Smith Hill By Deer Tick

American is a wonderful place to live. The United States has a population of over 300 million and too many cites, towns and metroploises to count.Many of us in rural small towns such as myself feel simple. Many of these towns are filled with poverty and violence. Drugs, violence and thefts are part of everyday life in these lonesome wron down towns. This song talks about a town just like that and gives a frist person prespective on the effect it has on someone growing up there.
Smith Hill is a song by an American country, blues grunge band from Providence, Rhode Isalnd. The band...Deer Tick, the Album Born on Flag Day, the song Smith Hill.
"Elbow on the window seal, my head against the pain, I've seen so many grow and die, I forget most of there names" With this line we get an almost childlike image of a person sitting by a window, bored with his head against the pane, observering his outside world. Next the narrorator of the song talks about all the people his seen grow up around him, friends, family neighbors and how they have just disaperad through the years. All they were was a memory and now he can't even remember there names.
My favorte line of the song is "To the ones who made it out alive, its you I miss the most" Here this kids is stuck in this nowhere drug forsaken town with all his hopes and dreams in his head. Just sitting and thinking about the future, seeing all thses people knew once knew leave. Leave this town that holds his dreams locked, seeing so many others before him fail. But the ones who made it out, he'l miss there memory the most because he'll never see them again.

Act Naturally by Buck Owens

Once again folks, here I'am singing and ranting about another country music classic dealing with heartbreak and love forsake. We have all felt lonley, we've all cried tears till our eyes are in pain and we've all crsued somone's name at one time or another. But have you ever had to play the part of a sad and lonely.
Buck Owens comes to us straight out the 60's with charm and glitter. His almost nuery ryhme way of melodies can make anyman feel sad and lonesome. In this song story we have a man whos about to be put in the movies to play a part of a man thats sad and loneley and all he has to do is Act Natuarlly. This man is the part of sad and lonesome. He pleading that he won't even need to Act because he alreaady is what he's suppose to portray. A sad, lonley, single man with no one to be by his side.
The Beatles did a cover in this song off the Album Help with Ringo taking lead vocals which seems ironic to me. I think Paul and John let Ringo sing this song because A he couldn't sing anything else but he kinda of portrays the same character. A sad, lonesome man in the beatles with no spotlight, but when he does get it, he's singing of the same situatuion, hes singing a song about acting sad and loneley when he already is play the part.

You never even called me by my name: David Allan Coe

Why are names so damn hard to remember? You know the typical situation, your at a party and your best friend introduces you to five beautiful elegant woman. Each of them with their own distinct features, blond hair blue eyes or smooth tan skin and long legs or just plain "hott" as some might say. All this time your salivating over the glamor before your eyes, you haven't listened to a word your buddy just said. Their individual names become lost in a sea of sexuality in your free hanging head.Well forgetting someone's name can happen in a variety of different situations but none better than a one night stand. Am I right?
This song is preformed by one of country music's most underrated singer/songwriters. the Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy himself. David Allan Coe. Now when most people hear the name "David Allan Coe" they think of a racist,misogynistic, vulgar womanizing male with nothing to do with his time except disgust others. He was raised in and out of reform schools his entire adolescence and lived behind bars most of his young life. He even claims to have been on death row for killing a fellow inmate who demanded oral sex from Coe. So with this odd malicious up bring, he was bound to have some ruff edges.
But if you dig deeper through the compacted dirty ground of country music, you'll find that even though Coe released two X-rated albums, one in 1978 and one in 1982, that the jewels of his waltzing honky tonk revolution had a major impact on all country music.Most notably on his 1974 release of Once Upon a Rhyme which peaked on the US country charts at number 8. This album is composed of low down tear jerking traditional country music. Some written about his life in prison, many about his juvenile youth and a few about the never fail tag line of country music...Heartbreak. On this album came Coe's signature song "You never even called me by my name" written by Steve Goodman and the always welcome John Prine. This song went all the way to Number 8 on the US Country singles chart bringing Coe immense success.
The first line of the song is a country music foundation. "It was all I could do, to keep from crying, sometimes it seems so useless to remain" Here the narrator is speaking of a past love so torn, trying not to cry, he thinks better for himself to not exist. Followed by the title "You don't have to call me darlin...darlin, you never even called me by my name".

Mama Tried- Merle Haggard

In the early 90's when I was as young radical child growing up in the rural county, I played with slick hot wheels, I concumed mass quanities of rubbery frozen chicken nuggets and I love to play outside in the dirt, but more than any those needs. I needed one thing, one person much more and that was my momma. Not every child but most children have a strong attachment to their caregivers, Lovers, their mothers. Just as sweet mothers have a strong attachment to their children. Mother's want the best for their beautiful little spawns. Mothers want to give there children nice clothes, a good education and for them to succeed in life. No matter how bad you didn't want to go to stupid school, no matter how much you hated that green grass colored broccoli Mama made you. No matter how awake you were at bedtime or how you didn't want to play in the mud, she made you go to bed and wouldn't let you play in the mud(but I did anyway). All you can say is Mama Tried.
The lyrics I have today is from not only a man but a legend. One of country music's greatest artist of all time. The old and bold Merle Haggard. Merle Haggards father died of cancer when he was only nine years so he grew up without a father figure and continued to act out. He was in and out of Juvenile Detention centers numerous times throughout his life until he went to prison. While in prison at San Quinton he attended one Johny Cash's three concerts there. From then on he knew he should straighten up his life and pursue a singing career. So as his singing career began, he wrote many songs about his troubled childhood and the only person that loved him then. His mama.
"And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole.
No-one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried.
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading, I denied.
That leaves only me to blame 'cos Mama tried.
In this lyric Merle Haggard is talking about his time in prison. All he can remember is the happy times in his life before he went wrong. He recalls all the attempts his mother tried to turn him around into a decent citizen. After time spent in Juvenile Dentition he still wasn't on the right path, but his mother still tried. After escaping prison twice and being caught again still on the wrong road, his mother tried to steer him right. His mother had different plans for her son, she tried to raise them the best she knew how but he wouldn't adjust. As she begged and pleaded for him not to walk out that door to a life of lies and sin, he denied her request.
Now while in prison. Juvenile Detention and prison couldn't change him because he he blamed all his problems and misfortunes on other people. Point the finger at his friends and family for his own troubles. But soon he realized after seeing Johnny Cash in concert that they weren't the ones to blame. His mother tried and tried and tried but failed until the day he realized its was him own self to blame.

Dead Flowers: The Rolling Stones

Recently I've been on a kick of lyrics about Love,lust and life, Which I guess becomes quite common in the heart breaking world of country music. But I got a band here that not only has an influence in down dirty honky tonk country music but also is considered one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time. The Rolling Stones
Everyone who has ears has heard a song from the Rolling Stones. Formed in London in the early 60's, the Rolling Stones were influenced by many American R & B artist such as Bo Diddly and Muddy Waters. As the Rolling stones started developing their nitty gritty rock and roll sound, they became influenced by another form of traditional American music, country music.
In the sixties, music could be heard every where. Hippies were protesting the war, doing large amounts of acid and dancing in the street of San Francisco. Bands like The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones and The Band were at their prime. Free spirit ruled the young generations world. Much of this southern boot tapping country rubbed of on the Rolling Stones as they began to write not only some of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time but also some of the greatest country songs of all time also. Songs such as "Dear Doctor" and " Factory Girl" on Beggars Banquet. "Country Honk" on Let It Bleed, which is the original version of "Honkey Tonk Woman" but couldn't be released as a single so they re-recorded it. The song "Far Away Eyes" on the album Some Girls, about a man driving through Bakersfield, California listening to Gospel Music thinking about this Perfect girl with Far away eyes. But my favorite Not only country Rolling Stones song, but my favorite Rolling Stones song period would be "Dead Flowers" on there 1971 release of Sticky Fingers.
I first heard this song a few years ago while in high school. My band that consisted of My older Brother, the man I'll call Steve in the "Devil In Disguise" article and a friend named Jason were set to preform as "The Riverboat Barbarians" at our local Baskin Robbins for 31Cent Scoop Night.We had a set about two hours to fill. We already knew a few songs like "Layla" by Eric Clapton, "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" by The White Stripes, "What a Wonderful Man" by My Morning Jacket and "Sympathy For the Devil" by the Rolling Stones. But that wasn't enough to fill two hours so we needed more material. My friends Steve which has my one of my best, drunken and most influential friends suggested we play Dead Flowers. From the moment It hit my ears it was like sweet country extacy.

"You can send me dead flowers every morning, send me dead flowers by the mail, send me dead flowers to my wedding, and I won't forget to put roses on your grave"
This lyric will forever be embedded into my young, day dreaming rowdy mind. This song introduced me into the world of traditional country music and has forever changed my outlook on music. It made me want to be a country singer. As the song starts, Mick Jagger comes in with this pushed slurred hick voice singing about a girl and his own depressive state goes exactly with Keith Richards hard twangy licks to make a country music paradise.
This person singing this song is bleeding their heart out. It goes along with my "You Win Again" blog on Hank Williams. He's lost a girl and he's telling her know matter what happens in bot their lives, no matter how much she hates him, he will continue to love her unconditionally.She can send him dead flowers showing her non existence love for him and he'll no matter what put his red heart roses on her grave. The words of country music seem so true.

"This Heart of mine could never see, What everybody knew but, Just trusting you was my great sin, What can I do, You Win Again"

Have you ever been so in love with a person that no matter what events may transpire in your relationship or in the out side world that you'll never stop loving them. Love makes people do some weird things. Cry, scream and even stand outside a girls window with a boom box over your head blasting some Aha or something. Whatever case, love is one of our truest emotions. We need love, we crave it and some times hate it. Love can us feel like that tallest man on the highest mountain in the land, but it can also make us feel like the smallest living worm crawling around in the black mud just waiting to die. But if you a person that can hang on to the love, even if your significant other is cheating on you, then I guess all you can tell them is "You Win Again"
This lyrics was written by one of the most prolific song writers of all time. His legacy and songs have stood the test of time and have been covered so many times that Hank Jr. can't even count them. Hank Williams was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama to a poor life stricken white family. He lived his early life dirt poor and had a spinal disease called spina bifida oculta. This disease gave Hank great back pain throughout his whole life and led to the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Hank grew up with lived his life with a lot of heartbreak and it showed in his music.
"This heart of mine could never see, What everybody knew but me" During this portion of the song the man has explained that he is desperately in love with a running around woman. During there relationship the man is blind to what going on behind his back. His love, his life is cheating on him with another man. Not only is his woman keeping it a secret but the whole town knows the trouble going on. But the man still didn't know. "Just trusting you was my great sin" Here the man is saying he made an ultimate sin of trusting this woman whom he never should have. If he never gave in to her deceitful love. He wouldn't be as heartbroken and attached to her.
"What can I do? You Win Again" In this line the man is looking for an answer to this problem. He is so in love with this woman that he is lost in what he should do. Should he leave her? Should he cheat on her? Should he find a new love? No. This man is so in love with this woman, he doesn't want to lose her or the feeling of false love he receives with her. So what does he do? He gives up. He says "You Win again"
This lyric to me is so sad because I've seen it happen before. No matter what a woman can do to a love crazed man, he'll stay with her for the love and support. And she whoever she is knows it. So it will continue to be a cycle until the man say instead of "You Win Again" to Fuck Off!!!

"She's a Devil In Disguise, You Can See it in Her Eyes, She's Tellin Dirty Lies, She's A Devil In Diguise"

Have you ever met a woman that seems so down home perfect. Her smile shines constantly, her elegance's stops a entire crowd of people and her words sound like music to your ears. But behind that golden smile and somber eyes is a world of weightless words and misleading actions.
"She's a Devil in Disguise, You can see it in her eyes, She's telling dirty lies, She's a Devil In Disguise" Describes this woman.This lyric is from a late 60's progressive country rock band called The Flying Burrito Brothers on the album Gilded Palace of Sin. Written by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman about a Secretary of the band that portrayed this woman. Very pretty looking lady but a down right devil inside. There hatred and erie feelings for her lead for the pair to writing this song. Soon after sadly this mysterious woman died of cancer.
Being a man I can understand this lyric completely, no to say all woman are evil by any means but we have all felt this about a woman at one time or another. I've a had a few girlfriends in my day and I can tell you at first, the relationship seems all peachy. Your in love, she's so sweet, you buy her dinner and you make love all the time. But when that trust is broken and things start falling apart it all goes down hill. She sucks up to friends and family pleading her case that she's the oh so innocent one and I'm the one to blame. Making up outlandish stories such as me hitting her or accuses me of stealing from her when it's all just a batch of lies. Then you find out what is really is. She's a Devil in Disguise, she's made you life a living hell with nothing but lies and betrayal.
Another example is I had this friend in college, we'll call him Steve. When Steve met my girlfriends(Devil) at the time Christine's things seem to all fall in place and College life was great. Soon it took a down turn. This girl was so crazy about Steve that she faked a pregnancy for 6 months tearing my friend apart. She's kept changing the outcome saying "I still Might be pregnant" or "I had an abortion" and my favorite "When are we gonna get married". After finally admitting she wasn't pregnant, it was on to the next lie. She had an Syllables and gave it to my buddy.All the while mainting that she was innconet. Steve was mean, and beat her and called her names, which never was the truth. If she was pregnatn, he was willing to drop all his hopes and dreams, to go home and be a truck driver to support her and his child. Luckly that never happne.
The moral of my story is that, there are plenty of Devil's in diguese out there. You might think there the sweetest, prettiest greatest thing ever, but when it all folds out, they can take you and your life straight to hell.