A master of the guitar, banjo, and mandolin, Strings is a singer and instrumentalist whose music starts with the sound and speed of bluegrass and folds in elements of rock, jazz, and psychedelia. Strings deals in acoustic music, but his lyrics are rooted in contemporary issues ("Dust in a Baggie" sounds like a classic bluegrass breakdown, but the lyrics deal with crystal meth addiction), and the music reinforces this fusion of past and present, melding modern melodic frameworks with fiddles and banjos. Strings's music was presented in its most traditional form on his 2016 self-titled EP, 2019's Grammy-winning Home added a more rock-oriented production style and extended jams to his formula, and 2021's Renewal featured some of his most personal songwriting and ambitious music to date.
Born in Lansing, Michigan, his family relocated to Morehead, Kentucky, for a spell before later settling in Muir, a small town in Michigan. Billy's father and uncle were both accomplished musicians, and the youngster was surrounded by acoustic music practically from birth. At the age of four, Billy asked his father for a guitar, and he was soon learning to play a second-hand instrument that cost 25 dollars. By the time he was six, he was good enough to join his dad for bluegrass picking parties, and his aunt nicknamed him Billy Strings. By the time he was in middle school, he had picked up an electric guitar and was playing in a heavy metal band. However, it led him into a circle of friends who were abusing drugs, and Strings believed it was leading him into a dark place.
Determined to find a better path, Strings returned to playing bluegrass, and after completing high school, he moved to Traverse City, a city in Northern Michigan with a lively music and art scene. When Strings performed at an open-mike night at a club called the Hayloft, local pickers were impressed with his skills, and he soon found a mentor and picking partner in mandolinist Don Julin, who recorded a duo album with Strings titled Rock of Ages. (Strings also independently released a home-brewed solo album in 2014, Fiddle Tune X.) He also played with a bluegrass combo called M-23 Strings, and earned a reputation as one of the most promising talents in the Mitten State.
In early 2016, Strings left Traverse City for Nashville, where the talented newcomer did not go unnoticed. In September 2017, he released Turmoil & Tinfoil, an effort that found him adding a wider variety of sounds and influences to his music. The album was produced by Glenn Brown, who had previously worked with Greensky Bluegrass and Luke Winslow-King. After landing a deal with roots music specialists Rounder Records, Strings returned in 2019 with his second solo outing, Home. It won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Due to the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020, Strings had more time to devote to his songwriting, and 2021's Renewal found him exploring darker and more personal themes as well as broadening the instrumental palette of his band.
Biography by Mark Deming
Dust In A Baggie
Billy Strings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Methamphetamine has got a damn good hold of me
My tweaker friends have got me to the point of no return
I just took the lighter to the bulb and watched it burn
This life of sin has got me in
Well, it's got me back in prison once again
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
Well, if I would have listened to what mom and papa said
I wouldn't be locked up in prison, troubled in the head
I took that little pop and suck until my mind was spun
I got 20 years to sit and think of what I've done
This life of sin has got me in
Well, it's got me back in prison once again
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
Sometimes, I sit and wonder where my little life went wrong
These old jailhouse blues have got me singing this old song
My life is a disaster, Lord and I feel so ashamed
In here where they call me by a number, not a name
This life of sin has got me in
Well, it's got me back in prison once again
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
In "Dust in a Baggie," Billy Strings sings about the destructive and addictive nature of methamphetamine, and how it can lead one to prison. The opening lines of the song describe the physical toll that meth has taken on the singer's body, with him not having slept or eaten properly in days. He is at the mercy of his "tweaker friends," who have led him down a path from which he cannot return. The singer then uses the drug in a dangerous manner, lighting the bulb and "watching it burn."
The chorus of the song describes the singer's current situation - back in prison because of his addiction. He laments not heeding the advice of his parents, who warned him against taking drugs. He now has plenty of time to think about his mistakes, and how his life could have been very different had he made better choices.
In the third verse, the singer reflects on his life and its current state, which he describes as a "disaster." He is ashamed to be known by a number rather than his name. The song ends on a melancholic note, with the singer realizing that he has lost his freedom and has no more phone calls left to make.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't slept in seven days, haven't ate in three
Due to my addiction to methamphetamine, I haven't slept or eaten properly in the past week.
Methamphetamine has got a damn good hold of me
I am completely addicted to methamphetamine and cannot control myself when it comes to using it.
My tweaker friends have got me to the point of no return
The friends I associate with who are also addicted to methamphetamine have led me down a path of no return and I cannot escape the addiction.
I just took the lighter to the bulb and watched it burn
I have reached a point in my addiction where I am willing to resort to extreme measures, such as burning the light bulb to get the methamphetamine residue, in order to satisfy my cravings.
This life of sin has got me in
I am aware that my addiction and criminal behavior are considered sins in society and have caused me to end up in prison.
Well, it's got me back in prison once again
This is not my first time being in prison due to my addiction and illegal activities.
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I have no one else to turn to except my father and used my one phone call allowed to contact him.
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
I have received a 20-year sentence for possessing drugs (methamphetamine) in a small baggie.
If I would have listened to what mom and papa said
If I had listened to the advice and warnings of my parents, I would not have ended up in this situation.
I wouldn't be locked up in prison, troubled in the head
Had I listened to my parents, I would not be imprisoned and suffering from the mental and emotional consequences of my actions.
I took that little pop and suck until my mind was spun
I consumed the methamphetamine by inhaling it until I felt the effects (high) in my mind and body.
I got 20 years to sit and think of what I've done
I will have 20 years in prison to regret my actions and think about the harm I have caused myself and others.
Sometimes, I sit and wonder where my little life went wrong
I often reflect on where and when my life took a turn for the worse and I became addicted to drugs.
These old jailhouse blues have got me singing this old song
Being in jail and suffering from the consequences of my actions has caused me to feel depressed and hopeless, leading me to sing this sad song.
My life is a disaster, Lord and I feel so ashamed
I am fully aware that my life is now a disaster due to my addiction and criminal activity, which has caused me to feel intense shame.
In here where they call me by a number, not a name
Being in prison has dehumanized me to the point where I am referred to by a number rather than my own name.
I used my only phone call to contact my daddy
I have no one else to turn to except my father and used my one phone call allowed to contact him.
I got 20 long years for some dust in a baggie
I have received a 20-year sentence for possessing drugs (methamphetamine) in a small baggie.
Contributed by Jason W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.