Although Garrett T. Capps is still a relatively new artist, his Texan born confidence always him to write opinionated pieces, like his new single “I Like Austin, But I Love San Antone.” A self described captain on a space ship that launches from San Antonio, Capps wants to spread Texas spirit to all of those who will listen. Released in 2021, this honky-tonk tex-mex style song is a progressive take on traditional country music. Before anyone can discuss the song itself, it is important to understand the introduction to the music video. Capps is seen walking up to a taco food truck where he orders a “baja shrimp taco with the hibiscus infused coleslaw,” which is a very Austin like, because it is considered fancy and pretentious. After he orders his Austin meal, a San Antonio staple, the puffy taco, challenges him to a dance battle which is set at The Lonesome Rose, a honky-tonk music venue located in San Antonio, which Capps happens to co-own. The puffy taco mascot represents the San Antonio minor league baseball team know as the Missions. As Capps will mention later in the song, if people were to base which town is better based solely on their tacos, San Antonio would be the place they call home.
Getting into the song, Capps brings up how both Austin and San Antonio have great honky-tonks with good looking women at both. Honky-tonks are traditionally thought of when discussing cowboys and where they like to hang out, which brings the mythos of Texas into play, by implying that all Texans like to party and are cowboys. He also mentions how San Antonio has been a melting pot way before the Armadillo, which is also know as the Armadillo World Headquarters. As the first official city in modern Texas, many different races came together to claim this town and live together. Anglos, Mexicans, Native Americans and Africans all shared this land and their cultures with each other, whether by force or by happenstance. Capps sings a lot about the Tex-Mex style, he even brings up that it is his preferred style in many interviews. Had he not been raised in the “melting pot” of San Antonio, the Mexican influence might have never been there. San Antonio also has a lot of musical significants that he likes to mention, including the Farmer’s Daughter and the Hermann Sons rooftop. Many music legend played at these venues including Bob Willis. Even though Capps is clearly favoring San Antonio to Austin, he credits a lot of his success to the bigger city, and calls it a “groovy place to be.” However, he brings up some negatives about his home state, which is not typical when discussing Texas music, but he explains that Austin is full of stranger, and has been taken over by big tech companies. A lot of Texans like to keep tradition alive which include keeping a lower profile and taking things day by day, which Capps says San Antonio is still doing all while treating everyone like family. He is trying to make a huge city like San Antonio seem close nit and homely, because to him it is, which may seem outlandish to people from small towns, but that is the Texas way.
Over all, “I Like Austin, But I Love San Antone” is a very pro Texas piece of music that highlights why Garrett T. Capps believes that his home city of San Antonio is better than Austin. It is common for music written specifically about Texas to highlight how great everything is without showing faults. This song holds true to tradition and boldly talks about musically significant locations and whose tacos are better. While some current issues are lightly touch upon, like the manufacturing takeover in Austin, Capps made a fun, catchy song that would fit right in at any honky-tonk.
Lyrics:
I like Auston, but I love San Antone
Yeah, they both got hard loving women dancing in their honky-tonks
And I can get my groove on way up north
Then head back down the road
So I like Auston, but I love San Antone
Way before the Armadillo
San Antone was a melting pot
You could dance all night at the Father’s Daughter, The Hermann’s Sons rooftop
Yeah, Willy had his picnic
But the son had the cosmic soul
Over a plate of enchiladas, You may hear Wayne Douglas go
I like Auston, but I love San Antone
Yeah, they both got hard loving women dancing in their honky-tonks
And I can get my groove on way up north
Then head back down the road
So I like Auston, but I love San Antone
Well these days Auston is still a groovin place to be
But it’s been take over by strangers
And the big man’s companies
And San Antone’s still layin low
And takin it day by day
And we fiesta with that tex-mex soul
And we’ll treat you like family
So, I like Auston, but I love San Antone
‘Cause, they both got hard loving women dancing in their honky-tonks
And I can get my groove on way up north
Then head back down the road
So I like Auston, but I love San Antone
And if we’re judging just by tacos
Then there’s only one place to call home
So, I like Auston, but I love San Antone
I like Auston, but I love San Antone
Sources
Frank, Nicholas. “Austin vs. San Antonio? In New Video, GARRETT T. Capps Picks His Winner.” San Antonio Report, 6 Aug. 2021, sanantonioreport.org/garrett-t-capps-video-puffy-taco-austin-san-antonio/.
Freeman, Doug. “Watch This: GARRETT T. Capps Likes Austin… but Loves SAN ANTONE.” Unofficial Alamo City Visitor Bureau Spokesman Shares New Video – Music – The Austin Chronicle, 6 Aug. 2021, 10:00am, www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2021-08-06/watch-this-garrett-t-capps-likes-austin-but-loves-san-antone/.
“Garrett T. Capps.” ABOUT, 2021, garretttcapps.com/about.
Morgan, Jack. “Like Austin? Well This MUSICIAN Loves SAN Antone – and He Released a Song about It.” TPR, Texas Public Radio, 17 Aug. 2021, www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2021-08-17/like-austin-well-this-musician-loves-san-antone-and-he-released-a-song-about-it.
Nowlin, Sanford. “Alamo City Alt-Country Artist GARRETT T. Capps Drops New Single ‘i Like Austin, But I LOVE San Antone’.” San Antonio Current, San Antonio Current, 8 Sept. 2021, www.sacurrent.com/sa-sound/archives/2021/08/07/alamo-city-alt-country-artist-garrett-t-capps-drops-new-single-i-like-austin-but-i-love-san-antone.
