track of the week #110 - Rebels

[Clams]

Time for a few covers. This one off The Fine Print. Seems like an appropriate song for DBT to cover and a pretty faithful version as well. They don't play this one often, at least not anymore.




Honey don't walk out, I'm too drunk to follow
You know you won't feel this way tomorrow
Well, maybe a little rough around the edges
Or inside a little hollow,
I get faced with some things, sometimes
That are so hard to swallow, hey!

Chorus
I was born a rebel, down in Dixie
On a Sunday mornin'
Yeah with one foot in the grave
And one foot on the pedal, I was born a rebel

She picked me up in the mornin', and she paid all my tickets
Then she screamed in the car
Left me out in the thicket
Well I never woulda dreamed
That her heart was so wicked
Yeah but I keep comin' back
'Cause it's so hard to kick it, hey, hey, hey

(Repeat Chorus)

Even before my father's father
They called us all rebels
While they burned our cornfields
And left our cities leveled
I can still feel the eyes of those blue-bellied devils
Yeah, when I'm walking round at night
Through the concrete and metal, hey, hey, hey

[Zip City]

Really love this one, because while it works perfectly as a cover, it's also not something you'd expect Patterson to write. I also love how the first chorus is more subdued, and that each consecutive chorus gets more energetic.

I do wish they'd play it more, though I've had the good fortune to see them do it once.

[Swamp]

I believe we got it in Gainesville 06'

[RolanK]

Actually one of the very few DBT recordings I don't really care for.

[Sterling Big Mouth]

Hey, hey, hey!

[Rocky]

I played this one time for someone and asked if they recognized the song. It was so Truckered they did not.

Love EZB's drumming, Jason's background vocals and the general dynamics of the song, which Zip mentioned. I find myself looking forward to Patterson singing "them blue bellied devils" and "concrete and metal." So fucking rock 'n roll.

[Iowan]

Such a great song, and DBT does a fantastic, faithful cover.

[Smitty]

I swear on the King of the Hill episode, Patterson sings "one foot in the grave" instead of "the ground", so there must be another take out there somewhere. Always bothered me, but I'm weird like that.

[Sub]

The King Of The Hill version is definitely different then The Fine Print one. The little bit it does play is awesome.

[mwh]

DBT's best cover song.

[Smitty]

DBT's best cover song.

Play it all night long?

[Zip City]

DBT's best cover song.

Play it all night long?

+1

[mwh]

DBT's best cover song.

Play it all night long?

Great song. I like Rebels better.

[Smitty]

Great song. I like Rebels better.

I guess I give em more credit for PIANL cuz they transformed the original... there's one live version where they just sound pissed off about something happening in the crowd, and jason is saying something about "back home we drink beers, not throw em" or some shit and they blast into it... menacing vibe.

[Iowan]

Tom Petty "Rebels" > Warren Zevon "Play It All Night Long"

DBT "Play It All Night Long" > DBT "Rebels"

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Back when they first starting playing this they were also covering "Hey Ya". In fact, I think they did both of them at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh one night. Shows from that time period hold very fond memories for me because back then it wasn't uncommon to see lots of my local friends turn out to see the Truckers. Not so much anymore since the Truckers are apparently too big for them these days.

[GTO]

I played this one time for someone and asked if they recognized the song. It was so Truckered they did not.

I believe that. I hadn't heard the original in a while when I got The Fine Print. When I went back to listen to the Tom Petty version, it didn't even sound like the same song. The DBT cover is MUCH better, which isn't surprising. Petty always was a little too polished.

[UncleFrank1990]

Actually the first of DBT I ever heard, from that King Of The Hill episode. Got me interested in the band, but it was awhile before I bought an album proper. "The Fine Print" definitely wasn't released yet, so I had no way of getting the song. Fast forward a year or two, DBT was about to do a show in Columbia, MO in May 2010 so I went out and bought "A Blessing and A Curse," since the local club was advertising the show with "Aftermath USA," then I fall in love with "Gravity's Gone." Think I bought SRO before that show too. I'm sure I annoyed the shit out of my college roommate, since that's all I played in the dorm room for about a month. Definitely had "The Big To-Do," since I wanted to keep current on the album that they were touring behind. Then I go to the show, get blown away, and buy "Brighter Than Creation's Dark," "Gangstabilly," and "Pizza Deliverance." Long story short, I end up buying all the albums over the course of about a month.

Sorry for rambling, and I'm sure I've told this story millions of times on here, but I like telling it. Now what were we talking about?

[GuitarManUpstairs]

Tom Petty "Rebels" > Warren Zevon "Play It All Night Long"

DBT "Play It All Night Long" > DBT "Rebels"

I'd Modify this slightly to say IMO...

Warren Zevon "Play It All Night Long > Tom Petty "Rebels"

and

DBT "Play It All Night Long" > DBT "Rebels" ....but not far and away but by a significant stretch. I do love the Rebels but the "throw myself against the wall" bit at the end of PIANL and dark menacing guitars make it pure uncut R&R catharsis. However I was actually born ...down in Dixie...On a Sunday morning...and I also would like to at least think of myself as somewhat rebellious but that is subjective I suppose.

[Kevidently]

Fantastic version. Love the Tom Petty version, but this one is almost more subdued and reflective. I love the way Patterson sneaks up on "hey, hey, hey," where Petty shouts it. Great interpretation ... though my favorite cover is "Like a Rolling Stone."

[colodogdoc]

Once at work (we play Sirius through the clinic; epic battles have been fought over the right to control the channel, but I digress) I stopped doing what I was doing because something that was playing caught my ear. I said to myself, hey, somebody is covering the Drive-By Truckers; who IS this???

Took me about 10 seconds before I realized it was Tom Petty doing the original.

[buddymo]

Does anyone think DBT regrets recording this cover now? The song has so much Lost Cause in it, it could've been commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

[Iowan]

Does anyone think DBT regrets recording this cover now? The song has so much Lost Cause in it, it could've been commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

I'd hope not.

[Smitty]

Does anyone think DBT regrets recording this cover now? The song has so much Lost Cause in it, it could've been commissioned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

I disagree. It doesn't say anything that isn't in the Southern Thing. Merely acknowledging the Civil War isn't the same as parroting the lost cause narrative. Although I would be surprised if it popped up in a setlist.

[WarHenRecords]

Really great cover.
Not my favorite on TFP but strong nonetheless. I give the nod to the Tom T. Hall song. LOVE it.

[Smitty]

Best cover on TFP is Play It All Night Long.

[Sterling Bigmouth]

1. Rebels
2. Mama Bake a Pie
3. Play It All Night Long
4. Like A Rolling Stone

My totally objective, non-biased, scientific opinion.

[angryandy]

I wonder if this song will get played this week in tribute to Mr. Petty?

[rlipps]

I wonder if this song will get played this week in tribute to Mr. Petty?

I didn't make it to the Lexington, KY show last night, but I did see where a friend posted they played a Petty song. Not sure if it was Rebels or maybe they broke out The Waiting, since I read on here they were in the process of working that one up.

[John A Arkansawyer]

I wonder if this song will get played this week in tribute to Mr. Petty?

I didn't make it to the Lexington, KY show last night, but I did see where a friend posted they played a Petty song. Not sure if it was Rebels or maybe they broke out The Waiting, since I read on here they were in the process of working that one up.

It was The Waiting and I saw it posted to Facebook. I also read they teased Southern Accents into one of their own songs.