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Saturday, July 5, 2008

Drive By Truckers - Dead Drunk and Naked

July… that could only mean one thing; the Calgary Stampede.

When most of you think of the Calgary Stampede you may think about time off work, seeing some rodeo events, riding some amusement park rides, getting drunk, and other fun stuff, but me and everyone who works downtown in the commercial sector knows better. Calgary Stampede teaches a man to hate.

The Stampede is a very country event; obviously, so a country song should be appropriate.

Of course being a pub cook for six years now, I know the Calgary Stampede is a drunken debauchery of business nuts, and tourist, throwing money at girls, who are barely dressed at all, severing way over priced alcohol.

So a song about drunkenness should be in order here. Fortunately I have just the song.

A long while ago I was hanging out with my good friend Craig, and we were at InKahoots, in Okotoks, Craig introduced me to former DJ and all round good guy named Ed… I think he’s name was Ed, I’m not so sure anymore. Anyway he was a cool guy, gave Craig and myself a couple free drinks and we talked about music. One group he mentioned to Craig was the Drive by Truckers, a hybrid group of rock and roll and country, and according to Ed, they are amazing.

As I always try to heed the advice of others, I went home and downloaded a bunch of songs by the Drive by Truckers. I don’t know if I would go so far as to say they are amazing, but they are very good.

My favorite song by them, is “Dead, Drunk, and Naked.” By now you can see the full circle of this month’s review.

“Dead, Drunk, and Naked,” is a charming song about overcoming addiction and growing up. There are some very comedic lines that make me laugh, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy them too.

Even though the mood of the song is a very lighthearted and joyful, there is one moment that strikes a note with me. A sad somber tone emerges in one of the later verses,

"Daddy used to tell me,
Everything comes down,
To what they say about you,
When you’re not around.
And I wish that he was here now,
I’m sure he would be proud,
No one talks about me now…."

That verse really gets me. As those who knew me when I was younger I was quite the party animal, but when I went to University I toned it down a lot. I may party stupidly on rare occasion now and then, but I barely party hard at all anymore, not unlike the narrative in the song. Granted, unlike the narrative in the song, I never sniffed glue. Who does that really?

It’s funny, I got a lot of attention when I was crazy and destructive, but then I grew up, and now I have very few immediate friends. I work hard, study hard, and save money, and it seems like no one really cares about a responsible good guy. Sometimes I feel altogether forgotten, like no one talks about me now…

This is just me being sentimental of course, though there is probably some truth to this, I’m likely making things out to much more dramatic then they really are. Nonetheless you can see how this song really has some depth to it.

Enjoy the Drive by Truckers, and try to enjoy the Stampede, those of us who have to work it, it may not be so easy.

Until next month, keep on rocking in the free world.

- Colin Kelly