Songwriter Reacts: Jason Isbell - Elephant 

Is this the best gut punch song ever? If not, what is?

Ever since Southeastern came out back in 2010, this song has been one of my favorite Jason Isbell songs. It's definitely been a gutpuncher to me and it is especially so now, I am fighting cancer. Cancer is most definitely a profound "solo walk." No one but you can experience the pain of the cancer itself, the pain of the Chemo and the pain of all of the side effects that hit you. As sad of a song it is, for me, it's a comforting rallying point to fight my Lymphoma. Gotta cry to get to some laughter and find the good in life!

As hard as it was watching mom waste away from cancer. This song is how I imagine my dad experienced her long road to the end and it breaks my heart.

I suffered a heart attack in my last week of chemotherapy. Strangely enough, when I was going through all of that; the things that would have offended my dignity...the pain, the lethargy, the poking and prodding and testing and being unable to even go to the rest room on my own, the clinical treatment of a body that just wasn't mine anymore...just didn't offend anymore. No one dies with dignity, in my mind at least, means that the things you think are important today vis a vis your dignity cease to matter on or near your death. Nobody's going to care that it offended your dignity at the end when they stripped you naked on a table trying to save your life. You won't care, you are dead or you survived. Your family sure won't care; the people either did or at least tried to save you. Your dignity is irrelevant when stacked against your mortality. Of course, I've known elderly relatives who were the exact opposite and it mattered a whole lot to them so my opinion there only really counts for me.

Jason ‘s “blue collar” approach to writing has really helped me adopt a more disciplined approach to writing as a poet. As writer’s we’ve all met someone who claims they can never write because of “writer’s block.” I was that person for a while. Once I saw jason tweet “nobody gets electrician’s block” and that shifted my perspective. Work won’t write itself. You gotta sit down and do the work. The inspiration comes from the process. PS: Please so Last of My Kind or St. Peter’s Autograph

Survived lung cancer years before Southwestern came out. Being a huge Isbell fan, back to the Trucker days I got it right away. I wasn't prepared for this song, your description of a gut punch is spot on. So many of the lines of this song still hits me hard, 16 years after finishing treatment. Really want to listen to a depressing version of this song? Watch the official Elephant videos on his YT page. He had anyone impacted by cancer to send pictures in of themselves or loved ones that had cancer in their lives, they did 6 videos of it because cancer sucks so bad.

Yup. It's the most powerful song ever written. The guy is a genius and best song writer of our generation hands down.

Isbell is truly a generational talent as a songwriter. He's easily the best on the planet right now and best since Springsteen in his prime. The guy writes very few bad songs and has at least 50 I consider great..and a dozen that are beyond brilliant, including this one.

"Surrounded by family i saw that she was dying alone". Her family may be there with her to support her, but she's the only one dying. She's dying alone. That line is killer.

Brother, great reaction. I truly think Jason is the best living songwriter.

It's amazing what the hard times will reveal. Like who shows up, who walks away, and who's for real.

No one dies with dignity. In the past 5 years I have watched my grandmother, several grand-uncles, and my grandfather all pass away. My grandmother was 91 and for the last year and a half of her life, we watched Alzheimer's just steal her away from us and in the last few months she just starved to death until her body just stopped. My grandfather was 94 when he died. He broke his shoulder 6 months prior to his death. This man who at 92 years old he was still getting up on his roof to sweep off the pine straw and using a hoe to edge his driveway in South Carolina heat, wasn't able to do anything for himself. Having to clean them up after accidents, seeing their bodies just wither away and them no longer having control of basic functions. There was no dignity, no matter how much we tried to pretend they were the same. People who commit suicide are typically found in embarassing states where they have lost control of their bowels and sometimes are found days afterwards. Victims of accidents often have their bodies destroyed and die in terrible pain. Soldiers on the battlefield are torn apart by weapons of war and often scream and cry like children as they suffer the final moments of their lives. This line just rocks me now more than it would have 20 years ago when I had no real concept of what it could mean.

the first time I heard this song, I heard it live and the waterworks started immediately. such incredible songwriting it puts you right in his shoes

I just discovered Jason Isbell. This song is incredible. Thank you for the lyric reaction and interpretation. One thing that got me also was the rhythm of the guitar. The repetition to me was like TIME, but with a magnifying glass. The realization that it’s limited and coming to an end for her soon. To me that is the elephant. God bless those dealing with ‘the end’. Ya a real gut punch song.

My maternal great-grandparents both succumbed to cancer when I was young, my Opie in 2003, and then Omie in 2007. Omie and I built a solid relationship of phone calls and she was always open with me, she died on my 12th birthday. The day I turned 18, my paternal grandfather who raised me was diagnosed with lung cancer. I lived with him. The most disturbing thing to watch was my big, tough, quiet steel working grandfather who was over six foot tall and had a massive beer gut, reduce to so small I could've picked him up and carried him across the house. He lost the ability to do everything he loved. He died in 2017 at the age of 74. I started working in a restaurant in 2019, and got turned onto Jason by the chef. Jason got me through covid. I remember falling asleep and this song coming on, I was half asleep and realized what it was about and sat straight up in tears, a song had never made me cry so hard. Between losing my Pap in 2017, losing my best friend in 2019 (who shared a birthday with my Pap, they passed days apart), and then losing my grandma the same month, November, of 2021.... Jason has been a solid favorite. I've never heard a musician so powerfully describe the human condition.

As far as gut punch songs go this is up at the top. Another one is Sam Stone by Mr. John Prine.

I survived a terminal brain tumor diagnosis and my now husband stood by me, making my laugh, taking me to see the stars, building blanket forts..I don't deserve him

Jason also wrote If We Were Vampires, which I think hits you even harder than Elephant

You remind me of some of the best people I’ve met in my life. Keep it up!

One of the best videos on the channel. Tough material and you discussed it with class and ease. Hopefully this video will touch others. Great Job Burt!

I'm 54. Navy brat. My Grandmother lived with us in Greece, Rhode Island, Virginia and Florida, wherever we were stationed at the moment. Grandma smoked and I did too. Neither of us were supposed too. She'd steal my cigarettes and forget where she hid them. She'd ask me to help look for them but they were always under her pillow. I was about fourteen then, cigarettes were 85 cents a pack on base, no age limit. She had a thing for Steven Seagal, back then no dvds, I was her remote control. If she could find a movie she'd yell and I would sit on her bed and smoke my cigarettes with her.

Samantha Crain- Elk City. Gorgeous song with amazing story telling

i've liked this song for many years and it was always a sad one. but when my wife's brother had a stroke and was in hospice, the line about family and dying alone hit me hard. their family just didn't know how to talk about or deal with death. it was one of the saddest experiences of my life.

One of my all time favorites from isbell definitely one hell of a gut punch it’s right up there in the top 3 might even be my favorite gut punch song but definitely in my top 3. Dress blues is right up there with it lost many a good brothers and sisters in arms so that one just hits me

I love your channel Burt. As a husband to a teacher in Alabama keep doing all you can to make those kids lives better, until I married my wife I had no idea how hard teachers work to put their heart and soul into that work for the kids. Also Jason Isbell is in my mind, the best songwriter in the last 20-25 years.

probably your best reaction vid yet. No fake "first time" reaction or overblown feedback... just a real immersion into the song and how it applies to life or music. It's more than just surface chicken feed...

I am living this song from "Andy's" perspective.

This is definitely one of my favourite Isbell songs, just gut wrenching but so beautifully written! I'd love to see your reaction to Amanda Shires Pale Fire, it's my current "on repeat" song!

Fantastic commentary, love it

I bought Southeastern and loved Cover Me Up right away and the whole album sounded great, I later dove deeper into the songs and this just crushed me.

Brilliant. Beautiful. Heartbreaking.

Living this song, yeah it is at the top. Sidebar, you mentioned the family thing and "some people's family aint that great". Let me introduce to Kaitlin Butts. Her new song is called "Blood" and its about toxic families, yet they are still family. Ya know what I mean? That song perfectly encapsulates that feeling better than anything I have ever heard. She is so good.

Relatively Easy is a good one by Jason Isbell

I love your reactions. Could you do Mando Saenz- When I Come Around. He's an underrated songwriter and imo that's an underrated Americana song

Anxiety by Jason Isbell

It certainly is a gut punch for me, especially since my wife had cancer and died from it in my arms.

Dress blues by isbell sung by Zach Bryan, elephant is such a beautiful song

Hey Burt! Please react to The Steeldrivers! They are a bluegrass band that Chris Stapleton used to be a part of. Here are some great songs by them: Sticks that Made Thunder Can you run Midnight Train to Memphis Blue side of the mountain Where rainbows never die If it hadn't been for love Give one of these songs a react, and you will not regret it!

Hey Burt! Love your videos! Could you do some more Mandolin Orange (now Watchhouse)? Maybe Golden Embers or Hard Travelin? Thanks man!

Fantastic song. Been there. If you haven't already, check out "Dreamsicle" . Another sadly beautiful.

For Jason Isbell you should checkout "Cigarettes and Wine". I think it is his best song.

Love the reaction!! Love jason. It would be pretty cool if you reacted to "the rain by remetta. Think you might like it if you like sad songs.. keep it up!!!

Have you ever listened to Evan Bartels song shotgun is probably one of the darkest songs I've ever listened to maybe your listeners can make a suggestion

It’s not a Isbell song, but you should react to If it hadn’t been for love by the steeldrivers.

If you want sad magnolia electric company is probably the best to ever do sad. Trouble in mind and Hold on magnolia are some good songs.

My gut puncher is craig morgans “ this aint nothin” mostly cause of the relatability but its a sad one regardless

Plz react to crooked teeth by zach Bryan

Is that a Loar?