Track of the day: ‘Buenos Tardes Amigo’ by Ween
May 6, 2008
Ween might be the most versatile band ever. They released a country album in 1996, and most of their other albums are a mish-mash of genres.
On “Buenos Tardes Amigo,” Gene Ween spins an epic, yet cheesy, Spaghetti Western yarn.
The track opens with Gene describing a chance meeting on Cinco de Mayo and an oath of vengeance, all while strumming two simple chords on an acoustic guitar.
The narrative arc unfolds, the instrumental arrangement thickens and Gene’s bad accent gets worse, leaving the listener engrossed in a border-town murder story.
The narrator’s revenge oath is followed by Dean Ween’s echoing, ’50s-style guitar interlude (think Duane Eddy).
The dust clears and the tables turn, leaving listeners grasping Stetson hats as Gene’s words vanish over the mesa on the horizon.