Noteworthy for their three guitars lineup, the 'Truckers' are often associated with the Southern rock movement of the 70s and "jam" bands but are too cerebral and irreverent to sit squarely in either genre. Their lyrics often revolve around the working class trying to survive in economically-depressed small towns of the South.
Co-founded by Patterson Hood (son of bassist David Hood of the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) and longtime friend and musical partner Mike Cooley in Athens, Georgia, in 1996. The two men had played in various other bands including Adam's House Cat which was chosen as a top ten Best Unsigned Band by a Musician contest in the late 1980s.
Together with a revolving group of musicians, Drive-By Truckers put out their first two albums, Gangstabilly (1998) and Pizza Deliverance (1999). Following their second release, the band embarked on a nationwide tour, resulting in a live album called Alabama Ass Whuppin' (released in 2000 by Second Heaven Records, re-released in 2002 by Terminus Records). They had an entertaining and informational website long before most bands had begun taking advantage of the internet as a promotional tool, and together with constant touring, they quickly developed a large and dedicated fan base both on and off-line.
After three years on the road a tight-knit group of musicians emerged and they began work on 2001's Southern Rock Opera. Southern Rock Opera is a double album executed as a song cycle. The album loosely uses the rise and literal fall of Lynyrd Skynyrd as a metaphor for the culture of the American South.
Self released on their own Soul Dump Records on September 12, 2001, Southern Rock Opera, quickly accumulated praise from fans and critics alike, including a four-star review in Rolling Stone. To take advantage of the positive reception, Southern Rock Opera was re-issued by Mercury and Lost Highway Records in July 2002. Soon after, Drive-By Truckers were named Band of the Year by No Depression.
Before they could record a follow-up to Southern Rock Opera, guitarist Rob Malone left and was replaced guitarist and songwriter, Jason Isbell. Originally from Greenhill, Alabama, during his five years with Drive-By Truckers, Isbell contributed a number of significant songs to the albums he worked on.
Due to changes at Lost Highway, the Truckers were released from their contract and signed with Austin-based record label New West, for the follow-up to Southern Rock Opera, 2003's Decoration Day. Like its predecessor, the album received broad praise from fans and critics alike. Although it isn't a concept album, the songs of Decoration Day explore a common theme of hard decisions in the context of marriage, incest, break-ups, revenge, murder, and suicide are major themes.
After years of producing and playing with Drive-By Truckers, bassist Earl Hicks left the band on December 22, 2003. Hicks was immediately replaced by studio bassist Shonna Tucker, then wife of guitarist Jason Isbell. Tucker had previously guested on Decoration Day playing upright bass on the Cooley-penned track, "Sounds Better in the Song".
In 2004, Drive-By Truckers released The Dirty South. Like Southern Rock Opera, The Dirty South was a concept album. The Dirty South further explored the mythology of the South, with songs focusing on Sam Phillips and the Sun Records crowd, John Henry and his hammer, and a three-song suite about Sheriff Buford Pusser.
After touring throughout 2004 and 2005, Drive-By Truckers found their way to the Fidelitorium Recording Studio in Forsyth County, North Carolina during late 2005. These recording sessions, once again produced by David Barbe, resulted in the band's seventh LP, A Blessing and a Curse.
Released on April 18, 2006, A Blessing and a Curse showcased Drive-By Truckers' ability to branch out into new territory, and can be seen as the band's attempt at shaking labeling by critics, detractors, fans, and followers, particularly the Southern rock label that has haunted the band since Southern Rock Opera. The album sounds less like Skynyrd, and more closely resembles the bare-bones British rock of the early 1970s such as The Rolling Stones and Faces. Tom Petty's influence on the band's sound is more prominent on this album as well.
In 2006, Drive-By Truckers reunited, both on-stage and on-record, with Athens-based pedal steel guitarist, John Neff. Neff first played with the band on their 1998 debut LP, Gangstabilly, and played pedal steel on three subsequent albums, 1999's Pizza Deliverance, and 2003's Decoration Day. Neff was featured heavily on the 2006 release, A Blessing and a Curse. During the next year, Neff began touring with the band as an unofficial sixth member.
On April 5, 2007 Jason Isbell announced that he was no longer a member of the band. The following day, Patterson Hood confirmed the break on the official site. In his letter to the fans, Hood described the parting of ways as "amicable" and expressed the hope that fans would continue to support Drive-By Truckers as well as Jason's solo efforts. In the same letter, Hood announced that John Neff would become a full-time member playing both guitar and pedal steel.
Shortly after Isbell's departure, on April 20, 2007, Patterson Hood announced via the band's website that a longtime friend of The Hood Family, Spooner Oldham, would be joining the band playing keyboard for a string of acoustic performances called The Dirt Underneath Tour.
Drive-By Truckers performed as backup musicians for Bettye LaVette's 2007 album, The Scene of the Crime. The album went to #1 on Billboard's Blues Chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Partly as a result of this collaboration, the Truckers went on to act as the backing band for Booker T Jones for his first recording in more than a decade. The album, Potato Hole, was well received by critics and it resulted in numerous shows together.
On January 22, 2008, the Drive-By Truckers' eighth album, Brighter Than Creation's Dark (named after a line in a Cooley song entitled "Checkout Time in Vegas"), was released in the US and went to #37 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Once again, David Barbe produced the album and artist Wes Freed provided the artwork. The album has nineteen tracks and features the first song contributions from bassist Shonna Tucker.
The band's ninth album "The Big To-Do" was issued on March 26, 2010 on ATO Records, the label founded by Dave Matthews and home to such artists as My Morning Jacket, Radiohead, The Whigs and Brendan Benson.
Goode's Field Road
Drive-By Truckers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make them do as they're told
I got a meeting in the morning
Down at the end of the Goode's Field Road
Nothing much for a man in my position
A man like me won't last too long in prison
And all them friends down at Police Department
I started out down at the junk yard
Taking orders from a moron
And a man my size don't like taking orders
From anyone
Then I bought myself an old beat-up wrecker
And built an empire with my labor, brains, and sweat
But it's hard to make an honest living
And a man takes any help he gets
Nothing much for a man in my position
A second mortgage and three college kids' tuition
And all them friends that I helped along the way
Will act like they never had anything to do with me
Will act like they never had anything to do with me
But you and me, we had us some good times
And I've always been a family man deep down
Ain't much a believer for hired work from "out of state"
But they'll be asking questions when I'm found
They'll be asking questions when I'm found
Honey, take care of the children
Pay the house off when the salvage yard gets sold
And you don't know nothing when the insurance man asks questions
'Bout what went down at the Goode's Field Road
'Bout what went down
'Bout what went down
'Bout what went down at the Goode's Field Road
The song "Goode's Field Road" by Drive-By Truckers tells a story about a man who has started from the bottom to build his own empire. He is a self-made man who has worked tirelessly to establish himself as a successful business owner. The song also portrays the risk involved in the criminal world as he is aware that his position in society is not stable and could be overturned. He reminds his partner to take care of their children, pay off the house, and keep their silence if questioned by insurance men regarding what happened at Goode's Field Road.
The lyrics of the song also depict the dilemma of a man who has done everything to provide for his family, but is aware of his potential downfall. He is proud of all that he has achieved but is also cognizant that he lives in a world of law and order, and his name could be defamed. The line "A man like me won't last too long in prison," highlights his fear of his actions catching up with him.
The song's focus on the importance of family within the context of a crime-ridden world is also noteworthy. Despite his situation, the man in the song remains a family man and emphasizes the need for his partner to take care of their children, pay off the house, and keep their silence. The song signifies the struggles of the working-class while also pointing towards the challenges and risks involved in the criminal world.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey, take care of the children
Please ensure that the children are safe and looked after
Make them do as they're told
They need to be obedient and follow instructions
I got a meeting in the morning
Down at the end of the Goode's Field Road
I have an appointment at the end of Goode's Field Road tomorrow morning
Nothing much for a man in my position
A man like me won't last too long in prison
And all them friends down at Police Department
Will act like they never had anything to do with me
I don't have much going for me, and if I went to prison, my police friends would deny knowing me
I started out down at the junk yard
Taking orders from a moron
And a man my size don't like taking orders
From anyone
Then I bought myself an old beat-up wrecker
And built an empire with my labor, brains, and sweat
But it's hard to make an honest living
And a man takes any help he gets
I began my career at a junkyard, where I took orders from someone I didn't respect. Eventually, I was able to build a business using my own hard work and smarts, but it's tough to make an honest living and I'll take help where I can get it.
Nothing much for a man in my position
A second mortgage and three college kids' tuition
And all them friends that I helped along the way
Will act like they never had anything to do with me
Will act like they never had anything to do with me
Despite helping others along the way, I still have financial struggles and my friends would deny knowing me if I got into trouble.
But you and me, we had us some good times
And I've always been a family man deep down
Ain't much a believer for hired work from 'out of state'
But they'll be asking questions when I'm found
They'll be asking questions when I'm found
You and I have shared some great memories, and I care deeply about my family. I don't usually trust outsiders for work, but if anything happens to me, they will investigate.
Honey, take care of the children
Pay the house off when the salvage yard gets sold
And you don't know nothing when the insurance man asks questions
'Bout what went down at the Goode's Field Road
'Bout what went down
'Bout what went down
'Bout what went down at the Goode's Field Road
Please keep the children safe and pay off the house when the salvage yard sells. If the insurance man asks about what happened on Goode's Field Road, it's best to pretend you don't know anything.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: Patterson Hood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@simeonteitelbaum3673
I love this version of the song glad they added it to the Dirty South rerelease
@jamieh4536
đđđđđWOW'S AH !!!!! CLEAR AND LOUD â€â€â€â€â€ WE LOVE YA ALL!!!!! FROM WYOMING ALWAYS YOUR FRIEND!!!!!
@randysparks5413
Ugh...all of the dark undertones are lost.Hate it.
@normalizedaudio2481
+5.1DB LUFS