www.hibbotte.co... www.hibbotte.com Stop by our Facebook page and "Fan" us. We'll keep you updated on our latest projects. / 65385889487 Drive-By Truckers Decoration Day GA Theatre Athens, GA 9-6-03.
This band should be selling records by the milllions. They are more emotional, honest and real than almost any other band in rock or country/rock. Like Steve Earle these guys make music darker than death metal and more relevant and true to life than any of their contemporaries. I love this band, they are a talent that has not gotten nearly the attention they deserve
Fun fact: This music's actually based on a true story. About the Lawson-Hill feud in the 1980s. "But I know the caliber in daddy's chest" Deward Cecil "Dude" Lawson was shot dead by Holland Hill because of obscure reasons. It's said that the lawson weren't liked around town by the townfolk and lawmen because of the past of the Lawson Boys, Dude Lawson and two brothers. They did bad things before the song's narrator was born. "And I know what Holland Hill drives." Holland hill drove to the Lawson house with two sons in a green Plymouth sedan. "The state let him go, but I guess it was best" The Hills were trialed for the murder of Dude Lawson. Two eyewitness, including the narrator, James Calvin Lawson, where right beside Dude when he was shot, but were left unharmed. "'Cause nobody needs all us Lawson's alive." They admitted to the murder, but where found not guilty unanimously by the jury. Hence the verse before this. It's said Hill's said in his defence "He needed killin'". "My Daddy got shot right in front of his house" Back to the green plymouth: The Hills parked in front of Lawson's house, pulled shotguns and a rifle and shot Dude Lawson dead. Then drove away. What's more interesting is that Isbell's related to... the Hills. He then wrote this song from the perspective of Calvin Lawson. Truly a masterpiece: www.examiner.com/article/decoration-day-the-true-story-behind-jason-isbell-s-drive-by-truckers-song I wanted to share this because songs like theese are becoming rarer and rarer.
+Thauã Aguirre There is an acoustic show out there w/ Patterson Cooley and Jason where he explains that in a much condensed version. Thanks for the info. and in case you hadn't heard ... He calls his superb backing band the 400 Unit, after the psychiatric ward of a hospital near Muscle Shoals, the part of the state where he grew up. Apparently the hospital would bus patients downtown and let them out to wander and shop. Isbell joked that that is what he and his band looked liked when they would pull into a town in their tour buses
They were named after a psych ward at a mental hospital near where they grew up. They kept the REAL crazy ones in the 400 unit. When they walked off the tour bus, Jason said they looked like they belong in the 400 unit..... I swear to God and I'll say it right to your face.
I was lucky enough to see Jason live 4 times last year and I will tell you that he has been killing this song live. Forgive me, but it is even better than when he did it with the DBT. He sings this with such emotion that he practically spits the words - especially the "brothers in east Tennessee.." part. I've got tickets to see him this Saturday on 5/9/15 in east Tennessee. Bring it on!!!
I'm honestly not a fan of the 400 unit versions because of how he Oversings on the title line. Just doesn't sound right to me, but I'm used to the plan 9, album, and this version. Still prefer this one for the double length slide solo. Fucking killer.
Jason is a good artist, but DBT are one of the best bands in the world, let alone the US. The fact that so many people place Jason above them is flabergasting to me. The best songs he ever wrote were with DBT.
@@JapanAlex01 I would never place him, or anyone else above the DBT. Let There Be Rock is one of the greatest rock anthems of all time. Southeastern is in my top 20 albums picks.
Some of the best BDT songs are Isebell's. At the same time, alone and apart, as listeners, we get the best of both worlds!! Saw them both on there last pass thru MKE and..GOTDAMN they were good!
Uncle Tupelo, Bottle Rockets, Son Volt Wilco, Drive By Truckers....all true Americana bands that spawned so many great talents ( Farrar, Tweedy, Isbell )
I see how a drunk kid writes a song this good, I get it. He knew the story and put it to words. It should be that simple but in reality I have no clue what kind of expertise and wisdom and command of language it takes to write this song and the guitar parts at such a young age. It's like John Prine having Sam Stone and Hello in There in his early 20s. Once in a lifetime artist Jason is
Powerful just powerful , pure raw soul dripping off of every note , from every word . I've been a fan for a long time and I don't think that will ever change .
I Love DBT and Isbell too but give James McMurtry a listen his dad is Larry McMurtry (wrote Lonesome Dove). Man he can tell a story in under 5 mins. Painting by numbers, Lights of Cheyenne, No More Buffalo, Rachel's Song, Choctaw Bingo, or Hurricane Party. you feel like you are on a bar stool next to hims and he's telling you a story. Just my opinion...
I admit Izbell's good but he's not Steve Earle yet, either in quality or quantity. From Guitartown to The Galway Girl, Earle has proved he can tell a story in under 3:00. And longer ones like Taneytown aren't too shabby either. Anyway, all great roots music is great in the end.
Just had to put Townes Van Zandt in the mix too. The first song he ever wrote was "waiting around to die." This guy's storytelling is amazing but I don't think anyone can give TVZ a run for their money. His documentary is amazing and sad btw, if anyone hasn't seen it. Lots of interviews with famous song writers and musicians all talking about how amazing TVZ was.
Country churches had decoration days. Entire families showed up to churches/cemeteries where their kin folks were buried to "decorate" the graves (with flowers). Everybody brought food and it was like a big potluck. Nostalgic cause of all the family history that got brought up and meeting extended family members you didn't even know you had.
Love that song cause it's about my cousin, "Dude Lawson"! My dad and I sat down a few months ago and used up 2 90min. tapes just talking about the Lawson and Jones family from East Tennessee! Oh boy what stories there are!!!
@@davehoganmusicOMG! I'm going straight to hell for agreeing with that sentiment. I saw him live Friday night and I was like who is this?!? Next level John Mellencamp?? We were the last stop on his current (2023) tour. As we are ~50 miles from Mussel Shoals he started and ended his tour in Huntsville. I've been fortunate enough to watch DBT go from Adam's House Cat to what they became. FTR each and every one of the are on their own trip, so to speak, in this video. Their live shows use to always ended about like this. God knows I'm glad he's healthy, clean and happy but all I can say is perhaps it's time to become a full on rocker. He plays the hell out of the guitar.
He was kinda cute with that mop of hair, even if he was out of it most of the time. I've been there, done that and applaud his sobriety as I value mine
I actually had the pleasure of watching him preform this live at my uncle house.. Amazing! My family's name is Lawson an we played this after much uncle passed.. Thank you guys for your awesome performance
wow at that hair! love Jason though. Possibly the most talented songwriter in the business. Guys like him and Justin Townes Earle are saving American music nearly by themselves
Mcseeker86 come on there are so many carrying this torch that i am grateful for...how about Gilliam Welch..how about Son Volt..how about Richmond Fontaine until they broke up late last year...James McMurtry...Chris Knight...so many others...i love love dbt...and i do like isbell too
man i could watch this video a dozen times everyday...I love this song..jason isbell is so amazing on the guitar and man can he sing and write...i would kill to see him in concert! LOVE IT!
seriously, I could watch this a dozen times a day every freaking day. SO PERFECT. this version is better than the recorded one. 2:08-2:11 is absolutely amazing. Jason is the shit. period.
this song caught my attention when i heard it on a tv show. i liked how slow and melodic it was. i didnt know who sung it but i am definetly happy i found out who the drive-by trucker band is...
flat out, one of the best bands to come out in the last decade...and one of the best live shows i've ever seen. finally, a band with passion for their music and heritage, and who doesn't take themselves too seriously. gonna go see 'em at The Fillmore in 3 weeks; can't freakin' wait! long live the DBTs.
@degree7 That's really a subjective question, but bands like the Truckers, Black Keys, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket have consistently released music that ranks with even best classic records. The only difference being that they are not nearly as high profile as the Stones were back in their day, and as a result, their songs are generally overlooked by the public at large.
This band is proof that great artists don't reach the levels of success that they did in the 50's, 60's, and 70s. The top of the charts in 1967 were full of The Beatles, Rolling stones, & Motown. Now it's Taylor Swift. At least in the 70s, bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd sold millions of albums and played stadiums. It also shows that those of us who are actually real music lovers will always find new bands that shine. American outlaw country, real country iow, should have this feeling that goes back to The Band. It's like a band of Civil War soldiers are sitting around a fire, filthy and beaten and one guy picks up a guitar and starts to sing. The rest join in and someone brings out a commandeered bottle of whiskey. Twenty years ago. Imagine that.
I have the poster for this show hanging on my wall. I wasn't at the show, I bought it at the merch table at a Chicago DBT show a little later, they didn't sell them all in Athens. I bought it because Sept. 6 is my birthday.
@Frysian1972, Decoration Day is another name for our holiday called Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a holiday to remember the survivors of the war dead. Sort of a complement to Veteran's Day (11th day/11th hour/11th month). Decoration Day in the Southern US is still celebrated as a day to decorate the graves of Confederate War dead. The significance of the song is, as I see it, the protagonist has been dragged into a feud between two families (his own, the Lawsons, and the Hills). My take on it.
And his live versions are awesome--both the electric one he does with the 400 Unit and the acoustic version he does at solo shows, which feels almost like a completely different song.
The good old days. Many of nites many of shows they would pass around betwenst yes i said betwenst themselves a fifth of Jack at the beginning of the second set and finish it off on by the last song. I love bbt
I wish Jason took the "free bird" route and have a extended solo at the end by 6 to seven minutes that would have been hot with three guitars locked in together🙂
Can someone tell me who the Bass player is in this video? The only Bassist I've ever known for DBT is Shonna Tucker. But I only just found out about DBT 3 or 4 years ago. TIA
You might be right and I have heard plenty of good stuff from Jason solo but I just got back from seeing DBT in Austin. As Im sure you all know they are absolutely amazing live but I missed hearing Jason's songs with them. Maybe it will work for him in the long run but it's a shame for both sides I think.
@dansquatch Correction: What makes you think the other sons were killed in that feud, because he mentions them being spread out in a bunch of different places
It actually includes all dead loved ones. The people who continue to call it Decoration Day are the ones who still use it to honor everyone. And Decoration Day is generally observed on Sunday rather than Monday.
Why is this song called Decoration Day? Does anyone know... it appears to be about some type of vendetta, but I still cannot see what the lyrics have to do with "Decoration Day", the day.
Decoration day is celebrated by a lot of churches in the south, almost like Day of the Dead, where they go and decorate the graves of their loved ones. So, considering it speaks of a son who resents his father, his decoration for the grave would've been to spit or piss on the grave, or roll a stone over, which in many cultures is disrespectful since it traps the soul and prevents it from moving on.
He was still a little green here. He's become a much better live singer since this was filmed. And he certainly has a better haircut! This is still awesome though.
I'm kinda grossed out that I just found this band by googling the lyrics of a cool tune played in the background at the end of a "Criminal Minds" episode (yuh, I know). No matter tho - stunning lyrics and incredible slide.
