dbt tracks week 19 - Where the Devil Don't Stay

[phungi]

In know this is a long-discussed classic, but as one who is only now learning the DBT back-catalogue, these threads are a great resource.

One question that has not been asked: why did Mama call the law? The first verse sets up "Daddy" as one mean mofo, but the act of calling the law on one's husband on grounds of righteousness/religion/morality is tough to swallow... the lyrics set up imagery in which it is easy to imagine abuse, violence, etc,in the marriage... that said, while that line sets up the next, which sets up "where the devil don't stay", I am still confused as to its origin/meaning.

[John A Arkansawyer]

One question that has not been asked: why did Mama call the law? The first verse sets up "Daddy" as one mean mofo, but the act of calling the law on one's husband on grounds of righteousness/religion/morality is tough to swallow... the lyrics set up imagery in which it is easy to imagine abuse, violence, etc,in the marriage... that said, while that line sets up the next, which sets up "where the devil don't stay", I am still confused as to its origin/meaning.

I think I can get close. Could be he's sick enough on the rotgut for Mama to call the ambulance, which is going to lead to the law, probably bringing the law along with it. Or it could be she loves him enough that seeing him this sick drives her to desperate measures. Or it could be he did something really awful, or threatened to, while he was that bad sick and she doesn't think she's got a choice at this point. Could be he's fucked up enough to be wigged out, paranoid, and wrong. Whatever it is, Cooley doesn't tell us directly, just gives us the son's point of view. He does that a lot.

[ramonz]

I used to think that "squeezing all his luck from a hot copper wire" was "squeezing all his luck from a hot cuppa wired." As in....coffee.

Regarding Uncle Ed:
PH, from WTDDS wiki page - "Cooley wrote this one, based on a poem by his uncle Ed Cooley. Ed got to be there when we recorded it. Think he packed for a long evening of recording, but we'd been playing it live for a year or so and ended up nailing it in one take. Think Ed might have been a little disappointed by that."

[Rocky]

The only way to make this song any better is knowing it's a first take. Holy shit.

[Beaverdam]

For years I had wondered if the "40 watt light" line was Cooley's way of paying homage to the 40 watt club...maybe just coincidence. I realize a 40 watt light wouldn't provide much light for a moonshiner.

I was reminded of this in thinking about my first pilgrimage to the 40 watt (less than a week)!

[Eem]

"Never Gonna Change" is the first DBT song I heard and enjoyed, but this is the one that made DBT click for me. The way that first slide fill after the "woods where my daddy stayed" line surrounds the speakers is the "holy shit" moment you need to really fall in love with a band

[RolanK]

A couple of years ago I learned that there is a place a few miles from where I live named Poker Woods (Pokerskogen in Norwegian, skog = wood or a small forrest). It popped up as a name on my GPS as I was driving past it. Did some research, and it turns out it used to be a place where people would assemble and indulge in drinking and card-games back in the days where such activity was prohibited over here. No more forrest there today. Only highway and warehouse buildings.

[phungi]

A couple of years ago I learned that there is a place a few miles from where I live named Poker Woods (Pokerskogen in Norwegian, skog = wood or a small forrest). It popped up as a name on my GPS as I was driving past it. Did some research, and it turns out it used to be a place where people would assemble and indulge in drinking and card-games back in the days where such activity was prohibited over here. No more forrest there today. Only highway and warehouse buildings.

someone needs to get get a Cooley mic-swab and send it to one of those DNA search places... Cooleyagaard?

[Flea]

A couple of years ago I learned that there is a place a few miles from where I live named Poker Woods (Pokerskogen in Norwegian, skog = wood or a small forrest). It popped up as a name on my GPS as I was driving past it. Did some research, and it turns out it used to be a place where people would assemble and indulge in drinking and card-games back in the days where such activity was prohibited over here. No more forrest there today. Only highway and warehouse buildings.

The song has always reminded me of this NC oddity: The Devil's Tramping Ground

https://northcarolinaghosts.com/piedmon ... ng-ground/
https://northcarolinaghosts.com/piedmon ... ary-truth/

[RolanK]

A couple of years ago I learned that there is a place a few miles from where I live named Poker Woods (Pokerskogen in Norwegian, skog = wood or a small forrest). It popped up as a name on my GPS as I was driving past it. Did some research, and it turns out it used to be a place where people would assemble and indulge in drinking and card-games back in the days where such activity was prohibited over here. No more forrest there today. Only highway and warehouse buildings.

someone needs to get get a Cooley mic-swab and send it to one of those DNA search places... Cooleyagaard?

I am thinking maybe Cooleyrud, Cooleybø or if they go way back; Cooleystad

[Cole Younger]

A couple of years ago I learned that there is a place a few miles from where I live named Poker Woods (Pokerskogen in Norwegian, skog = wood or a small forrest). It popped up as a name on my GPS as I was driving past it. Did some research, and it turns out it used to be a place where people would assemble and indulge in drinking and card-games back in the days where such activity was prohibited over here. No more forrest there today. Only highway and warehouse buildings.

The song has always reminded me of this NC oddity: The Devil's Tramping Ground

https://northcarolinaghosts.com/piedmon ... ng-ground/
https://northcarolinaghosts.com/piedmon ... ary-truth/

Interesting read, Flea. I love reading about local oddities that different places have. NC is a weird place. I mean that in a good way. Lots of stuff like that up there. Georgia has a lot of it too.