man
He can’t knock ‘em down
He’s a tall man
He’s a walkin’ man
He’s a combine
Combine (combine) combine man
A combine man
Woojeen: Well, well what he made of that ol’ man? He’s-he's-he's tall he was?
He’s just a combine man
Paw-Paw: Well, he’s a big ol’ guy he was, a big ol’ guy.
Woojeen: Oh my god! Ha-ha! Where he came from? He’s got wood in him? Oh-ho-ho or-or-or-or-or... he can’t knock ‘em down?
Once upon a time there was a combine man
And everybody said he had a wood brain – yeah – oh yeah!
The Singing Men: He’s got wood in him
Lead: Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows.
The Singing Men: He’s a combine man
He can’t break ‘em
He’s a tractor Man
He can’t knock ‘em down
He’s a tall man
He’s a walkin’ man
He’s a combine
Combine (combine) man
Woojeen: He’s a combine?
A combine man
Woojeen: Or a big ol’ tractor he was? Ha, ha,, ha... Oh, you know him?
He’s just a combine man
Woojeen: Ernie Ford he was! Ha-ha-ha…
He’s a combine man
(One of a kind man)
He’s a tractor man
(A proud and fine man)
He’s a combine man
(Such a sublime man)
He’s a tractor man
(Just in my mind man)
He’s a combine
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All vocal and instrumental performances on the above version by Crag Jensen
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Note - This song was originally written and performed at Pantheon Studios in Scottsdale Arizona in 1983. It was then, later that same year,
featured in the Pia Zadora cult classic film "Voyage of the Rock Aliens." Sans Dennis Alexander - the other co-writers of this song (Crag Jensen, Marc Jackson & Greg Bond) co-starred
as the "Rock Aliens."
(Patrick Byrnes (Rhema guitarist), Jeff Casey (Rhema's drummer) and Tom Nolan (actor) also co-starred as the "Rock Aliens").
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This particular version (the 2010 remake) was originally conceived as the backdrop for a Crag Jensen animation. Production was halted, however,
because Crag was called off to perform on the Royal Caribbean cruise-line "The Grandeur of the Seas." Also, Marc wanted his 2009 remix
(a much better version actually) to be used as the backdrop for the animation.
The animation still needs to be completed and which version will be used is anybody's guess. Below is a sneak preview of the animation "Combine Man."
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Below are two mixes of the original version of Combine Man. Jack White mixed the "Movie Version" & Terry Reiff (a recording/mixdown engineer and friend
of the band) mixed the other several years later after discovering the original two-inch tape reels in closet in a studio in LA
(they were sitting right next to some obscure Glen Campbell two-inch
tapes - as the story goes. Glen was also, by-the-way - a friend of the band.) I have not, as-of-yet been able to locate the
original mix - which was done at Pantheon Studios in Scottsdale Arizona
where the original track was written & recorded. Dennis Alexander, Pantheon Studios owner and Rhema's producer at that time mixed the original. Greg Bond and Marc Jackson sang the lead and backup tracks, Crag did the "Woojeen" voice overs, Dennis and Crag played the synth parts, Dennis programmed the Oberheim drum machine and the (then) drummer from Glen Campbell's band played the Simmons tom-tom fills (and I'm afraid that his name has been lost to posterity).
Below is Marc Jackson's 2009 Remix (Crag added a new Woojeen voice)
Below is Crag Jensen's solo piano version
And below is Crag Jensen's 2008 remix which was recorded in his apartment in San Antonio (he was playing there at Pat O'Briens at that time).
In the beginning of the song you can hear a woman on Crag's TV saying "he fell asleep on the couch and never woke up." This was just happenstance but was added to the track to add to the weird spooky flavor of this rendition. Guitarist Mike English plays the guitar solo and Crag plays and sings all the rest of the parts on the track. This version as-well-as-the solo piano version was released on Crag's album "Farming is My Life."
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Below is a the music video of "Combine Man" from the movie "Voyage of the Rock Aliens."
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Rhema
(Marc Jackson, Greg Bond, Bob Freeman, Pat Byrnes, Crag Jensen & Jeff Casey (circa 1984))
(Photo - courtessy the Arizona Republic)
Dennis Alexander
(Rhema's Producer - 1982-1984)
Crag Jensen
(As Rock Alien "NOPQR" - circa October 1983)
Marc Jackson
(As Rock Alien "AEIOU" - circa October 1983)
Greg Bond
(On set of Voyage of the Rock Aliens - Circa Ocotober 1983)
The Rock Aliens (Tom Nolan & Rhema)
(Singing Combine Man on a tractor - circa 1983 at Stone Mountain Park, Georgia)
The Singing Men
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Below is the full length movie version of "Voyage of the Rock Aliens."
Also & apparently - "Voyage of the Rock Aliens" did ok on the European market. Below is a French version of the movie (Caverne des Introuvables):
:
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Vocals, synthesizers and drum programming by Crag Jensen
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Combine Man
(Original Lyrics)
Once upon a time there was a combine man.
Did anybody know that big old man?
Once upon a time there was a big crane man
And everybody knew he had a wood brain, yeah
Oh yeah!
He's got wood in him,
Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows!
He's a combine man
He can't break 'em
He's a tractor man
He can't knock 'em down
He's a tall man
He's a walkin' man
He's a combine
(Combine! )
He's a combine man
A combine man.
(Ah - he-he's he's a big ol'...)
A combine man.
The world was full of holes until he made his plan
He buried 'em right up inside a big tin can.
Big old Ernie Ford, he tried to play his hand
Now everybody's calling him the Combine Man,
Oh yeah!
He's got wood in him
Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows!
He's a combine man
He can't break 'em
He's a tractor man
He can't knock 'em down
He's a tall man
He's a walkin' man
He's a combine
(Combine! )
A combine man...
He's just a combine man
(Eee -yo)
A combine man
(Ah what - what - what he made of - is he, is he big or-or-or just a kid?)
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
(He can't knock 'em down)
Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey
Once upon a time there was a combine man
Now everybody said he had a wood brain, yeah
Oh yeah!
He's got wood in him
Is he made out of steel or glass rod?
Nobody knows!
He's a combine man
He can't break 'em
He's a tractor man
He can't knock 'em down
He's a tall man
He's a walkin' man
He's a combine
(Combine)
Combine man
A combine man
A combine man
He's a combine man
A combine man
He's a combine man
A combine man
He's combine man
(Oh my god he's strong! )
He's a combine man
He's a combine man
He's a tractor man
He's a combine man
He's a tractor man
He's a combine man
A combine man
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Below is the Tindeck version of Crag's 2010 remake version. This version only works on Internet Explorer and FireFox.
(Make sure to click on the "Show All Content" icon when using Internet Explorer)
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