Jerry Joseph & the Stiff Boys
Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:15 am
Xpost from FB:
I've started typing up about ten different posts about Jerry Joseph and the Stiff Boys' Saturday set and I just haven't been able to find the words to articulate not just how absolutely captivating I was by Jerry's stage presence or even how extraordinarily blown away I was by the time it was over, but to express how interesting to look around and gauge the reactions of other heathens as most of us experienced those songs for the first time; there was a lot to process, to say the least. And goddamn are those songs something else. While they all sounded great, especially Days of Heaven and San Acacia, the two that had the biggest effect on me were "Sugar Smacks" and *surprise* "Dead Confederate". Both were very provocative, even (especially?) to a DBT crowd; the latter is really fucking brave at this point and time because as obvious as the point is to anyone who actually listens to it; well, anyone who finds fucking slavery appalling will get it, (which may be less of a consensus than we think ffs) but it's ripe for misinterpretation from a lot of differeby angles; it's like Jerry told "the southern thing" to hold his beer. Such a brilliant, powerful thought-provoking song that's impossible for me to sing along with. I should also point out that while it kicks ass on live recordings with the Jackmormons backing him up, having DB...er the Stiff Boys, a gang of the some of the most outspoken, influential southern men in rock n roll, backing him up takes it to another level. Context, heathens.
And then there was "Sugar Smacks". Every bit as thought-provoking and provocative as "Dead Confederate" but instead of a mournful march through a graveyard it's a pissed-off strut through a dark alley. It's not really confused, maybe a good bit overwhelmed though; it's got the thread it's just too big to figure how exactly where it runs. No easy answers here either, which seems to be a theme in Joseph's work.
But there ya go. Don't think I hit the mark exactly as I wanted but maybe you get the idea.
"Dead Confederate"
Alabama, Alabama
Heat lightning from the Nick
And all's I see is project housing
Chicken bones and broken bricks
Standing, I been standing
the better part of 80 years
With my Jim Crow benediction
Ropes and hoods and local cheers
Fighting, we were fighting
And our namesake killed for southern gods
Dying, we were dying
Lucifer's divining rite
Selling, we were selling
The bodies of black boys and girls
Yelling, we were yelling
Rebel yell heard 'round the world
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry and I ain't regretting it
Now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
Rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried and I ain't sweating it
Wish they'd just leave me alone
Snowflakes, August snowflakes
Falling here in Birmingham
And I never claimed to think too deep
Never said I understand
Swallowing my granite pride
They haul me out to gravel pits
They forget that I lived and died,
Smashed me up to chips and bits
Buying and selling humans was good work
If you could get it
Well the South could build great pyramids
And rise up if you let it
But they shine their light of righteousness
Upon my unclean darkest deeds
Pulling up my withered roots
Poisoning my righteous seed
Jesus was a white man
and he promised we could rule
So we burn his holy cross in honor
Hang the negro and the fool
Baby I'm gon' rise again
Out on highway 29
In the meantime I'll rejoin the earth
And bide the wicked sands of time
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry and I ain't regretting it
Now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
Rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried and I ain't sweating it
Wish they'd just leave me alone
I've started typing up about ten different posts about Jerry Joseph and the Stiff Boys' Saturday set and I just haven't been able to find the words to articulate not just how absolutely captivating I was by Jerry's stage presence or even how extraordinarily blown away I was by the time it was over, but to express how interesting to look around and gauge the reactions of other heathens as most of us experienced those songs for the first time; there was a lot to process, to say the least. And goddamn are those songs something else. While they all sounded great, especially Days of Heaven and San Acacia, the two that had the biggest effect on me were "Sugar Smacks" and *surprise* "Dead Confederate". Both were very provocative, even (especially?) to a DBT crowd; the latter is really fucking brave at this point and time because as obvious as the point is to anyone who actually listens to it; well, anyone who finds fucking slavery appalling will get it, (which may be less of a consensus than we think ffs) but it's ripe for misinterpretation from a lot of differeby angles; it's like Jerry told "the southern thing" to hold his beer. Such a brilliant, powerful thought-provoking song that's impossible for me to sing along with. I should also point out that while it kicks ass on live recordings with the Jackmormons backing him up, having DB...er the Stiff Boys, a gang of the some of the most outspoken, influential southern men in rock n roll, backing him up takes it to another level. Context, heathens.
And then there was "Sugar Smacks". Every bit as thought-provoking and provocative as "Dead Confederate" but instead of a mournful march through a graveyard it's a pissed-off strut through a dark alley. It's not really confused, maybe a good bit overwhelmed though; it's got the thread it's just too big to figure how exactly where it runs. No easy answers here either, which seems to be a theme in Joseph's work.
But there ya go. Don't think I hit the mark exactly as I wanted but maybe you get the idea.
"Dead Confederate"
Alabama, Alabama
Heat lightning from the Nick
And all's I see is project housing
Chicken bones and broken bricks
Standing, I been standing
the better part of 80 years
With my Jim Crow benediction
Ropes and hoods and local cheers
Fighting, we were fighting
And our namesake killed for southern gods
Dying, we were dying
Lucifer's divining rite
Selling, we were selling
The bodies of black boys and girls
Yelling, we were yelling
Rebel yell heard 'round the world
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry and I ain't regretting it
Now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
Rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried and I ain't sweating it
Wish they'd just leave me alone
Snowflakes, August snowflakes
Falling here in Birmingham
And I never claimed to think too deep
Never said I understand
Swallowing my granite pride
They haul me out to gravel pits
They forget that I lived and died,
Smashed me up to chips and bits
Buying and selling humans was good work
If you could get it
Well the South could build great pyramids
And rise up if you let it
But they shine their light of righteousness
Upon my unclean darkest deeds
Pulling up my withered roots
Poisoning my righteous seed
Jesus was a white man
and he promised we could rule
So we burn his holy cross in honor
Hang the negro and the fool
Baby I'm gon' rise again
Out on highway 29
In the meantime I'll rejoin the earth
And bide the wicked sands of time
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
80 years I stood my ground
I ain't sorry and I ain't regretting it
Now they're trying to tear me down
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate
Rebel pride, a heart of stone
I ain't worried and I ain't sweating it
Wish they'd just leave me alone