“3 Shades of Black” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. “3 Shades of Black”: Hank Williams III This is darker than most, and Hank 3 seems to kind of enjoy it that way. I’m less struck by the lyrics than I am by the...
View Article“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Johnny Cash: “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” The “you” is Satan. Johnny believed. You hear it in every note.
View Article“All My Tears” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Emmlyou Harris: “All My Tears” It all began with Emmylou for me. A friend told me to listen to Ballad of Sally Rose, and that was the first time I took country...
View Article“Down From Dover” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Dolly Parton: “Down From Dover” The one and only Dolly, with one of her most poignant songs, about a woman left pregnant and abandoned by her lover. Controversial...
View Article“Twenty Good Men” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. New Riders of the Purple Sage: “Twenty Good Men” My favorite NRPS song. I wore out Marin County Line replaying this one when I was about ten. Pirates, murder, and...
View Article“The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Bill Monroe: “The Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake” Mr Bill was asked once about the allegorical elements of this song, which appears to be about parents...
View Article“Leavin’ in the Morning” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Drag the River: “Leavin’ in the Morning” This was a new band for me, recommended by a reader on Twitter. The punch is in the final line.
View Article“The Snakes Crawl At Night” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Charlie Pride: “The Snakes Crawl At Night” More murder, but this time with an oddly cheerful chorus in this tale of a man being tempted to murder by Satan .
View Article“Caleb Meyer” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Gillian Welch: “Caleb Meyer” I’d forgotten all about Gillian Welch’s song about the ghost of a murdered rapist until a reader reminded me of it on Twitter. She’s...
View Article“The Man Comes Around” [Dark Country: Songs For October]
Series introduction and other entries. Johnny Cash: “The Man Comes Around” Really, only one guy could have the final slot in this series: the man who made dark country his motif by dressing all in...
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