Today’s post was written by Paul.
Some of you may wonder why I uploaded a song for Dwight Yoakam’s birthday a few months back. By doing so I placed him in the company of Hank, Sr. and the Louvins because I’ve uploaded songs in honor of their respective birthdays for the last few years.
While I’m not saying he necessarily belongs in their ranks, I do believe that Dwight Yoakam is probably greatly underestimated as a songwriter. I can’t think of anyone who wrote as many great songs in the last two decades of the 20th Century.
The first time I heard him was “Guitars and Cadillacs” when I was 12 years old. Although I thought his voice was somewhat nasally, I immediately liked his singing and his songs. There was something undeniably genuine, something authentic about both.
I chose to open the song I’m sharing today using a partial verse from “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” because of a memory I have relating to Dwight’s song about wanting to be buried along one of the tributaries to the Ohio River.
When I was 14, I was riding home from school with two of my cousins in a pick-up truck. They were playing this song on the stereo, and they began to debate about whether or not it matters where one is buried. My cousin Allen said he liked the thought of choosing a peaceful spot that held some significance, but my cousin Darren insisted that it didn’t matter because you would never know (because you’re dead). He said that as far as he was concerned, someone could just roll him in a ditch. I don’t know why that conversation stuck with me 34 years later. 🙂
There are many other Yoakam originals that I like better, but I chose this song because I noticed it’s the song that Dwight sung when he was inducted into the Kentucky Hall of Fame.
Pap liked Dwight’s music too, although somewhat grudgingly. This was mostly because he couldn’t understand the words most of the time, due to Dwight’s curling and stretching of syllables.
I remember that Pap nodded in strong approval when I spoke the last verse of “Bury Me” to him. He could definitely relate to Dwight’s idea of an anchor (in Jesus) that does not change in life, despite one’s circumstances or wayward journey. Pap simply had no idea that’s what Dwight was singing, until I interpreted it for him. I bet there are many listeners who didn’t fully understand Dwight’s lyrics.
Did you know that he wrote/sang words like: “I’ll embrace small shards of silence to avoid a loss so violent and survive love’s darkest fears…?” or how about “The sun intrudes the room and throws across its golden tracks; shake the dream. Now it’s back to facts?” His lyrics were never cliche. Verbally, he’s probably one of the most intelligent country singers ever.
Still others, like one of my former coworkers, were thrown off by Dwight’s skintight jeans and on-stage gyrations. I never cared about any of that stuff, only about his melodies and lyrics.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s, Pap listened to a lot more top 40 country than I did. This is because he kept the radio playing while driving an oil truck all day. I remember at least three times when he came home and told me, “Well, Yoakam’s finally got himself a good song.” I would say, “Really, what is it?” I didn’t bother to say that I thought he had already written plenty good songs. I just waited for Pap to tell me about whatever new song release he had heard on the radio that day. One was, “The Heart that You Own;” one was “Home for Sale,” and another was “You’re the One,” all of them superb songs, in my opinion.
I guess Pap kept forgetting that he had liked other Yoakam songs each time he was pleased by a new one.
I don’t know if I’ll do a Yoakam song every year on his birthday, but his music has brought me and my family a lot of enjoyment over the years. I thought that Corie did a good job singing harmony on this, even though she didn’t really know the song well, or the preface song that I tacked on at the beginning.
Thanks for watching!
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
Paul
I started country with Buck Owen’s, before he lost his duet partner. So it was so great to hear Dwight bring him back into country. But I heard Guitars, Cadillacs one time & rushed to get the album. Country had been stuck in cross over (except for a few outlaws, Loretta, etc.) that I was desperate for a NEW country singer. Also, about a month later Dwight was playing at Poplar Creek, in suburb of Chicago. Was able to get great seats & even took my mother. We all thought he looked great in his blue Jean’s & it sure brought him to the attention of a lot of people. Also, Readin,Rightin,Route 23 was the most poignant & one of Dwight’s best ever.
Dwight Yoakam has been one of my favorite singers since he first came out. Paul and Corie did an excellent job on the song. I am glad that your family loves him too. Love listening to him more than watching him but he is great either way. My son loved him too, his girlfriend always hated when he would listen to him. He died when he was 20 and I always think of this whenever I listen to Dwight sing a new song and think Lance would have loved that one.
I’ve always loved Dwight Yoakam. His on-stage moves weren’t any worse than Elvis’, in my opinion.
Paul wrote a great blog that was interesting, informative and shared wonderful memories. He is right Corie did great harmony on the song from the beginning to the end. I always enjoy hearing Paul and all the family sing! Thank you for sharing!
Kudos to any country so grater who avoids cliches! Many songs are so predictable i know the next line before they sing it. A well-written post, Paul.
I was late 20’s when I started listening to Dwight Yoakam I love his music the way he sings it the way he moves everything about it he has been my favorite country singer since the first time I heard him and listen to his own music and new music till to Today I have met him in person got his autograph my youngest son and I had tickets to go see him when my son passed… so myself and a lot of my family members went to his concert in memory of my son Wayne Avila…. he also loved his music… I still play Dwight’s music at the cemetery on my son’s Birthday every year since he passed.
(Dwight’s music will also live forever in our hearts.
Anita-I’m so sorry you lost your son. I can see why Dwight’s music is so meaningful to your family.
I love your rendition of his song! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve liked Dwight Yoakam a long time. He’s a talented performer in many ways. I have enjoyed the songs I was privileged to hear, along with some of his unusual videos.
Buck Owens was another talented performer. My Mama used to say that Buck favored my husband around 70 years ago. I didn’t see the resemblance.
Buck and Roy Clark were great together too and I enjoyed the He-Haw shows and the good, clean humor. People could laugh at clean humored fun back then. As we sat gathered around the tv there would be lots of laughter and it helped to make some of our days together more fun. Pa’s daughter was heard saying many times, “Well, He-Haw is fixing to come on, we’d better not even scratch when Pa’s watching it!” LOL!
I love your posts!
I’m with Dwight, only the place where my earthly body will be laid to rest is down stream from his place. My grave site is on a high hill overlooking the Ohio River under the same “blue Kentucky sky.” When, as a child, I would ride a ferry across the Ohio, the color of the water always made me think of butterscotch pudding – more like the Big Muddy than Dwight Yoakum’s Big Sandy.
Hello Mrs. Tipper. I am glad that Paul/Corie are helping your New Year resolution come about! I really enjoy the music your family makes.
I watch your fingers all of the time, Paul. I have learned so much from you!
I will certainly check out Dwight Yoakam.
I’ve spent my saved life on Christian music, practicing on weekly singing and Cantatas. However, I am just realizing, through you all that many genres share the Lord!
Thank you so much. Blessings
Loved the Sunday song as usual. Loved the tight jeans and gyrations when I saw Dwight in person. All of the girls did. As they say girls will be girls. Loved Elvis too.
Thank you, Paul and Corie for doing a wonderful rendition of this song! You sang it where I could understand the lyrics. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I agree with Paul and his Pap. There’s a lot more to Dwight Yoakam’s music than many of us realize on the first go-thru. One song in particular, “I sang Dixie as He Died”….I had to listen several times to the last verse, and finally slowed it down to make out all the words. “The Bottle Had Robbed Him of All His Rebel Pride” initially sounded like “Bottle hader outta ten.” Note: Paul, just keep on your teacher’s hat and tell us more good stories about music. I also enjoyed the story about Mac Wiseman’s, ” I haven’t seen Mary/Mother in years.
I agree with what Miss Cindy said. There are several songs I didn’t care for because I couldn’t understand the lyrics, until Paul explained them, or sang them. Paul has taught me to listen beyond what my ears hear in music. I listen with my mind now. I always enjoy any music Paul Wade Wilson does, even songs I never cared for before. He can sing the phone book, or the alphabet, or even the most boring research paper – and make it sound absolutely golden. He is one talented man!
Donna. : )
That was really excellent, Paul! That’s a great song as well. And I might add you have one really talented and PURTY accompaniment right there in Mrs. Corey! I found myself kinda laughing as you described Dwight cause Lord knows it’s all true. Maybe that’s why we like him. Lol Happy 66 Birthday, Dwight! I think we think about conversations of times past perhaps more as we get older. I think the idea of burial can be philosophical and spiritual with each person throwing in his 2 cents worth!!!
This rendition sounded perfect to me! Absolutely love you two singing together. I agree, I never cared for Dwight but loved his lyrics.
I sure hope Dwight meant he wants to be buried along the Big Sandy in Pikeville, KY, and not the places known as Big Sandy out west. Paul, I understood the lyrics a lot better when you sing them.
When we met Buck Owens, years and years ago, at his Club, he spoke of Dwight reverently and as to how much he liked ‘that boy’. Both awesome performers, I must say, on their own. I love the ‘real’ country music and when we toured with Ken Mellons we would sit on that bus and hum along. Let’s get back to ‘real’ country music.
I’ve been a big fan of Dwight Yoakam for a long time, and the man’s obviously deep intellect and devotion to his craft have always swayed me in a meaningful way. While I’m enamored of many of his songs, including the one you share as well as the others you mention, you don’t include what is perhaps the one with which I identify most closely, “Readin’, Rightin’, Route 23.” That’s at least in part because Route 23 (often known as the Hillbilly Highway, although Yoakam treats it with pride while my thoughts on J. D. Vance’s book of that title verge on the unprintable). I’ll simply say Vance, like Horace Kephart a century before him, besmirches and belittles a region and its people I love.
Yoakam, on the other hand, captures much of the ethos of the folks of the 1950s and 1960s heading to the cities of what is now known as the Rust Belt to find work. I had several high school classmates who did just that. If you ponder the lines from “Readin’, Rightin’, Route 23” where Yoakam poignantly describes old folks staying up late waiting for factory workers in their family to return home for the weekend, you have to acknowledge genius and, unless you have a hole in your soul, be deeply moved:
Those mountain folks set up that late
Just to hold those little grandkids
In their arms, in their arms
And I’ proud to say I’ve been blessed
And touched by their sweet hillbilly charm.
The man is, in my view, someone of surpassing talent.
Dwight Yoakam is my favorite country singer bar none. I’ve been a fan of his ever since he started out. I’ve seen him in concert several times and enjoyed his performances immensely. He is, as you rightly said, a brilliant songwriter. I will agree that he always wore skin-tight jeans along with his usual gyrations but that is part of his stage persona. At one concert I attended he wore skin-tight leather britches and that caused quite a stir with the ladies. I could listen to him sing for hours at a time. In fact, I do!
Paul, I love how you and your family don’t just sing a song you all embody it! There is a very big difference.
Happy birthday, Dwight Yoakam! I am a fan of his singing and songwriting. You and Corie did a good job with that song.
He was a pretty good actor, too.
I love that Dwight kind of brought Buck Owens back from an undeserved obscurity.
I have never been a Dwight Yoakam fan, I guess I was one of the ones turned off by the way he acted. Those tight blue jeans may have had something to do with the way he sung and danced. I agree with your cousin about being buried, it don’t matter to me but if I could I would want to be buried on my property -backyard. I have enjoyed living here for 69 years and my family before me, but I will be buried by the side of my wife at a cemetery. Not to start anything but we all laughed at my mother in law before she passed away, she told her children they had better not burn her up (cremate) after she had spent all of her life trying to stay out of hell! I told my family to just hook the tractor to me and drag me to the back of the field and let the buzzards have me, they said they couldn’t do that, the buzzards wouldn’t have me!
I really, really like this and how they sang it. I have a new opinion of Dwight Yoakum, also. I never cared for him but getting to know him a little better has opened my heart to someone special. He was ministering to folks all along. Thank you Tipper for growing me a little more considerate, opening a new window and bringing me new music to breathe in.
I agree, Yoakam was certainly a gifted and original lyricist. Folks who truly listen to his songs can recognize that. I don’t think anyone has done a better tribute than you have, Paul. I remember having that same argument with one of my brothers. I won it, LOL.