Ten crucial Drive-By Truckers songs

By Joe Gross
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Sunday, April 29, 2007

Essential Drive-By Truckers

Here are 10 crucial Drive-By Truckers songs, in chronological order, that will convert anyone.

'The Living Bubba,' (from 'Gangstabilly')

Patterson Hood's memorial to the late Atlanta songwriter Gregory Dean Smalley, who responded to his AIDS-related death sentence by playing music every night he could, even as his body was fast falling apart.

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'Let There Be Rock' (from 'Southern Rock Opera')

Crowds can't help shouting along to Hood's raucous Southern rock tribute: 'I never saw Lynyrd Skynyrd, but I sure saw Molly Hatchet/ And .38 Special and the Johnny VAN ZANT BAND!'

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'Marry Me' (from 'Decoration Day')

Guitarist Mike Cooley cuts to the heart of the matter: 'Rock 'n' roll means well but can't help telling young boys lies.'

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'Outfit' (from 'Decoration Day')

The first stunner from now-departed songwriter Jason Isbell, this moving sketch of working-class pride became an instant Truckers classic. One day, a mainstream country star will cover this song and make Isbell a multimillionaire.

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'Lookout Mountain' (from 'The Dirty South')

A Hood tune that dates from 1990. The hero of this guitar jam chooses life (and gnarly solos) over hurling himself off that mountain.

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'The Day John Henry Died' (from 'The Dirty South')

Chapter 543 of a great American myth, courtesy of Isbell.

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'Danko/Manuel' (from 'The Dirty South')

A spare, thematically complex meditation on the Band's two doomed members (Rick Danko and Richard Manuel), blended with Isbell's thoughts about life on the road. A gutsy triumph.

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'Carl Perkins' Cadillac' (from 'The Dirty South')

Almost jangly, Cooley explores the Sun Records pantheon: Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl, Johnny and 'Mr. Philips.'

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'Wednesday' (from 'A Blessing and a Curse')

Hood reminds everyone that he grew up on the Replacements' hooky power pop.

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'Aftermath U.S.A.' (from 'A Blessing and a Curse')

Hood unpacks the scene of a crime, using rewired Stones riffs and a wicked hangover.

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