DBT Tracks - Week #1 - Zip City

[olwiggum]

I still have that segment on my DVR. Colbert himself didn't actually show up, but people were still very excited about the guy that showed up. I think his name was Tad.

[Fool No Where]

Just wanted to point out that it's "Colbert Heights", not "Colburn" or "Culver".

I may not know the diff between bridges and britches but I've always known it was Colbert Heights.

[beergut]

Here's my Zip City funny - I ran my first marathon this past January in 17 degree weather. As I was shuffling across a frozen bridge and thinking I might not make it, Zip City came on my ipod. All of a sudden it dawned on me - a marathon is 26.2 miles - I'm running from Zip City to Colbert Heights! Well, that gave me a little boost and helped propel me forward. When I ran into Cooley the following week in Athens, I shared that story with him and thanked him for giving me the push I needed to finish. Classic Cooley quote, "Hell, girl, I ain't shore, but I think that trip (Zip City to Colbert Heights) ain't exactly 26 miles. The way I figure it, you ran damn near to Russellville!"

This is nothing short of awesome!

[PeterG]

Here's my Zip City funny - I ran my first marathon this past January in 17 degree weather. As I was shuffling across a frozen bridge and thinking I might not make it, Zip City came on my ipod. All of a sudden it dawned on me - a marathon is 26.2 miles - I'm running from Zip City to Colbert Heights! Well, that gave me a little boost and helped propel me forward. When I ran into Cooley the following week in Athens, I shared that story with him and thanked him for giving me the push I needed to finish. Classic Cooley quote, "Hell, girl, I ain't shore, but I think that trip (Zip City to Colbert Heights) ain't exactly 26 miles. The way I figure it, you ran damn near to Russellville!"

One of the best damn DBT stories i've ever heard...
Congratulations on finishing a marathon, those are some tough miles.

[bovine knievel]

Here's my Zip City funny - I ran my first marathon this past January in 17 degree weather. As I was shuffling across a frozen bridge and thinking I might not make it, Zip City came on my ipod. All of a sudden it dawned on me - a marathon is 26.2 miles - I'm running from Zip City to Colbert Heights! Well, that gave me a little boost and helped propel me forward. When I ran into Cooley the following week in Athens, I shared that story with him and thanked him for giving me the push I needed to finish. Classic Cooley quote, "Hell, girl, I ain't shore, but I think that trip (Zip City to Colbert Heights) ain't exactly 26 miles. The way I figure it, you ran damn near to Russellville!"

Great story, Lurleen.

For the record:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Zip+City,+AL&daddr=Colbert+Heights+al&geocode=FaZeFQId3kfG-inFIIe76DB9iDFLrYeiCBKR4Q%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=34.954918,-87.66877&sspn=0.009567,0.01929&ie=UTF8&ll=34.817749,-87.657166&spn=0.306662,0.617294&z=11

[Steve French]

Here's my Zip City funny - I ran my first marathon this past January in 17 degree weather. As I was shuffling across a frozen bridge and thinking I might not make it, Zip City came on my ipod. All of a sudden it dawned on me - a marathon is 26.2 miles - I'm running from Zip City to Colbert Heights! Well, that gave me a little boost and helped propel me forward. When I ran into Cooley the following week in Athens, I shared that story with him and thanked him for giving me the push I needed to finish. Classic Cooley quote, "Hell, girl, I ain't shore, but I think that trip (Zip City to Colbert Heights) ain't exactly 26 miles. The way I figure it, you ran damn near to Russellville!"

Fantastic!!

[RevMatt]

Nice to see everything on a map. Now, someone tell me where is the "holler" that Uncle Frank lived before he got flooded out? I assume all the wide areas on the Tennessee River that are called "lakes" are the result of dams. Would that one area west of Muscle Shoals, Goose Pond Slough I believe, be the former home of Uncle Frank?

[bovine knievel]

Nice to see everything on a map. Now, someone tell me where is the "holler" that Uncle Frank lived before he got flooded out? I assume all the wide areas on the Tennessee River that are called "lakes" are the result of dams. Would that one area west of Muscle Shoals, Goose Pond Slough I believe, be the former home of Uncle Frank?

it's hollow not holler. WWCD likes you to holla at him too

[RevMatt]

In honor of Chester Adams passing, I propose that "Eighteen Wheels of Love" be next week's DBT Track.

[beantownbubba]

Love that story, Lurleen!

[yessaidyes]

Another small lil tidbit that may/may not have anything to do with the "inbreeding" issue (funny a yankee automatically assumes a song that takes place in alabama has to address that subject((juss fuckin with ya btb)) ) - Cooley mentioned in an interview sometime lately (don't feel like lookin it up) that he ran into the girl he wrote that song about and was kinda embarrassed but apparently she was flattered - I guess calling your sister a whore and your brother secretly gay can be accepted, but I can't imagine she would feel the same way if incest was insinuated (unless it flew over her head too)

I read the same interview and it clarified somethings for me. Disclaimer: I really love Cooley's writing style and I think just about every song he's written. I do find myself, however, sometimes wishing to hear all these womens' sides of the story. I really appreciated that in that interview mentioned above he made a comment about how it is this kid complaining about just trying to get some play but really even if he had gotten it, he wouldn't know what to do with it anyways. This made me appreciate that darker side and (often) misogynistic undertones present in Cooley's work. It seems to be tongue-in-cheek, because the men aren't perfect and neither are the women in his songs--but we usually get the male perspective and I think he really reached a new level (certainly of my admiration) with "Your Woman is a Living Thing."

[cortez the killer]

I do find myself, however, sometimes wishing to hear all these womens' sides of the story. I really appreciated that in that interview mentioned above he made a comment about how it is this kid complaining about just trying to get some play but really even if he had gotten it, he wouldn't know what to do with it anyways. This made me appreciate that darker side and (often) misogynistic undertones present in Cooley's work. It seems to be tongue-in-cheek, because the men aren't perfect and neither are the women in his songs--but we usually get the male perspective and I think he really reached a new level (certainly of my admiration) with "Your Woman is a Living Thing."

"Birthday Boy"

[Clams]

I do find myself, however, sometimes wishing to hear all these womens' sides of the story. I really appreciated that in that interview mentioned above he made a comment about how it is this kid complaining about just trying to get some play but really even if he had gotten it, he wouldn't know what to do with it anyways. This made me appreciate that darker side and (often) misogynistic undertones present in Cooley's work. It seems to be tongue-in-cheek, because the men aren't perfect and neither are the women in his songs--but we usually get the male perspective and I think he really reached a new level (certainly of my admiration) with "Your Woman is a Living Thing."

"Birthday Boy"

Also Sounds Better in the Song and Loaded Gun.

that was a great Cooley interview, he really shed (shedded?) a lot of light on his songs, which he rarely ever did before. Anyone have the link?

[RMD]

Cooley nails it on this one, EVERYTIME I hear it I think of all the crap I used to do and think at that age.

[midniterambler]

Cooley nails it on this one, EVERYTIME I hear it I think of all the crap I used to do and think at that age.

I think that's why it's so popular. It reminds us of things that we've done, thought, or felt. And the chord progression is so powerful. It just gives this great epic feel to being young and wild and harkens back to a simpler time in your life, when getting laid was all that mattered. But you don't realise how easy you have it when you're 17 and the character in the song doesn't realise it either and that's part of Cooley's genius. I think "Zip City" is the quintessential ode to teenage dirtbags.

[Nitsua87]

It's been said before, but this is easily a Top 3 Cooley song for me. "But, maybe you're just a destination; a place for me to go/keeps me from having to deal with my 17-year old mind all alone". Who hasn't felt that at 17?

[Duke Silver]

just listened to SRO in the car, and a new thing occurred to me (re: fingers/toes)

The line as sung/written is:

Your Brother was the first-born, got ten fingers and ten toes

I think the confusion is that people are replacing the comma with the word "who's", meaning it's one sentence:

Your Brother was the first-born who's got ten fingers and ten toes

On listening again, I think it's two separate thought (or the second part of the line is linked to the following line, not this one).

This time, I heard it more as:

Your Brother was the first-born
[He's] got ten fingers and ten toes
And it's a damn good thing cuz he'll need all 20 to keep the closet door closed

/fin

What's the difference?

[Smitty]

just listened to SRO in the car, and a new thing occurred to me (re: fingers/toes)

The line as sung/written is:

Your Brother was the first-born, got ten fingers and ten toes

I think the confusion is that people are replacing the comma with the word "who's", meaning it's one sentence:

Your Brother was the first-born who's got ten fingers and ten toes

On listening again, I think it's two separate thought (or the second part of the line is linked to the following line, not this one).

This time, I heard it more as:

Your Brother was the first-born
[He's] got ten fingers and ten toes
And it's a damn good thing cuz he'll need all 20 to keep the closet door closed

/fin

What's the difference?

he was the first one born with ten fingers and ten toes
he was the first one born, and he had all his fingers and toes

[Duke Silver]

just listened to SRO in the car, and a new thing occurred to me (re: fingers/toes)

The line as sung/written is:

Your Brother was the first-born, got ten fingers and ten toes

I think the confusion is that people are replacing the comma with the word "who's", meaning it's one sentence:

Your Brother was the first-born who's got ten fingers and ten toes

On listening again, I think it's two separate thought (or the second part of the line is linked to the following line, not this one).

This time, I heard it more as:

Your Brother was the first-born
[He's] got ten fingers and ten toes
And it's a damn good thing cuz he'll need all 20 to keep the closet door closed

/fin

What's the difference?

he was the first one born with ten fingers and ten toes
he was the first one born, and he had all his fingers and toes

Ah, gotcha. Very subtle. I've always heard it the second way.

[brettac1]

The brother's gay.

And this is the best song ever.

[phungi]

Just came across this illustrated interpretation of Zip City on YouTube...

Not sure if this has been posted/discussed but thought it was pretty creative:

[BB Coach]

Thanks for sharing. That is really good. Love the slow-mo guitar interplay with Pat and Cooley. Would be cool to see some of their other stories illustrated like this.

[RolanK]

Was it the same guy who also did the 12:01 animation a while ago? (Or was it another song. Or was I dreaming?)