The Ballad of Smokin' Joe Rudeboy (Official music Video)

Some say on a still night, when the moon is high, you can still hear the ghost of ol' Smokin' Joe on the midnight wind telling you to absolutely go f*$% urself. Big thanks to Julia Robertson, what a talent hey!
Album is out now (on the 9th, sorry if me am Australia, it already tomorrow)! Stream it, or buy it on Bandcamp!
Oh shit we got some fresh merch! Smokin' Joe poster by Galoo Game is my fave she is incredible!
Listen on Spotify - open.spotify.com/artist/0hQBk...
Merch - tomcardy.bandtshirts.com.au
Bandcamp - tomcardy.bandcamp.com
Itunes/Apple Music - / tom-cardy

[@anonhere4021]

I love that even after his wife’s death, he still respects her wishes-no guns.

[@tomcardy1]

You noticed!

[@Azrage]

@@tomcardy1 Sounds like something a lawman would say...

[@TPixelAdventures]

But here's the kicker, WHEN did she actually die? His daughter wasn't born yet when the Velvet Man came to town, but finds him years later as a young adult. Seems to me, the girl was adopted by the Velvet Man and was raised in his image. 👀

[@NoBody-bx4cp]

@@TPixelAdventures Explains why she had a negative image of her father rather than a neutral one.

[@trutwijd]

​@@TPixelAdventures we'll find out when TC releases Smokin' Bo!

[@ShinyPrimarina]

The fact that all the challengers had actual guns but were so taken aback by being flipped the bird that they just surrendered to Smokin' Joe is so funny

[@codebracker]

I mean I'd be taken aback too if someone flipped me with enough force to catch fire

[@azeranzyxtron5499]

i was under the impression that the force of him flipping the bird killed them

[@codebracker]

@@azeranzyxtron5499 Nah, the song speciffically states that he "locked up half of the wild west" so they survived

[@Calavyr]

@@codebracker the other half weren't capable of withstanding his power

[@jitsinator3710]

they didn't want to make him mad. Imagine if he actually used a gun

[@varied6902]

My favorite part is the line "Joe grew eighteen arms that day as a gift from Vishnu." It's so out of nowhere in a song set in the Wild West, but it's that type of insanity that makes Tom's songs so special.

[@lord_ozymandias]

also it actually sounds like something a western storyteller would pull out of their ass to explain a gunslingers skill and marksmanship, albeit they probably wouldn’t of known abt hinduism enough to make that specific of a reference

[@hummingbirdwof]

I agree

[@jonahransom6517]

The line goes so hard and for WHAT

[@nicholasfortier2660]

There's a Wild West trope, where the Deus Ex Machnica that saves the protagonist is some kind of psuedo-Indian magic. It's not usually from India, though.

[@Dont-email-me]

also, there a ton of technology mentioned in this supposedly western song like amazon and large soy cappuccinos.

[@mathsethorus89.5]

The image of both of them grumpily drinking a beer at a bar afterwards lives in my head rent free.

[@absolutemadladette3728]

Ah, fuck, now I just have to draw it.

[@juniper-raid]

​@@absolutemadladette3728DO IT

[@PuripuriDrawings]

Smoking Joe and... Rudegirl? That's a tv show i could see

[@danielladuck3323]

@@PuripuriDrawingsI feel like her name would be Smokin Lo Rudeboy, since Rudeboy is their surname

[@rentaspoon219]

​@@danielladuck3323could be Bo, with the back story that she took her mother's name in honour (also Bo meaning is "to live" which is a great Easter egg if Tom knew that) So yeah you could have Bo and Joe "The Rudeboys". And then just make her actual birthname Joanne just make it funnier.

[@EzloMinish]

After listening to this like 15 times since it came out, I still can't decide what my favourite thing is - the revelation that Rudeboy isnt a nickname but his Actual Name - the fact that the entire story is set in the wild west but all the examples are of clearly modern situations - the incredible vishnu joke

[@ARoseHale]

Leroy Jenkins got me, honestly

[@TheDingus401]

Also the daughter is wearing her pants backwards lol.

[@link113gaming]

@@TheDingus401 how did i not notice this?

[@genuineinterest]

The vishnu joke is taking up SO much space in my head

[@homohits1]

Personally I'm a big fan of how the Moongoose Mountain gang wear identical clothes but not in a uniform way. It's just 20 identical generic brown shirts

[@comradebusman3]

Wait, ARE WE GETTING A FULL SMOKIN JOE RUDEBOY?? Christmas has come early!!!

[@notbot2648]

I didn't think this song would get a full version but it was the one I hoped would get a full version the hardest. I'm so excited!! 😭

[@ILikeBleachItsTrue]

He posted it under the original months ago. I have been greatly anticipating it.

[@Piila]

TRUUUE

[@Piila]

@@ArchDud3 ah, a man/woman/NBFriend of culture

[@Chkprofilename]

I have been waiting so long for this : kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3TJipxta5hnqLc

[@Kamea1997]

After I heard this song I decided to make Smokin Joe rudeboy a DnD character, I made him a warlock gunslinger who casts eldrich blast with his middle fingers. I've been playing him for about 6 months so far and he's becoming my favorite character I've ever made. Thank you Tom for making the best Dnd character I've ever played

[@padathir]

Nice!

[@PereBouSabria]

I cast vicious mockery!

[@leKitsu]

The correct way would be to convince the DM that you should be able to cast twin spell with Vicious Mockery

[@roboalexjohn5353]

Please share the character sheet for Smoking Joe!

[@Kamea1997]

@@leKitsu I did, he was super down for it and let me use it at the cost of a spell slot to balance it. It's been super fun and he's become the mascot at our table!

[@pinstripe4254]

The way she sings “come out here smokin joe, you’re just as well already dead” gives me tingles almost every time

[@javkiller]

I mean, the pose she's striking in the vid is fucking perfect as well. Hat covering her eyes and everything. It's magnificent.

[@pinstripe4254]

@@javkiller it’s like, legitimately badass as a line and the way it’s delivered

[@highdefinition450]

​@@javkillerand it's literally filmed in his like living room or something lmao

[@snom6403]

for me its the "Lemme make sure i heard you right.. fuck you old man" that entire part was just pure fire. idk how she sung it so perfectly.

[@blackbelt_ninja9games347]

The fact that "burning inside Joseph died but from the ash the man who rose was Smokin' Joe" literally sends a shiver down my spine is absurd. How in the world do you take an idea as silly as "Cowboy flicks people off rather then using a gun" and make something so powerful with it???

[@danielkalcher648]

"Flips people off" my friend. Im guessing it was autocorrect but either way that made me spit out my drink and im still laughing about it 10 minutes later.

[@lavenderwalrus9875]

@@danielkalcher648 actually flicking people off is also a used term for that. both flick and flip are correct.

[@danielkalcher648]

@@lavenderwalrus9875 My mistake my friend. Still found it funny all the same :)

[@shrimpslip9981]

"Joseph Rudeboy, you're too slow." Also gets me every time. Doesn't deserve to but it sure as hell does.

[@manwithlongnose2810]

🎵Guess what KZbin commenter I think you won somethin' too!🎵 🦅💥🖕💥🦅 🔥 *Fuck You* 🔥

[@haakonh12]

Ok but the fact that this plot tracks so well with EVERY tragic cowboy song ever with the story coming full circle, the hero losing his family, and then being “gunned down,” after years of “gunslinging” over a misunderstanding and then hits us with the reunion twist at the end, dude, you perfectly captured the FEEL of a cowboy song, my god this man is an artist

[@samreid6010]

He’s the anti-Buster Scruggs. Instead of being a cheerful mass murderer, he’s a very very angry pacifist

[@leonelimalevu2199]

Can't wait till he does the animation.

[@wilhelmdietrich8474]

I don't feel like Tom Cardy gets enough credit for his understanding of a wide range of musical styles. You don't make something that perfectly matches a genre without a lot of knowledge about how that style works.

[@beanjamman]

It's the platonic ideal of a cowboy ballad. I love how the lore of Bo's command of "no guns" and being too slow to save his wife and child turns him into the fastest non-violent bird-flipper in the west.

[@JaredClaunch]

@@wilhelmdietrich8474 completely agree! he constantly bangs out songs that are legitimately funny, parodies of their genre conventions, while also being technically complex and catchy as hell

[@PurpleLink33]

Everyone discussing the lyrics, but what about the MUSIC?! The usage of modal mixture in the bridge where there seems to be more of a major tone than a minor one is one that really brings my ear in. (Yes, I am a Music Theory nerd. What of it?) You make some damn fine music that slaps WAY harder than it ever needed to. And I thank you.

[@tomcardy1]

Thank you my friend I really loved reading this. I certainly love comedy but I am a massive music theory and engineering/gear nerd too. I probably get more excited when working if I find a cool musical idea or development than if I stumble over something I think is funny!

[@PurpleLink33]

@@tomcardy1 You're a gear nerd too? Never would have guessed with all the really good shit you use... /Sarcasm

[@homelessperson5455]

I have no damn clue what those funny words mean, but it sounded good so I agree

[@purpleisdebeste]

I love the music because it contains Clown Bullshit TM

[@illia01]

@@tomcardy1We can tell, and your passion shows! 😄

[@NovaPheonix]

I sorta dig it how the one time Smokin' Joe gets asked to clarify something, he confirms it with a very clear 'That's right.'

[@DuckDando1066]

That is nice.

[@katiebirdie7868]

He’s a no-bullshit kinda man!

[@DuckDando1066]

@@katiebirdie7868 isn't that so nice? no bullshit, just yer answer.

[@TheBlarggle]

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, because in the same vein, his daughter is asked a similar question of clarity and she gives a single, yet sure, "Yeah."

[@SlavicCanadian_]

I'll never get over the emotion behind "A girl who thought her father had run out to save himself", I get chills every time.

[@fishyschtuff]

same though,, i like replaying it cuz its just such a good delivery

[@Technochaos03]

Feels utterly ridiculous but that line brought tears to my eyes. Like, the fuckin tragedy of smoking joe the cowboy who flips people off are you for real

[@hellohaveagoodday]

It sounds like something in a book of tragedy and true heartbreak but no, just a Tom Cardy song

[@mrblakeboy1420]

2:26 is the most chills i get during this song

[@poffzy]

FOR FUCKIN REAL

[@sirphilliam8089]

I love the concept of a "Fuck you" being so strong that it legitimately dissuaded armed criminals. I love it a lot thank you Tom

[@superkingoftacos2920]

I just thought it happened so fast it shocked them unconcious.

[@BoldTint]

Isn't there a spell in D&D that's basically this?

[@hoodini8636]

@@BoldTint Power word Kill and vicious mockery can both either kill or damage an opponent so in a way yes

[@thefancyconspiracist]

The way it's shown makes it look more like it's a sort of force being put out by the fingers

[@thehiddeneye9271]

​@@hoodini8636 so what class gets these spells I need to know because I plan on making smoking Joe rudeboy my first PC

[@veryvanii]

"the mongoose mountain game played dirty with a twenty man creeeeew / but tales are told that joe grew 18 arms that day as a gift from vishnu" scratches my brain SO GOOD

[@monroerobbins7551]

How did a song that was about a guy who literally flips the bird instead of using a gun have actual emotional stings like “a girl who thought her father had run out to save himself”, What the HELL. Nice work, my dude

[@johnnyshortfor]

The way he sings it adds so much too - this whole song has been very clear vocals in terms of tone but on this line he leans into the vocal fry/growl (idr which one is the correct term it’s 1 am) which is very reminiscent of the way the human voice cracks under extreme emotion! In particular here it’s a sort of roar of rage which also fits in with the sliding rise in pitch - which, also, is a way to create anticipation in the listener, dragging through all the blue notes until we land on beat one of the chorus where it all resolves and we can breathe again. Tl:dr: Fucking bravo, you mad aussie genius.

[@alexknj1]

Not only did you octuple the length of this banger, but you made LORE!? I love it!

[@tomcardy1]

Soooo much lore

[@alexknj1]

@@tomcardy1 so Smokin Joe Rudeboy full movie when?

[@MarkusArtemis]

The lore for this is going to explode

[@guillermematheusrodrigues1269]

@@alexknj1 he Will make the greatest spaghetti western

[@tumblingartist]

LORE!! :D

[@sofiamansour-tehrani4727]

I like that Joe being a “human phoenix” first appears to be just the setup for an elaborate “flaming birds” joke, but is then played completely seriously when it turns out he did indeed metaphorically die through loss and trauma and rise again from his own ashes as a being of fiery rage. Also love his thumbs-up returning at the end. Now that he has his family back, he can finally be happy again.

[@jackeroni216]

but the human phoenix thing was after you learn his backstory

[@fluffypawninja7636]

i think the thumbs up is moreso him passing the legend to his daughter, understanding he'd been beat and congratulating her similar to rattlesnake jake's _i tip my hat to you, one legend to the next_

[@PureGoldNeverCorrodes]

@@fluffypawninja7636 both.

[@snapeinvader6208]

I think it's the reverse, it seems completely serious but plays for a funny joke when riding two "flaming birds". You're not wrong though, when I first listened I wasn't ready for emotional whiplash.

[@mybrnskn]

​@@snapeinvader6208emotional whiplash explains how I feel about this song😅 seriously my favorite from this dude.

[@CJ-mk3nf]

Oh my god, i think the backing vocal starting atound 3:05 is a vocoded "fuck off". Tom never ceases to leave me in awe

[@Nestnestsoto]

Whoa I didn’t realize! That’s awesome

[@joshhoule9405]

This comment is amazing because I never realized this - but also - The line "All the townsfolk came to watch when they knew Joe was gonna tell someone to" always bothered me because I thought I was missing something. In actuality it's "All the townsfolk came to watch when they knew Joe was gonna tell someone to" *Fuck. Fuck off. Fuck off.*

[@Neceros]

yah I noticed that

[@Neceros]

see my comment from months ago for even more hidden gems

[@UnwantedStudios3]

holy sh*t you're right

[@juniper-raid]

"A GIRL WHO THOUGHT HER FATHER HAD RUN OUT TO SAVE HIMSELF" godDAM THAT IS SUCH A GOOD LINE AND THE WAY TOM BASICALLY YELLS IT OUT IS MESMERIZING, honestly one of the best lyrics I've ever heard during a song that tells a story, absolutely love your work tom!!

[@benallen7403]

There's so much in this song that is pulling from classic country music story songs and from Spaghetti Western movie themes. It presents as this simple banger, but there's so much interesting stuff going on.

[@ericianwalters]

As a dad with daughters, this line hits kinda hard. The thought that my girls might ever think that would be absolutely devastating.

[@thorwhoisacat]

“A girl whose mother once told Joe to run and bring back help” My brain: okay here it comes. It’s just a comedy song, nothing more. “A girl who thought her father had run out to save himself!” My brain: where’s that darn tear ducts button? No, seriously. This one line alone transforms this into a surprisingly good story/comedy song into one of the most mesmerizing and beautiful ballads I’ve ever heard.

[@raine_istired427]

quit riding it oh my godddd

[@alexspain9103]

_"But into town an outlaw came, he wore a velvet cloak like a bloodstain"_ These lyrics are actually fire, please consider making more ballads!

[@GaiaCarney]

‘They know that I know that they know they can go f~%# themself!’

[@tomcardy1]

It was so much fun having permission of the genre to be more flowery or poetic with language, it was cool! Maybe I can do a ballad album of westerns!

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

@@tomcardy1 The running saga of Smokin' Joe and his daughter on Western adventures

[@bumberton7958]

@@tomcardy1 That would be amazing! The world needs more western ballads.

[@ABoojumSnark]

@@tomcardy1 You're Tom Cardy. You are master of the unexpected and bring us music we didn't know we needed. Be as flowery and poetic as you want regardless of genre, ain't no permission needed!

[@nathanhardesty3742]

Not enough people are talking about how great both of their cowboy accents were. 10/10, I would buy an entire album of Tom Cardy western ballads

[@nany_quinha]

Petition to make this a reality! Im super broke rn but i will save every cent i can to get this in physical copy all the way down here in Brasil

[@thezyklonbeast]

Seconded. Tom we need more western ballads please

[@MaffiLu]

same

[@oneartsygal]

I would literally ascend

[@GraybeardRealities]

tom cardy: big iron

[@anamaleth_ad]

"joseph rudeboy was too slow for a child that he'd never known" mirroring/foreshadowing the duel with said child at the end, where she's faster than her father, who never got to see her grow up?? that's going to be bouncing around in my head for ages- (which I don't mind in the slightest, the song is super catchy)

[@alexharrison2743]

Omg how is it that after 1.5 years I'm still discovering new bits of beautiful craftsmanship in this song

[@nrnrn999]

My favourite part of the song is that it works both as a parody of cowboy songs, especially at the start where he's dealing with various 'modern' issues like overpriced coffee and phone scams, then swings all the way back around by giving him an actual old west-style tragic backstory but it still never drops the core premise of him being a gunslinger who instead just tells people to fuck off.

[@gregwillson7952]

All the best parodies also function as a classic example of the thing they're laughing at: Sean of the Dead, Blazing Saddles, Not Another Teen Movie, Walk Hard, etc. It's essential to the gag in my opinion. That's why the Scary Movie series tanked.

[@yoursoulsaver3023]

I love the fact that because joes daughter was faster than him she had violet flames which burn hotter than orange flames. The attention to detail in this video is amazing!

[@kerrychristensen7204]

👍👍

[@vedritmathias9193]

I think they were supposed to be blue, but yes

[@megatennepster3833]

Also, the daughter flips the bird off a half beat earlier than joe

[@mitchellbest1024]

a small touch that i liked, in real life a blue flame means it's burning hotter than a red flame, so it's a visual indicator that Joe's daughter surpassed him, tying into the narrative which why the hell did tom even bother to put in a detail like that this man is an artist

[@Taurusus]

Especially when the lyric is "- a middle finger that looked, just like his!" it would have been so easy/obvious to not do that, but science over art, as all things should be! _[pushes glasses up nose]_

[@ericke.8640]

@@Taurusus science AND art make the best pair!

[@Human-san]

Well, her flame is actually purple, but your point still stands.

[@BethAlpaca]

Depends on the chemicals. With blue flame like butane and propane the second combustion is white. The white ontop is hotter than the base. I know because I used to vape chemicals with a glass instrument.

[@mitchellbest1024]

well that's fair, but we can assume the flame is being generated from air resistance due to the speed of the finger being flipped and the associated friction, and is thus a purely thermal and not chemical flame. (other than the flesh being used as a fuel source assuming smokin' joe and kin abide by real world physics in any meaningful way)@@BethAlpaca

[@sarahtonin6367]

"A girl who thought her father had run out to save himself" How the HELL does that line in a comedy cowboy ballad actually give me goosebumps?! I love this song.

[@Brogboolius_Maximus]

I can't get over how absolutely amazing the line "burning inside, Joseph died, but from the ash the man who rose was Smokin' Joe!" and right back into the chorus. Just masterful.

[@marcodragon4995]

Okay it's a minor thing but it goes so far how good Julia's acting is. Through just the body language and some simple costuming she completely embodies her characters. Not that Tom does a bad job either considering he plays literally everyone else but Julia knocks it out of the park. I'm still unsure what kind of acting witchcraft allows her to totally convince me she's a 18 year old girl fit to be a YA protagonist and an expecting southern belle in the same video

[@axolotl0424]

I didn't even realize both characters were played by a single person when I watched this the first time

[@daidarabotchi3891]

@@axolotl0424 haHA, amazing. She is great.

[@javkiller]

The absolute menacing aura when she pops back with the hat and red cloak. Shivers every time.

[@syrusalder7795]

I love that nobody ever tried to gun down Smokin' Joe after he beat them in a duel. Every outlaw in the land, no matter how rotten, simply had too much respect for the man with the whiplash wrist.

[@nicupetricas9718]

They get hit with a middle finger holding so much speed that the fear brings them near to death. I also like to think that they believe if he did use a gun they'd be dead, so they take the "mercy", though unusual.

[@rudelwolf1591]

i mean, it can be interpreted as him actually having some form of power with it, basically a dnd bard with vicious mockery, which deals psychic dmg. and while that is usually pretty weak, it is one of those spells dm's love to flavour and strengthen according to context. as a dm, i did allow my bard to use vicious mockery to instantly defeat enemies if they got a really vicious burn ( obviously not like an actual endboss, but when talking about some smaller npcs, why the hell not). And i just have that picture of smokin joe having such a forceful and fast middle finger that it actually hurts his opponents deeply :D

[@Gordongibbles]

@@rudelwolf1591my man, while everything you’re saying is valid, I would like to introduce you to something known as “outside”

[@rudelwolf1591]

@@Gordongibbles my man, i will remember your wise words on my way to the forest to play dnd outside with my friends. :D

[@Gordongibbles]

That sounds wonderful and I’m jealous

[@elSethro]

There are so many implications to this backstory. I believe there is enough detail in the song to flesh it out substantially: 1. The fact that his daughter is alive means that Bo did live long enough to deliver the baby after Joseph left. So it seems unlikely that Bo was killed by the Velvet-Cloaked Man on that day; I think the outlaw kidnapped Bo (Joe returns to find everyone is gone), or she gave birth while Joe was gone, died in childbirth, and the outlaw took the baby (Joe returns to find Bo dead and no longer pregnant). 2. The daughter knows that Joe ran away on that day, but doesn't know that it was at Bo's request. So it doesn't sound like she was raised by Bo, or had any contact with her in the last 18 years. I think it is safe to assume that Bo is dead, and I think it makes the most sense that Bo died in childbirth. It makes the most sense that the outlaw himself told the daughter that her father abandoned her since he is the only other person known to have knowledge of that day and it's in his interest to turn her against Joe (more on that to follow). 3. Joe's motivation for finding the Velvet-Cloaked Man is to tell him to fuck himself, rather than getting his wife and daughter back. Joe cares deeply about his family, so the fact that he isn't still trying to save them means that Joe is convinced that they are dead. If he came back to find his family missing, he would be seeking them out; if he found his wife dead and no longer with child, then it would be obvious that the baby was born and probably taken by the outlaw. So I think there was another poetic/ironic misunderstanding (e.g., he comes back with help to find his house aflame and he assumes his family is inside and perished in the fire), or Bo was kidnapped, later died in childbirth, and Joe manages to find her but the outlaw is gone, Bo is already dead, and he has some reason to assume that the baby didn't make it. 4. The daughter was "raised in a terrible place" and has acquired the velvet cloak. I think that her upbringing was likely one of the following: (I) The Velvet-Cloaked Man raised her as his own daughter but deceives and manipulates her to suit his own goals. Her upbringing was "terrible" because they were always on the move to avoid Joe. The outlaw tells her that Joe abandoned her as a deliberate lie to turn her against Joe. The outlaw sends her out after Joe in order to slow Joe down or stop him, giving her his cloak because he knows that will draw Joe out. (II) The Velvet-Cloaked Man actually never intended any harm - it was all a big misunderstanding. He saw Joe running away, and then found Bo dead and the baby alone. He took the child and raised her as his own. Her upbringing was "terrible" because of circumstance, and they live in poverty because the outlaw is generous to a fault and gives everything away to help others, though they don't have enough for themselves. He avoided telling her about her real father for as long as he could, but she keeps asking and he eventually gives in: he reluctantly tells her that Joe had abandoned her because that is what he genuinely believed/assumed. The outlaw eventually dies tragically, and the loss of the man who raised her unlocks the daughter's potential: she is reborn like a phoenix, mirroring Joe. She then takes the velvet cloak in honour of the man who raised her and sets out to confront Joe. I think this scenario is my favourite. (II) She was raised by the outlaw, but he was a terrible father figure and she resented him. The outlaw told her that Joe abandoned her. She eventually gets the opportunity to escape, stealing his cloak before setting out to confront Joe. (III) The outlaw abandoned the baby, and the daughter was raised in an orphanage or similar terrible conditions. Eventually, she somehow learns about the Velvet-Cloaked Man and his role in her mother's death; she tracks him down, confronts him, and defeats him, taking his cloak. Upon his defeat, out of petty revenge/malice, the outlaw tells her that Joe is her father who abandoned her and Bo. 4. Joe is the only person we know who flips people off instead of shooting them, and his reason for this is because of his wife's request. It is notable that the daughter also uses her middle fingers instead of guns, since there is no particular reason for her to have an aversion to guns, having not been raised by either Joe or Bo. I think that the daughter probably does normally use guns; however, as Smokin' Joe's legend grew and word about him spread, she learns about his use of middle fingers. She decides that she wants to humiliate him by defeating him on his own terms, so she trains long and hard so she can surpass Joe in quick-draw bird-flipping before finally confronting him. Though she does share his innate potential and flaming fingers through genetics, and in both cases, their full potential is unlocked through intensive training (and possibly traumatic loss).

[@protol5683]

I was hoping to find a comment like this down here. The daughter’s backstory has just enough details, yet is also just vague enough that it’s SO fucking fun to speculate on what actually happened with her!

[@darubyprincxx]

i've been looping this song for two weeks straight now but my favorite part HAS to be the "lemme make sure i heard you right". the rhythm of it is just PERFECT and fits so well with literally everything else in the song i'm in awe. if i were older i'd absolutely belt this out in the car with my friends

[@peteryang5056]

It’s also just a brilliant little storytelling device here because it gives the character singing a plausible explanation for delivering exposition or stating the inner feelings. It being such a ludicrously catchy line on top of it means that we never get tired of hearing it (and by extension, the story-driving lines that follow).

[@Anthony_Marquis]

I thought "Artificial Intelligence" would never be dethroned as Tom Cardy's best song. Today, however, I have been (delightfully) proven wrong. The Ballad of Smokin' Joe Rudeboy will live forever in my mind. Thank you.

[@Jeremyjji]

"Your Love Is Not Enough" is better than Artificial Intelligence.

[@noahwax4892]

"Artificial Intelligence" has lived rent free in my head since I first heard it, but I gotta agree, this somehow tops it.

[@bakuhakudraws5603]

it's between this, Hey I don't Work Here, and H.Y.C.Y.B.H. for me. I don't think there's any disputing this man's catalogue of absolute bangers, though.

[@JJ-ei3tx]

Maaaaaan idk now i gotta go think about this

[@iangullo]

Nah... all great, but I'm partial to "Call Your Mother" and "Read between the lines"

[@lukesyvanen8773]

The bit with the Mongoose Gang and Vishnu is a highlight which I can't praise enough; this entire song is another gem.

[@someoneunknown7655]

And at that bit the backing vocals multiply because there’s 20 people in the gang

[@The_Dragon_Bi_dot_jpeg]

the line "a girl who thought her father ran out to save himself" always gives me chills

[@user-mg4rh7ep8e]

Julia Robertson did an absolutely amazing job! Her voice is beautiful, and her acting totally sold it! This is such a great song

[@clone2854]

Something I love in this song is that, in a lot of songs the narrator/story/Tom undermines the protagonist somehow. For example, the newspaper at the end of I Don't Work Here insults him a bunch. And that ALMOST happens here with "I'm not sure Joe knew they had a literal gun." But joe immediately cuts this down and establishes himself as a certified badass!

[@goroakechi6126]

Middle finger beats gun. All hail the sheriff who told the Wild West to fuck itself.

[@Darksideofthestars]

Nah he told Tom to go fk his normal story plot lol

[@augeebie]

just adding this to my list of "joke cowboy ballads that genuinely bring out An Emotion in me" real quick

[@clumsyloaf300]

How many are there 😂

[@augeebie]

@@clumsyloaf300 Only two so far, but I feel like it's still a pretty good number considering how specific the category is

[@lavenderwalrus9875]

@@augeebie you referring to brian david gilberts one i am guessing? its also good though i think for me Toms is waaaay better

[@augeebie]

@@lavenderwalrus9875 shit, yeah, you got me. pumpkin cowboy is the only other song, though I love them both equally. someday I'll have 3 songs on that list. Someday.

[@Oli.V]

@@augeebieI fucking love pumpkin cowboy I based an entire dnd character off of that song

[@MayliSong]

I keep coming back to listen to this because it just… it’s actually such a bop. Like damn Tom, you really didn’t have to go this hard on this but I’m so glad you did

[@abadhaiku]

I'm not kidding, the sheer musical, lyrical, and editorial composition in this video staggers me. This is most definitely the closest to a perfect song I've seen in the past 20 years.

[@1tE5o6]

TOM!! TOM THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU! SMOKIN' JOE RUDEBOY WAS MY FAVOURITE SHORT AND I NEVER EXPECTED TO GET A FULL VERSION! I was just looping the short like a FREAK this whole time! This is the BEST day of my life I'M NOT KIDDING! I can't wait to ruin Christmas dinner by playing this nonstop for like 7 hours im gonna make my family hate me SO MUCH this is such a gift

[@tomcardy1]

As long as you smash out “naughty or nice” nice and loud too

[@1tE5o6]

@@tomcardy1 already been doin it tommy, i gotchu

[@davidmeadows3686]

@@tomcardy1 Naughty or nice has an official spot in our family Christmas song playlist. The kids have been told "You just can't repeat Tom's naughty words".

[@trutwijd]

I was actually looping the short only yesterday. This is just the best.

[@alenunya]

@@tomcardy1 it's "naughty or nice" and Danny Gonzalez's "I'm gonna kill Santa Claus" that are the spirit of Christmas

[@maxpower3555]

I’m sorry but how has nobody mentioned the backing “fuck offs” in the showdown verse? That is just gold. This song slaps, tells a sick story and is just four minutes of fun. You may be my new favourite human being Tom.

[@Justine-fh2ow]

I genuinely came to the comments to hope someone had written this.

[@jm75937]

You mentioned it. Congrats.

[@exavian6]

I completely missed that! 😆

[@Gta.5.Movies]

You have 666 likes 🤣🤣

[@alizarinrose9933]

He's my favourite human to. I listen to red flags when I'm feeling sad, and to laugh out loud is the only remedy. ("Ima sthnek" and "Honey Badger" Skintape" being the only other KZbin videos that can work a similar magic...remember those?)

[@natz3284]

The Ballad of Smokin' Joe Rudeboy and Pumpkin Cowboy are both comedic country ballads of cowboys/outlaws committed to non-violence with a tragic story, but complete opposite vibe. Equals but opposites and both absolutely delightful!!!

[@StonetheDestroyer42]

And now that Tom and BDG have collaborated, it's possible they could someday share the same universe...

[@TheCloggin]

There is a part of me that believes the creative genesis of this whole magical journey is based on the soda water incident.

[@davidcousins8407]

The entire segment from 1:34 is so good. Revealing that he was duelling with people with guns with just his middle finger, the revelation that yes he knew and the genius of him knowing they knew so he knew they could flip themselves. Art.

[@ryanc.b8530]

The line "A girl who thought her father had run out to save himself" is so good, a perfect end to the bridge (Idk if a bridge is the right term but you get what I mean)

[@DiNozzoLeach]

This lives rent free in my head. I sang it to myself at work. People heard me. They think I'm weird now and they're avoiding me. It's bliss, God bless you, Smoking Joe!

[@thetank9571]

Something that doesn't get mentioned enough is how hard smokin Joe's backing Toms go. They are seriously getting into the groove of this story that they are singing and playing to.

[@enigmabureau]

So, from what I gathered, this story might have a happy ending. I choose to believe Joe is reunited with is daughter after he learned she was alive, and she learned he had tried so hard to get help. I think it’s a fun thought that they become an absolute menace quickdraw duo.

[@bibubbletea]

Since he gives her the quintessential dad thumbs up at the end I agree with this idea, he accepts his dad role and supports and guides his amazing daughter with their powerful “fuck you” skills

[@outsidelookinginprod]

@@bibubbletea Exactly the impression I got. As Joseph Rudeboy, before he thought he lost his wife and daughter and became Smokin' Joe, he gave a thumb up instead of the middle finger. So for him to reveal a thumbs up at the end, well, it was like he was Joseph Rudeboy again, reunited with his daughter. Besides, it's not uncommon for a reunion between estranged family members to begin with a shouting match or a bitter argument, just to vent those negative feelings, and then to transition into a genuine effort to build a relationship. They can bond over their shared "fuck the world" mindset.

[@DetectiveCheese]

This has got to be one of the catchiest tunes I've ever heard from this channel, not to mention keeping that up when blending it together with a bag of comedy and a pot full of lore! Might just be my new favorite.

[@Crusader050]

Tom posted a short with Smokin Joe exactly 6 months ago, and now the full complete version is out and I'm crying tears of joy!!

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

tbf every track from Mr Cardy is my favourite

[@ltchaos9975]

1:00, it is truly a testament to your talent that the link has 18 syllables, such as the arms he grew.

[@alexharrison2743]

Omg what the hell, this is ridiculous, Tom deserves a Grammy for this song alone

[@tru7hs]

I want a Smokin' Joe Netflix original show so badly.

[@LegoTardis32]

At 3:03 it sounds like the main lyrics cut off but it continues to say "Fuck off" with the baseline which is so cool. Definitely took me a few listens to pick up on that. Once again Tom wrote an amazing song!!

[@kieran.grant_]

Nice catch! I totally missed that

[@Syrahl696]

Also, "The mongoose mountain gang played dirty with a 20 man crew" line, the word Crew at the end trails off and turns into the vocal backing for the next line about the gift from Vishnu.

[@yymmas]

i had his songs on repeat on spotify and i just noticed it today too!!

[@madiw2097]

the energy in this extended version perfectly encapsulates the appeal of Tom’s music. it’s technically incredible, the instrumentation is gorgeous, the vocals are great, but most of all, it’s /fun/ to listen to these songs. the lyrics, the voices, the occasional addition of tambourine or the cowboy sound or a bell ringing. it’s just really wonderful.

[@Gabriel-zy7zw]

1:52 I like to think joe could always flame his fist, before the outlaw came, but couldn't because he used to thumbs up instead of a fuck you

[@BoomsTheGoblin]

One thing that really stands out in all of Tom’s videos is his control over his various facial expressions. It’s like a master class in acting only using expression, the set and proximity, and body language. Like Smokin’ Joe looks like an entirely different dude to me, than all the other characters Tom is playing, but I think he just changed coats right? It’s incredible.

[@jigurd]

Julia absoluted nailed southern vowels in this, and I really appreciate the melodic homage to Ghost Riders towards the end. Fuckin' banger.

[@trutwijd]

She wears and handles that cloak pretty great too

[@sarcasm-aplenty]

I like that this ends with Joe giving a thumbs up, he's healing with the knowledge that his daughter isn't dead.

[@Neceros]

changed, but whole again

[@FlamingLily]

I just realised. "He dreamt every night the last 18 years." Awesome attention to detail.

[@Raze_7234]

3:46 is how family conflicts should be worked out. It would be much simpler if the kids didn't have to watch their words and everyone was just acting like this.

[@Quartermistress]

I always love when Julia shows up and does an outstanding performance as always

[@octopusempress5520]

Who is Julia to him? His gf? She’s so pretty and her voice is too!

[@Quartermistress]

@@octopusempress5520 ....No she's just his friend?

[@octopusempress5520]

@@QuartermistressOkay, I was just curious, no need to be mean 😂 But thank you!

[@masterdangus5757]

Her accent is absolutely spot on too. The "Fuck you old man" got me so good.

[@ryanjones_rheios]

There seriously aren't enough western saga ballads anymore. This was goofy, fun, and hit a great spot. Thumbs up. =P Also the evolution of this character from goofy, finger-flipping cowboy to tortured, gun-less vigilante on a quest for revenge is reminiscent of a goofy D&D game going serious. (Which does not happen as often as is meme'd tbh.)

[@badflamer]

look up 'pumkin cowboy'. thank me later

[@ryanjones_rheios]

@@badflamer Just to make sure, did you mean the Brian David Gilbert song?

[@DeusExRequiem]

@@badflamer was gonna respond this and you beat us all to it.

[@samreid6010]

Honestly, I could get behind this as an actual basis for a Spaghetti Western: a very angry pacifist who tames the west with words as he seeks revenge against the man who took everything from him, only for him to find out his daughter already finished the job and is extremely pissed he ran out on them

[@jazmindodds]

There’s also Stana… does Stana count?

[@agnarhall7708]

I love everything about this - the ridiculous premise, the storyline, the setting-appropriate instrumentation, the spot-on accents, all of it. And all the little details are just 👌 like at 3:03 when the bass line consists of "fuck off"s 😂 Beautiful. I'm so invested that now I really need a sequel telling the story from the daughter's side. I have so many questions. How did she escape the outlaw at birth? Is her cape the same one the outlaw wore and if so how/when did she get it from him? When did she learn about her dad? Was it from the outlaw? How did she hone her bird-flipping? Has she got a sweet-ass nickname too, like Flamin' Jill Rudeboy? Is Rudeboy even her last name, or did she take Bo's maiden name? I have to know.

[@astrophysicsperson528]

I got the impression that the outlaw raised her, and he saw Joe running from the house to get help and assumed he ran to save himself, so that's the story he told her. Then at some point she inherited the cloak and became the new velvet cloak outlaw. She probably started honing her skills when she heard her dad was locking up criminals with just his middle finger and prepared to confront him.

[@HannekeDebie]

Holy shit, I hasn't noticed that the bassline consisted of 'fuck off', and I've listened to this a lot!

[@pthats]

Gosh- on top of everything that makes this unironically a huge and impressive banger (the refrains, the harmonies, ofc the lyrics), Julia is just amazing. Her “let me make sure I heard you right” in that twang is the perfect culmination of this song.

[@Adharc0077]

i literally got the shivers at the end. not even kidding. this is the best song you've ever made dude, i hope you are really proud of this.

[@tomcardy1]

Fuck yeah thank you so much!

[@dialexneves]

@@tomcardy1 You mean "Fuck you, eh?!"

[@MsOkayAwesome]

I agree, literal chills. What a tale!

[@wduncani]

Me too, I don't know how he pulled it off.

[@peopleguy7106]

I got chills at the "Joseph Rudeboy you're too slow" part. This is perfect. I can't listen to this enough times

[@eldon8712]

"One day an outlaw came to town" with the closeup on the red cloak goes hard as fuck

[@PureNeptune]

Vishnu temporarily giving Smokin' Joe 18 arms to take out a whole gang of outlaws, but that he never intervened before or since is a very funny idea to me. 😂

[@rippley3772]

The gift from Vishnu bit made me lose my shit laughing, the pettiness and sheer spite to grow extra arms to tell someone to go fuck themselves is great 🤣🤣

[@soapymargherita]

It's really impressive how every song you do sounds totally different from each other, but they all slap so hard. You're a wizard.

[@Engineer_Who]

A wizard who is definitely not a cop.

[@vampbat]

0:26 PROPS FOR THE EXAGGERATED CUP MOVE THAT LOOKS SO LEGIT AND GOOD

[@StevenSheridan31416]

It's his face that crowns it tho

[@linkflorestv87]

This is the best country/Western song that ever did live... And the legend of Smokin' Joe lived side by side with that of... FLORIDA MAN.

[@TheCraftySam]

2:12 for all the comedy, this part actually caused me to take a moment due to how well done this part is. Despite the silly premise, the music and lyrics give a real and powerful sense of loss and pain. Absolutely fantastic work - and a great ear worm too! I'll be listening to this for a good few weeks.

[@babyrion9684]

2:26 My favorite part, the sheer ascension of the chorus really captures the "resurrection" of a vengeful character. Love that stuff.

[@fluffybluefastboi103]

And the rising anger in his eyes until the reveal of Smokin Joe, eyes full of burning vengeful fury, it's so amazing

[@Andreas-hh6vy]

3:58 That "Fuck you old man!" came from heart.

[@finn_underwood]

Please put this song on the roster of songs to animate. It's begging for cinematics. I can imagine everything from the comedic modern problems in a cowboy setting to the played straight dramatic wife death scene and everything... Please consider having it animated.

[@evrfreez]

Can we talk about the artistry of the "human phoenix" verse? Born from fire ("but from the ash the man who rose was Smokin' Joe"), rides a pair of flaming birds (the birds he flips everyone, which are flaming, and a phoenix is itself a flaming bird)... Perfection.

[@JasperBun]

OK so, when I was a little girl I was OBSESSED with cowboys and the wild west. This song is so true to an actual cowboy ballad that it brings me back to my youth, all while being an ABSOLUTE BOP and funny as hell. Well done!

[@willhouston588]

Not only is it a catchy song, and not only is it a funny song, but it is also a legitimate Western-style folk story with a legitimate heart-wrenching twist (which is, admittedly, undercut by all the bird-flipping and whatnot). It's so good and on so many levels.

[@onewaysaintlaika]

For some reason the line "Come out here Smokin' Joe/You're just as well already dead" specifically makes this worth relistening to a billion times?

[@Tinlion09]

Mr. Cardy, I'm not gonna lie. Red Flags was really good; HYCYBH was great; Business Man was extremely trustworthy (and awesome). But this is _easily_ your finest work yet. I know that Australians and Texans have a lot in common, but you've shown an inherent understanding of the Old Western gunslinger ballad that would make Marty Robbins himself proud. In recognition of this track, by the power vested in me by the Spirit of the Lone Star State, I am hereby declaring you an honorary Cowboy. Your ten-gallon hat and unnecessarily large belt buckle are in the mail, and from what I understand about time zones, you should be receiving them about three hours before I sent them. I think I speak for all of us when I say welcome, and yee-haw, pardner.

[@Draftmission]

Time zones seems pretty accurate 👍

[@tex8611]

As a fellow Texan I hereby agree and serve as witness to this acceptance. Godspeed Mr.Cardy, May the Rudeboy never trade his spurs for wings.

[@ZekromAndYugiAndDrago123]

As a fellow Texan I also agree. Your lifetime supply of Big Red is also in the mail, and should have already arrived.

[@danielshaw9979]

Hear hear!

[@TwistedFunForLIFE]

As someone who played Red Dead and appropriated Cowboy culture I also approve this message lol

[@psionicrain645]

God, the "burning inside Joeseph died but from the ash the man who rose was Smokin' Joe" goes so hard. Every time I listen to the song I listen to that part like three times

[@Charles-In-Charge]

The first fully-produced vertical view music video I’ve seen. Excellent way to push the form

[@Neceros]

I watched this song on repeat for two days in a pain filled delirious fugue state from a necrotizing tooth infection. Can we even call this masterpiece merely a song? The character build up is on par with a movie, if only shorter. The plot twists more than a snake, and it all works so well together with the actual golden experience bestowed upon our ears. THERES SO MANY GOOD RIFFS IN THIS, FUCK. Starts with the typical saloon guitar. The bit at 1:53 is smooth as fuck, and sends right back into the field. the fucking twang around 0:18 at 1:15 what is the barely audible instrument? How many layers are there? 0:52 angelic 1:26 starts one of my favorite parts. it explains literally why he's smokin joe but everyone's out there guessing and hemming about it. Also the tune sets us up for the next part mentioned above at 1:42 Joe takes back command of the narrative with this little bop under it, by literally taking the mic. oh shit, near 1:30 he mentions Joe leaves 'em smoking when he's done. Obviously, it could mean they caught on fire, but also it could allude to the fact that they calmed tf down after realizing they couldn't take on Joe, relaxin with a ciggy. Joe at 1:52 lookin like his mom making him sit still for photos at 0:40 white hat Tom was looking back at Smokin' Joe, turn back around to face us. fuck tom you creative bastard oh then 3:03 the fuck comes at the same time as "tell someone to", but way over there so you fuckin miss it. what was that voice even saying? The first time it did sound like fuck, but eventually I heard bob and buck... "Fuck.... off"? 3:19 the voice filtering here is pleasing, idk what you did so much effort was put into this 4 minute ordeal. I had to stop counting because it's basically the whole song. just listen to it all There are entire untold chapters Tom's yet written down hiding, waiting to be let out. The things the daughter did to get to where she stood that day, how did Bo die... or is she even dead? What about Moe? That's the name I gave to the crimson velvet bandit; Velvet Moe. Why is she after Smokin' Joe in the first place? Was Joe that feared, or was she searching for something? let it be known, in Smokin' Joe's mind, he would be wielding a nuclear weapon against Velvet Moe 3:17 AND THEN 2:47 classic curtain change: the entire theme shifts suddenly, the figure immediately looks like she was in this since birth, way cooler than Joe. Joe knows he's matched when he sees her, even though he has to see it through. Their hatred of the men who wield firearms reunites them, symbolically, returning back to the beginning. Two souls match in passion, fueled by different substances, but born of a single unfortunate event. i need to sleep

[@Neceros]

I swear I'm mostly normal.

[@confusionandcreation6036]

Great analysis hahah 😂 How's your tooth?

[@Neceros]

@@confusionandcreation6036 better!

[@Haze-xr9rc]

3:59 "fuck you old man" in that accent is so satisfying for some reason

[@kittypost3929]

1:01 “but tales are told Joe grew 18 arms that day as a gift from Vishnu” THE POSE IS KILLING ME

[@ivycarter5906]

I listen to this all the time and everytime I always love how if he hadn't kept his promise to Beau about not shooting anyone, even the "man" he hated more than anything in the world, he would have killed his lost daughter.

[@chiliwithonel]

My friends performed a cover this at my college sci fi club's end of year party, they had costumes and everything. It was a real spectacle

[@GT0913]

We NEED an origin ballad of the daughter! I got so caught up in the lore of the story and I have to know how she became the outlaw😂 Great work, Tom

[@EKproductionsarg]

YES YES YES

[@intelligent_rope9704]

YES to this!!!

[@outtathepantry]

We really do

[@hellohaveagoodday]

ABSOLUTELY

[@msthecommentator2863]

My theory is that she hunted down the original Velvet Outlaw, believing that he killed both her mother and father. But upon finding and defeating him with her quick draw middle fingers, he spun a tale of her father running out like a coward, purposefully (or perhaps simply inaccurately due to him not knowing the full story) leaving out the part where Bo told Joe to run and get help. Hence her quest for vengeance on her yellow bellied dad began. (Also would explain why the og Velvet Outlaw never found Joe; he'd already been defeated and arrested thanks to Joe's daughter.)

[@asimpletaco4665]

Bro, the “rides a pair of flaming birds” melody switchup by just changing one or two notes sounds so fucking good it sends shivers down my spine

[@FamilyReunion2097]

This season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is looking WILD.

[@thetank9571]

I've listened to this like a million times and it still is one of the best songs has ever been written. I tear up every time it gets to the part about smokin Joe's backstory

[@someoftheyouse]

I must've listened to this 30 times. The song's funny as hell, the chorus is fire, but the god damn the production is immaculate. All the little bells and strings and harmonies. Absolute make it. 17/10

[@justyouraveragehumanbeing7411]

"the mongoose mountain gang played dirty with a 20 man crew, but tales are told that Joe grew 18 arms that day as a gift from Vishnu" YOU MANAGED TO MAKE A RHYME WITH A DEITY FROM HINDUISM???? That was the last thing I expect. You are amazing, this is fucking brilliant!

[@theparijat1000]

Observation: Rudeboy had a crimson nail paint on his finger to represent his hatred for the outlaw in the crimson cloak. Also observed I heard this song so many times by now, but still love it.

[@spicyt0fu]

The fucking Vishnu line is my very favorite line. This song is the best thing you've ever created and I'm obsessed

[@thatonecrimsonecho]

I’m telling you this is gonna be the next big animated Tom Cardy song next to Mixed Messages and Red Flags; it fits all the criteria! It’s about 4 minutes long, has a catchy tune, and I’m sure the animator’s gonna have a wild ride making designs for Smokin’ Joe and his wife and some third character I dunno I wasn’t paying attention

[@ternovnik257]

Oh man I'm praying for this, Galoo's poster is amazing

[@gatlinggun511]

Said third character could be the entire mongoose mountain gang

[@riroufudo]

​@@gatlinggun511or the narrator

[@MochaBloke]

There's so much to love about this, but for some reason my favorite is just how good Tom and Julia's cowboy voices are.

[@octopusempress5520]

Who is Julia?

[@MochaBloke]

@@octopusempress5520 Julia Robertson! She's on this and a few other Tom Cardy songs.

[@Neceros]

Tom, this song is my soul. Please, I need a reprise to know what happen to the daughter, Joan

[@MR-we5mk]

I just realized that at 3:03 the sampled voice accents in the background are "Fuck, Fuck Off". Absolutely genius