One of Mike Cooley's contributions to Drive By Truckers "The Dirty South", definitely one of my favorite albums. This song is part of a 3 song suite along w/ Boys From Alabama and Buford Stick. All touch on the crime, corruption and dirty dealins in the dirty South. This piece tells the story of an Alabama badass, a gangster, robber, shooter. He knows where the bodies are buried and exudes an aura of menace. Do not fuck with this guy. He's done some time, but it didn't phase him none. Now he's out, got his moll and is giving talks to "unspoiled faces and curious bright eyes". Maybe the JUCO lecture circuit, maybe shopping his manuscript, maybe probation requirement, maybe he got religion (probably not). His girl urges him to say what he's gonna say and come on home to her. He's a bad old man.

Just a heart wrenchingly sad tale of loss and sacrifice. Marines are usually buried in a Dress Blue uniform so this fallen Marine is "sleepin in your Dress Blues". The parents that lose a son, the wife that loses her husband, the baby that loses a father, the nation that loses a young man, all are brought low with grief and loss and pride and anger. What do the old warriors think? Those men who also were in war and did things and saw things that no body should have to do or see. The plans, the dreams, the life cut short. Watch HBO's "Taking Chance" or read "Letters Home" to get a true sense of the love and sacrifice involved. This tune captures it as well.

This is actually a Jason Isbell tune, written while he was with DBT. He plays it, I don't think DBT plays any of his tunes now. I just caught him at Word Of South festival. Shook hands with George Clinton as well. It was high up on the food chain. He said that his early songwriting was inspired by events that happened to his family and friends, so he's heavy on tales of crime (Never Gonna Change) and alienation (The Day John Henry Died) and feuds (Decoration Day). Never Gonna Change is a real rocker, celebrating hard living and the outlaw ethos and clearly, not changing one's ways in the face of criticism or opprobation.

This is the Only Band That Matters in full throated roar. All the elements are together, the exploration of different musical styles( ska chatting (Tell your ma-ma-ma, tell your pa-pa-pa everything's gonna be all right, the swirling organ...), the call to arms (Everybody smash up your seats and rock to this brand new beat, This here music mash up the nation, This here music cause a sensation), the shaming of evil doers (To the coolest Mobsters in Kingstown, With the hardest eyes and the coolest tongue, Is your heart so made of rock that the blood must flow 'round the clock). London Calling was the breakthrough, the revelation, the announcement to the wider musical world that THIS band, and THIS album had changed the game.

The song is homage to some city council dude who committed suicide by shooting himself during a meeting. And there was video. "nice shot" as in shooting himself. And it was very smokey and then the smoke cleared. I think it happened about 10 years ago. What is this 50 word minimum? Too late to meet him bec he's dead.