We’ve uploaded so many videos to our Blind Pig and The Acorn YouTube channel over the years that I often forget about some of them.
Recently when I was looking for an old post from the archives to share my eye landed on a Pickin’ and Grinnin’ in the Kitchen Spot from back in 2017.
Paul is solo in the video and he does an amazing job on the old song “Rock Salt and Nails.”
I’ve always loved mournful songs. I’m not sure why because I definitely consider myself an optimist and I’ve never been prone to depression, yet I dearly love sad old songs.
The old song was one of my favorites when I was going through my teenage years. It seemed to fit the angst that abounds as you try to find the right person to spend your life with.
I found this entry about the song on the Mudcat Cafe forum.
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock Salt and Nails (Utah Phillips)
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 26 Aug 09 – 07:15 PM
Bruce (who went by “U. Utah Phillips” as a parody of T. Texas Tyler) wrote the song in Korea after receiving a dear John letter from his wife. He didn’t like to sing it, partially because the person it was written about was still alive (and remains so). It was one thing for other folks to sing it (he knew a good song when he wrote one) but it felt too personal to sing it himself. He also felt it was an angry, bitter song, and he didn’t feel that way any more.
He told me that after he received that Dear John letter, he wrote two songs – one was Rock Salt and Nails, and the other “I Think of You” – one of the sweetest love songs I know. I had never thought of that song as being about a breakup before, and it added new depths to hear him say that.
Dan
I hope you enjoyed Paul’s cover of the song as much as I do. His guitar picking and singing are outstanding.
Tipper
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Beautiful.
Thank you Tipper and Paul for another great song. Happy Sunday!
PAUL, I love this melancholy ballad and your performance of it. What a treat to us! Thank you. AND THANK you, TIPPER, for another educating and entertaining blog. You and Paul and your Dad sure have introduced me to so much music and songs I’d never heard prior. Sending love from southern Kentucky. May God Bless you all.
Mournful songs… I don’t know where I heard it, but as a KID, I had most of the words to this song in my head; and occasionally, would pull them up and ponder over them. I just went and looked on the Internet and found it is, Every Night When The Sun Goes In. And I always thought “marble town” is the cemetery; just what I pictured. ON A SUNNY note, I need some advice on harvesting CHICORY. We had a pet farm pig, Don’teatme, we got at 3 days old and he passed just a few months ago at 16 years (and about 8-900 pounds). Since then his field had just been mowed until the drought, and I’ve only mowed the edges since. And now, it is FULL of chicory, flowering in all it’s glory. Any/all advice on harvesting methods/uses would be very welcome. Thank you ALL for ALL you do. Have a great week and keep looking UP!
beautiful. thanks Tipper…and of course Paul!! 🙂
I have never heard this song before. I started out listening to the words and the music but soon discovered they were not the same. The guitar, guided by Paul’s fingers, is singing different words. I don’t understand them now but maybe I will!
It seems I fibbed a little bit. I had heard it. The YouTube video shows my comment which shows I reached the same conclusion I had today. I don’t know if it is my age or the medicines I live off of, but in 7 years I totally forgot the song and my comment. On the good side, I’m happy I felt the same about it on both occasions.
Beautiful but sad son. Paul’s singing and playing is outstanding in deed!
Good song and playing. One form of Appalachian music is shape note singing or Fa So La singing as we say around here. Have you done a blog or YouTube about that? I looked in the archives but may have missed it.
Robert-thank you! Here’s a two posts: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/in-that-morning/ and https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/shape-note-singing/
Many thanks. I figured you had touched on it at sometime. There is a fairly large group of Sacred Harp singers here in DeKalb County,AL around the Henagar Community, another connection to the Louvin Brothers. Some of our locals were actually in the movie Cold Mountain as singers.
Happy Sunday y’all! Paul you have so much talent, and knowledge thank you for sharing it with us!
LOVE this. Thank you!
Outstanding indeed! I had to replay. Thanks for sharing and thank you, Paul.
I first heard that song done by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings and I enjoyed Paul’s cover of it this morning. Thanks for the background.
What a beautiful and sad song. Paul’s singing and playing is outstanding!
Whenever I think of a mournful song, it’s called “Dirge,” and was written by Bob Dylan 50 years ago. I honestly cannot tell you what it means, but I remember hearing it when I was 19 or 20 and feeling terribly, mournfully sad. I am now in my 70’s and from time to time listen to Dylan’s “Dirge” on YouTube, usually to the vocals only selection to focus upon and to read the lyrics. To this day, it remains the mournfully saddest song I ever heard and I love it.