God’s Honest (Our Latest Album)
WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE SONGS ABOUT:
God’s Honest is one of two waltzes on the record, but you won’t be ballroom dancing to it. It tells the whimsical story of a death-row inmate who is on the very edge of sanity. He rationalizes his actions as he claims innocence, and then ends describing how he copes in prison. Although this is a pretty high-energy acoustic rock tune, I took the John Prine approach to the verses–the first two light-hearted, followed by a third-verse gut punch. I wrote this one.
Way Back Up River is a big-harmony, reflective ballad. It’s the story of an old man running from the law. On his journey, he realizes that he’s in no danger of being caught, because, as with many old men, no one ever notices him at all. I wrote this one.
Rifle & Bible is a high-energy, hard-blues song about a young man a little too caught up in extreme politics and religion, who’s manipulated by at least one charismatic leader on the well-intentioned road to hell. I wrote this one.
Rudy is a gritty, bouncy jazz number about a work-a-day Joe trying to drag himself through the grind that has become his life, while being chewed up and spit out by a local floozy. Pat wrote this one.
Ghost Engines I wrote with Phil Redman and Pat Wynes. Its story laments the premature loss of an era in one man’s life.
Without You is a haunting song about a lost love. Hell, let’s not sugar coat it–it’s about getting dumped. Pat & I wrote this one.