Zac Brown Band Recorded Dress Blues

[Hank]

I'm sure some of you may have caught this on the various platforms of social media. Country star, Zac Brown, and his band have recorded Isbell's "Dress Blues" for their upcoming album. Today they performed it on EPSN causing chaos on Twitter.

Jason via Twitter:
"Good job, @zacbrownband. And thanks."
"If you want more popular country artists to sing songs that have some real meaning, don't be pissed at the ones who do."
"I was in the gym when the song came on. 5 other people in there. I wanted to yell "I wrote that song!" But I did not."

Jason gets paid. More folks hear good music.

Here is the performance:

"..Zac Brown Band is here performing one of their hit songs, 'Dress Blues'..."

[hendooman]

Been some funny tweets about this. Most notably all the folks that thought it was ZBB's song, got a good laugh.

Jason makes good point with his second tweet about popular country music.

[Clams]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that it's Dress Blues and not Outfit that's Jason's first song to be covered by a big pop star. Good for him.

[Tequila Cowboy]

This is a good thing for Jason and if it's a hit a great thing for radio. People need to unbunched their panties.

[GW in IA]

I have no problem with the business side of this, let Jason get paid, get his name out there more etc... What bothers me is, how in the hell did ZB take such a beautiful song and make it almost unlistenable? I'm not even a ZB hater, not a huge fan, but always admired their song choices to cover. But holy hell, this is BAD!

[Clams]

I have no problem with the business side of this, let Jason get paid, get his name out there more etc... What bothers me is, how in the hell did ZB take such a beautiful song and make it almost unlistenable? I'm not even a ZB hater, not a huge fan, but always admired their song choices to cover. But holy hell, this is BAD!

I just watched it and I think it's a pretty faithful version of the song. Not exactly the Stubbs version from 2006 or whenever, but not awful either. The only pret that irked me was that he changed the "fight somebody's Hollywood war" line to "give all in some god awful war" but I guess that's what you have to do when you're mainstream.

[CalebCalebson]

I have no problem with the business side of this, let Jason get paid, get his name out there more etc... What bothers me is, how in the hell did ZB take such a beautiful song and make it almost unlistenable? I'm not even a ZB hater, not a huge fan, but always admired their song choices to cover. But holy hell, this is BAD!

I just watched it and I think it's a pretty faithful version of the song. Not exactly the Stubbs version from 2006 or whenever, but not awful either. The only pret that irked me was that he changed the "fight somebody's Hollywood war" line to "give all in some god awful war" but I guess that's what you have to do when you're mainstream.

I've got to say it's a decent to good acceptable cover.

[GW in IA]

Edit.
Deleted to try to keep my foot out of my mouth. (But I still think it sounds like shit.)

[ford911]

Not a ZBB fan or hater and I dont like it either. Plus changing a important line is lame.

[tinnitus photography]

Not a ZBB fan or hater and I dont like it either. Plus changing a important line is lame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That%27s_W ... y_Revolver

[Hank]

I have no problem with the business side of this, let Jason get paid, get his name out there more etc... What bothers me is, how in the hell did ZB take such a beautiful song and make it almost unlistenable? I'm not even a ZB hater, not a huge fan, but always admired their song choices to cover. But holy hell, this is BAD!

I just watched it and I think it's a pretty faithful version of the song. Not exactly the Stubbs version from 2006 or whenever, but not awful either. The only pret that irked me was that he changed the "fight somebody's Hollywood war" line to "give all in some god awful war" but I guess that's what you have to do when you're mainstream.

I agree. It's not an awful rendition of the song – It seems to lose some of it's intimacy with the 300-person band, but that doesn't change the potency of the lyrics. And yeah, that one changed lyric is disheartening. If you're going to cover a song, keep the lyrics as they are. I'm happy Jason will get some recognition for it and perhaps, dare I say... a CMA nomination?

[Duke Silver]

You know you've written a hell of a song when not even a lackluster Zack Brown Band performance can ruin it. I hope Jason makes a billion dollars off this.

[psychobillycadillac]

Other than the off key guitar solo I thought it was a decent cover that did the original justice. As to the changing of the lyric, IMO part of what makes a "good" cover is the artist adding their own touches and making the song their own, mix that in with the conservative culture of Nashville and I think you can see why it was done. In other words, don't go starting fights where they aren't needed.

[Beebs]

Plus changing a important line is lame.

If he doesn't like the song as it was written he shouldn't be covering it.

[bnzz]

Ha, I was in a bar with the sound turned down when I saw them on the screen. I was thinking I am glad I am not listening to Chicken Fried. Had no idea they were playing Jason's song. Great for Jason. I hope ZBB sells a milion copies and Jason gets his share. Been following Jason for so long, it feels like a little win for me. go Me! I could personally care less about how the cover was done.

[Duke Silver]

My initial reaction to the line change was that it was no big deal. But the more I think about it, it does kinda neuter the impact of the line before it ("what did they say when they shipped you away..."). In Isbell's version, that line sneaks up on you and bites pretty hard. Brown's version is pretty much, "support the troops."

[Mike127]

My initial reaction to the line change was that it was no big deal. But the more I think about it, it does kinda neuter the impact of the line before it ("what did they say when they shipped you away..."). In Isbell's version, that line sneaks up on you and bites pretty hard. Brown's version is pretty much, "support the troops."

Is it though? He does say "god awful war" - that's not exactly a rally round the flag sentiment, even if it isn't quite as biting as Jason's. Even if he'd removed the line altogether, there's no way one could read the whole of "Dress Blues" as pro-war.

[Duke Silver]

My initial reaction to the line change was that it was no big deal. But the more I think about it, it does kinda neuter the impact of the line before it ("what did they say when they shipped you away..."). In Isbell's version, that line sneaks up on you and bites pretty hard. Brown's version is pretty much, "support the troops."

Is it though? He does say "god awful war" - that's not exactly a rally round the flag sentiment, even if it isn't quite as biting as Jason's. Even if he'd removed the line altogether, there's no way one could read the whole of "Dress Blues" as pro-war.

It's the "give all" part that bugs me. I think it softens the impact of that final verse (when the original really drives it home), and seems designed to elicit a bunch of knee jerk "woo's" and fist pumps from his audience.

[ford911]

the first time i heard that song live was at stubb's in 2006. the famous youtube version. that line took some people back. in 2014 with what we all know it's not controversial at all to call it a hollywood war. he didn't write the song so i don't think it's his place to change it. especially to make it more tame.

[ford911]

also, bringing a wounded veteran out on stage bugged me.

[LBRod]

This is a good thing, like DBT opening arenas for I forget which big country star.

[Sirk]

Patterson alters way more lyrics to Play It All Night Long than this country guy did to Dress Blues. And Patterson's are far more egregious than "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war."

[Sirk]

Heck, Jason and Amanda make a slight alteration to Mutineer. They leave the "us" off of "Lightning flashed and thunder followed us / It could never find us here."

I guess this means Patterson, Jason, and Amanda don't like how Zevon writes songs and they clearly shouldn't be covering him since they don't do those songs exactly as Warren wrote them.

Right?

[John A Arkansawyer]

Patterson alters way more lyrics to Play It All Night Long than this country guy did to Dress Blues. And Patterson's are far more egregious than "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war."

I'm good with "Zevon died of cancer", but when I hear "tuberculosis" instead of "brucellocis", I would reach for my revolver if I weren't having such a great time.

[Jonicont]

I'm good with "Zevon died of cancer", but when I hear "tuberculosis" instead of "brucellocis", I would reach for my revolver if I weren't having such a great time.

Well, they are both acid fast bacilli so it's not much of a stretch

[LBRod]

I'm good with "Zevon died of cancer", but when I hear "tuberculosis" instead of "brucellocis", I would reach for my revolver if I weren't having such a great time.

Well, they are both acid fast bacilli so it's not much of a stretch

Show off. I sing it any way I please anyway.

[Sirk]

Even more significant than brucellosis is when Hood sings "gonna drink 'til I get my fill" instead of "to see if I can drink enough." Zevon's line is loaded on so many levels. It's perfect and Hood strangely chooses to neuter it.

Ditto for "been acting strange" vs. "has both guns drawn." Warren put a very specific image to the strangeness, but Hood erases it.

I still love DBT's kickass cover, complete the the interpolation of Ain't That Pretty at All. But if people are going to bitch at Zac Brown over "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war" because it means he has no right to therefore cover the song, then by that logic, DBT should have never covered All Night Long and Patterson should be drawn and quartered.

Besides, Jason liked the Zac Brown cover, so I don't see what the fuss is all about.

[John A Arkansawyer]

Patterson alters way more lyrics to Play It All Night Long than this country guy did to Dress Blues. And Patterson's are far more egregious than "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war."

I'm good with "Zevon died of cancer", but when I hear "tuberculosis" instead of "brucellocis", I would reach for my revolver if I weren't having such a great time.

If God had intended for a five-syllable word to be used in that place, she would have inspired Warren Zevon with "toxoplasmosis" instead of a boring, Keats-era word everyone knows. How will schoolchildren learn about brucellosis now? School districts across the country are cutting vo-ag classes and FFA jackets are becoming collectors items. What next? What next?

Won't someone think of the children?

[Beebs]

But if people are going to bitch at Zac Brown over "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war" because it means he has no right to therefore cover the song, then by that logic, DBT should have never covered All Night Long and Patterson should be drawn and quartered.

Listen, I see your point. And if you want to take Hood to task for altering Zevon lines, fine. But I don't think anyone around here is particularly outraged or denouncing Jason.

What i'm bothered by is that ZBB and his corporate handlers changed a not 100% super patriot, Go America, God and Guns line to something that wouldn't possibly come off as subversive to Zack Browns fan base of fake ass redneck wannabes. This is as much of a criticism of the music biz as it is the state of things in this country right now where people'd probably go all Dixie Chicks on ZBB for possibly criticizing a proven calamity that's over a decade old.



Anyway, do I think Zach Brown and his fans are pretty much a bunch of douche nozzles? Yes. But I'm happy for Jason to have this opportunity for more exposure or, at the least, to keep the bills paid.

[Tequila Cowboy]

But if people are going to bitch at Zac Brown over "godawful war" vs. "Hollywood war" because it means he has no right to therefore cover the song, then by that logic, DBT should have never covered All Night Long and Patterson should be drawn and quartered.

Listen, I see your point. And if you want to take Hood to task for altering Zevon lines, fine. But I don't think anyone around here is particularly outraged or denouncing Jason.

What i'm bothered by is that ZBB and his corporate handlers changed a not 100% super patriot, Go America, God and Guns line to something that wouldn't possibly come off as subversive to Zack Browns fan base of fake ass redneck wannabes. This is as much of a criticism of the music biz as it is the state of things in this country right now where people'd probably go all Dixie Chicks on ZBB for possibly criticizing a proven calamity that's over a decade old.



Anyway, do I think Zach Brown and his fans are pretty much a bunch of douche nozzles? Yes. But I'm happy for Jason to have this opportunity for more exposure or, at the least, to keep the bills paid.

Reason, a nuanced opinion and some good old fashioned wisdom. Beebs is not a ragey man, he's a smart one.