SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

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Clams
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SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by Clams »

Very Heat Lightning-ish. In the EO thread, I posted that i thought the song sounded very autobiographical but I got shot down by others who said it couldn't be because (a) the protagonist is female and (b) the lyrics could apply equally to lots of artsy/musician types and not just PH. All that may be true, but I still think a good chunk of the song fits what I know about Patterson's life. I also struggle with the meaning of the lyric about "all the whiteness you've obtained."


Your momma can’t stand the way you lay around all day
and lean on her to help you on your way
You use her credit cards, complain cause it’s so hard
to live with all the whiteness you’ve obtained

So you pack up all your things and cut those apron strings
and set out for a drastic change of scene
You hump it town to town and never let them down
or take the time to ponder what it means

You climb up to the roof to smoke a few
and calm down from your day and soak the view
and you wonder what the hell you’re gonna do
to hang on

It isn’t any wonder when the darkness pulls you under
from the weight of all your wonderment
and the price you have to pay
leaves you feeling kinda sickly and it all comes due so quickly
it’s hard to get out from under it

The night it grows so long but you put it in a song
that suddenly the whole world wants to sing
So you move to higher ground and set some deep roots down
and try to keep your grip on everything

Sometimes in the silence of the night
that voice might try to tell you it’s not right
you close your eyes and try with all your might
to hang on




Here's a video of the song from the opening night of this year's homecoming that I dug up on Youtube...
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by John A Arkansawyer »

Clams wrote:I got shot down by others who said it couldn't be because (a) the protagonist is female


I'm not seeing what makes this protagonist female. Did they unpack that for you?
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by beantownbubba »

John A Arkansawyer wrote:
Clams wrote:I got shot down by others who said it couldn't be because (a) the protagonist is female


I'm not seeing what makes this protagonist female. Did they unpack that for you?


Yeah, I don't get that either.
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phungi
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by phungi »

Clams wrote:I also struggle with the meaning of the lyric about "all the whiteness you've obtained."

[i]Your momma can’t stand the way you lay around all day
and lean on her to help you on your way
You use her credit cards, complain cause it’s so hard
to live with all the whiteness you’ve obtained


I interpret this in the context of "who else can lay around all day in their parents' house, use their plastic, and complain about it, other than an entitled upper-middle- to upper-class white kid"...
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by 211poundsofpork »

I agree with Clams: It is very Heat Lightningish. I like the song, but it is still my least favorite on EO. Definitely belongs on a Patterson album.

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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by RolanK »

Love it! Always did. Remember listening to it a few months ago, late at night under the stars with a bonfire and good buzz going. It was just perfect for that moment.
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Clams
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by Clams »

beantownbubba wrote:
John A Arkansawyer wrote:
Clams wrote:I got shot down by others who said it couldn't be because (a) the protagonist is female


I'm not seeing what makes this protagonist female. Did they unpack that for you?


Yeah, I don't get that either.




viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5833&start=1260#p223882

I want saying that the protagonist really is female, just that my autobiographical theory got shot down for it.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by beantownbubba »

Clams wrote:
beantownbubba wrote:
John A Arkansawyer wrote:Yeah, I don't get that either.




viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5833&start=1260#p223882

I want saying that the protagonist really is female, just that my autobiographical theory got shot down for it.


Geez one comment and you get all sensitive and shit. Grow a thicker shell, mollusk man.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by Zip City »

My test of whether a Patterson song should be on a DBT vs. a solo album is "can I detect The Cooley?"

On this one (and Walter), the answer is no
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

I originally thought the protagonist was female. I no longer think that. The internet is forever and I blame Clams. Carry on.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by jbshelton »

I've always assumed the protagonist was a female too.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by RevMatt »

It is a musician/artist. Could be male or female. At the early stage -- just past high school -- there is little difference between the budding musician and the late adolescent slacker. They live at home. Sometimes mom supports by allowing the band to rehearse, letting him borrow her credit card for the SG at the guitar shop he absolutely needs. She might even let him bring along a credit card when the band does a small tour. The musician resents this. It makes him feel lame and like a poseur.

Eventually the musician makes the commitment to leave home, his small town and move where all the bands are based. Some town with a scene. He makes the commitment to a life of touring, humping gear from town to town. At this stage he doesn't "ponder what it means" because there is no time for self reflection when you are busting your ass establishing a career.

The next stage is the darkness. The artist has to deal with his or her own demons. It is a hard life even if he isn't depressed. There are easier ways to make 15,000 a year. Dreams are dashed.

The only way out is for the artist to write about it. Explore it. Face it head on. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm satisfied" The result is the best work he's ever done. Success is the dividend.

Now the artist is managing life after success. It does not solve your underlying problems and brings about some new ones.

Sometimes, that same voice that has haunted you all your life starts speaking to you. It tells you things aren't right. You ward it off and hang on.

Is the song autobiographical? To an extent but the situation isn't exclusive to the narrator. Or even artists. Patterson has explored this throughout his career. "Lookout Mountain", "Hell No I Ain't Happy", "Heavy and Hanging", the entire Heat Lightning album. Part of his legend is that he moved to Athens the day they found Kurt Cobain. Artistic unhappiness, depression, suicidal ideation are all themes that have appeared in just about every period of his career. He is on the board of directors of Nuci's Space.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by phungi »

RevMatt say they could be male or female, they could be male or female!
Image
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

RevMatt wrote:It is a musician/artist. Could be male or female. At the early stage -- just past high school -- there is little difference between the budding musician and the late adolescent slacker. They live at home. Sometimes mom supports by allowing the band to rehearse, letting him borrow her credit card for the SG at the guitar shop he absolutely needs. She might even let him bring along a credit card when the band does a small tour. The musician resents this. It makes him feel lame and like a poseur.

Eventually the musician makes the commitment to leave home, his small town and move where all the bands are based. Some town with a scene. He makes the commitment to a life of touring, humping gear from town to town. At this stage he doesn't "ponder what it means" because there is no time for self reflection when you are busting your ass establishing a career.

The next stage is the darkness. The artist has to deal with his or her own demons. It is a hard life even if he isn't depressed. There are easier ways to make 15,000 a year. Dreams are dashed.

The only way out is for the artist to write about it. Explore it. Face it head on. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm satisfied" The result is the best work he's ever done. Success is the dividend.

Now the artist is managing life after success. It does not solve your underlying problems and brings about some new ones.

Sometimes, that same voice that has haunted you all your life starts speaking to you. It tells you things aren't right. You ward it off and hang on.

Is the song autobiographical? To an extent but the situation isn't exclusive to the narrator. Or even artists. Patterson has explored this throughout his career. "Lookout Mountain", "Hell No I Ain't Happy", "Heavy and Hanging", the entire Heat Lightning album. Part of his legend is that he moved to Athens the day they found Kurt Cobain. Artistic unhappiness, depression, suicidal ideation are all themes that have appeared in just about every period of his career. He is on the board of directors of Nuci's Space.


Honestly Rev, I don't always agree with your assessments of songs (although I think you're probably right more than wrong) but this one, well it's good. Damned good. I don't know if it's what Patterson had in mind or not but from a literary criticism point of view it works beautifully. Nice job man.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by LBRod »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:Honestly Rev, nice job man.

Yes. 100% agree.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by phungi »

Just saw that Hanging On was dedicated to RevMatt last night...
We got messed up minds for these messed up times...

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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by RevMatt »

Tequila Cowboy wrote:
RevMatt wrote:It is a musician/artist. Could be male or female. At the early stage -- just past high school -- there is little difference between the budding musician and the late adolescent slacker. They live at home. Sometimes mom supports by allowing the band to rehearse, letting him borrow her credit card for the SG at the guitar shop he absolutely needs. She might even let him bring along a credit card when the band does a small tour. The musician resents this. It makes him feel lame and like a poseur.

Eventually the musician makes the commitment to leave home, his small town and move where all the bands are based. Some town with a scene. He makes the commitment to a life of touring, humping gear from town to town. At this stage he doesn't "ponder what it means" because there is no time for self reflection when you are busting your ass establishing a career.

The next stage is the darkness. The artist has to deal with his or her own demons. It is a hard life even if he isn't depressed. There are easier ways to make 15,000 a year. Dreams are dashed.

The only way out is for the artist to write about it. Explore it. Face it head on. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm satisfied" The result is the best work he's ever done. Success is the dividend.

Now the artist is managing life after success. It does not solve your underlying problems and brings about some new ones.

Sometimes, that same voice that has haunted you all your life starts speaking to you. It tells you things aren't right. You ward it off and hang on.

Is the song autobiographical? To an extent but the situation isn't exclusive to the narrator. Or even artists. Patterson has explored this throughout his career. "Lookout Mountain", "Hell No I Ain't Happy", "Heavy and Hanging", the entire Heat Lightning album. Part of his legend is that he moved to Athens the day they found Kurt Cobain. Artistic unhappiness, depression, suicidal ideation are all themes that have appeared in just about every period of his career. He is on the board of directors of Nuci's Space.


Honestly Rev, I don't always agree with your assessments of songs (although I think you're probably right more than wrong) but this one, well it's good. Damned good. I don't know if it's what Patterson had in mind or not but from a literary criticism point of view it works beautifully. Nice job man.

Thanks. It took me three years of seminary to learn how to do that. I was trained to exegete Biblical passages but I'd rather apply my skills to DBT songs.
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Re: SOTW # 150 - Hanging On

Post by RevMatt »

phungi wrote:Just saw that Hanging On was dedicated to RevMatt last night...

Yes, it was a humbling experience, believe it or not.

After the show a dj from a local radio station told me that it was his first time seeing The Truckers. What struck him was the connection between the band and the audience. He said that he'd never seen it outside of a local band playing a local show for people they've known for years. The way the band and audience fed off each other felt totally genuine, like it was a party among a couple hundred friends. I told him that no other band makes as much of an effort to get to know their fans. It has the feel of a genuine community between the audience, band and crew.
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