I’m pretty sure that I’m the only 3DDer that admits to liking "Mrs. Dubose". I love the guitar and I love Rob Malone’s voice and I love the dogs barking in the background. This song first resonated for me when I was running outside on an extreme cold and blustery day in January of 2009. With my earphones jammed in my ear, I could hear the dogs for the first time and I imagined two guys playing their guitars in their back porch in the middle of summer, drinking beer and getting ready to barbeque. Corny I know, but it helped me get through the run. I never really focused too much on the lyrics, but I love Rob Malone’s delivery, particular of the line “When My Body Dies...

I couldn’t find too much background information on this song, except Patterson mentions on the DBT website that his dogs were fighting over which one got to eat each other’s puke. Hence, the reason for the dogs barking in the background. Looking at the lyrics below, this song appears to be about an elderly, insane woman who is dying and who, most likely, is a junkie. I’m guessing the character in this song is based on Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose a minor character in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which I haven’t read since high school and probably should read again at some point in my life. In the book, she’s bitter elderly, racist who is a morphine addict.

I wish I was on board with the Truckers when Rob Malone was around as I am a fan of his few contributions. All I see now is that he is a member of the Fiddleworms.

Lyrics to Mrs. Dubose
Jupiter mules oh, the kickin' out all the stops Newfangled dogs danglin' stars from her eyelids She can't read between the lies anymore Lord, help her rise just one more time if you can So still the children read to her till she opens up her hands When my body dies will you remember my name? When my body dies will you remember my name?

Oh, Mrs. Dubose you were such a flower There you're all dead inside, so withered and insane Oh, Mrs. Dubose you were such a flower You got the death, the dust and the opium runnin' through Runnin' through, run through your veins

So black maid stays 'cause she's paid to be around Condemned and scared for all she knows So you better look at the road when you pass She gonna fix you with that evil eye
Unless you're holdin' your old man's hand You better pass on by, you better pass on by When my body dies will you remember my name? Lord, when my body dies will you remember my name?

Oh, Mrs. Dubose you were such a flower There you're all dead inside, so withered and insane So, oh, Mrs. Dubose, yeah, you were such a flower You got the death, the dust and the opium runnin' through Runnin' through your veins

Make that two 3DD'ers who admit to liking this song. This was the last of the Rob Malone songs I was introduced to as I had already heard "Moved" and "Cassie's Brother" before (really like them too). I absolutely love playing this one in my car on a hot day with the windows down. Turn that shit up!

I also have an affinity for the Rob Malone years, probably because I wore the living shit out of Gangstabilly and Pizza Deliverance when I first got them back in '99. He was also obviously still in the line up the first 4-5 times I saw the Truckers back in those days. Glad to see some light shone on Rob's contributions to the band here. Seems a lot of folks just aren't fans of his and that his time with the band is often completely overlooked.

I love "moved", but otherwise not crazy about Malone's songs. I do love his guitar work, though.

This song is crap and doesn't belong in the DBT cannon. Sounds like 90's grunge.

His originals are just so out of line with the rest of DBT's sound that they feel like huge interruptions to the records.

I might like them better if they weren't on DBT records

I like his voice, but I'm not a big fan of this song. It seems so out of place in hindsight. Just kind of weird.

His best spotlight moment in my mind is on Wallace.

I agree with both Iowan and Zip.

I like his voice fine. I've just never cared for his songs much because it feels like whip lash when one of them comes on. What he did was so far from what Patterson and Cooley do that his songs just have always felt really out of place to me.

Not too long ago we were in the truck and Moved was on as soon as I cranked up. My wife said, "Who is this?" I told her it was DBT and she wouldn't believe me. I had to take the CD out of the player and show her.

His songs aren't bad. They just don't fit on DBT albums at all. He's way more bluesy. The whole thing just feels weird.

As for the song, I always thought it was inspired by the character of the same name in To Kill A Mockingbird.

I agree the song may be out of place, but it's fantastic. GG hits the nail on the head by pointing out how intimate and true the recording is. No studio magic, just pure soul.

In the book, Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict who decided to get clean before passing on. Listening to the children read gave her something to focus on instead of the pain of going through withdrawal. At the end of the book, Atticus tells Jem that he made him read to her so he could see what real courage looks like.

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and it's awesome Rob Malone wrote a song about it. And while we're talking about Malone, his solo on The Company I Keep is one of my favorites in the entire DBT catalogue.

I think "Mrs. Dubose" is Malone's best. He didn't really fit in as the third songwriter but his guitar work was great. Jason was a much better fit. Shonna's songs complimented Patterson's and Cooley's better than Malone's. But who knows? Malone might have developed had be stayed and the spark you see in songs like "Mrs. Dubose" and "Moved" might have blossomed into something entirely different. (Yes, I know I'm mixing metaphors.)

Sterling Big Mouth wrote:To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and it's awesome Rob Malone wrote a song about it. And while we're talking about Malone, his solo on The Company I Keep is one of my favorites in the entire DBT catalogue.

Isn't Rob Malone "the devil himself" in the Company I Keep?

RevMatt wrote:I think "Mrs. Dubose" is Malone's best. He didn't really fit in as the third songwriter but his guitar work was great. Jason was a much better fit. Shonna's songs complimented Patterson's and Cooley's better than Malone's. But who knows? Malone might have developed had be stayed and the spark you see in songs like "Mrs. Dubose" and "Moved" might have blossomed into something entirely different. (Yes, I know I'm mixing metaphors.)

Check out The Fiddleworms. I got a few of their albums and they're not really my cup of tea - but "Piss On the Working Class" is my favorite Malone song aside from "Moved". (It's on Year of the Cock)

Gang Green wrote:

Sterling Big Mouth wrote:To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and it's awesome Rob Malone wrote a song about it. And while we're talking about Malone, his solo on The Company I Keep is one of my favorites in the entire DBT catalogue.

Isn't Rob Malone "the devil himself" in the Company I Keep?

I'm pretty sure he is. At least I recall that being his nickname back in the day.

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:

Gang Green wrote:

Sterling Big Mouth wrote:To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and it's awesome Rob Malone wrote a song about it. And while we're talking about Malone, his solo on The Company I Keep is one of my favorites in the entire DBT catalogue.

Isn't Rob Malone "the devil himself" in the Company I Keep?

I'm pretty sure he is. At least I recall that being his nickname back in the day.

He's also introduced as "The Devil Rob Malone" on Alabama Ass Whuppin'. I've always assumed his nickname was the reason he sang "Wallace" even though Patterson wrote it.

So my son is reading To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time. The kids are homeschooling this school year, and my wife is rereading the book with my son. My wife left a list of questions regarding the book for my son, and one involved “Mrs. Dubose”. I immediate thought of this song!