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.
Loaded Gun in the Closet
Drive-By Truckers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And another one in the dresser drawer
Just in case the one in the closet didn't make a big enough hole.
She had his breakfast ready every morning
And his lunch in a box sitting there by the kitchen door.
She'd make sure he had everything he needed
And hug his neck and tell him how much she loved him
You should have seen it.
Then she'd make herself a pot of coffee,
Just the way she liked it
And sit down and enjoy the quiet of the house all alone,
But, by two-o-clock or so every afternoon
The quiet would start getting to her and she’d watch
The clock until he came back home.
And she understood just what he needed
When he came home every evening
Was a couple of beers and a couple of minutes
To cuss about his day.
So she'd fix him a nice hot supper
While he ranted and raved about one thing or the other.
And she never once told him what he was going on about
Didn't add up to a thing.
And she never touched that gun in the closet.
It was his and it was there just because he wanted it to be.
She didn't get out much, so she never knew just what it was
That made him so afraid.
Most women today would say she was a disgrace.
Most men would say she wasn't much to look at.
And they all would say she'd be a lot better off
If she cared a little more about what they all think.
She could have a life of her own if she had a little pride,
Some silicone implants, and another man on the side.
But she's got a loaded gun in the closet.
And it's there anytime she wants it.
And her one and only man knows it and
That's why he put it there in the first place.
The lyrics of "Loaded Gun in the Closet" by Drive-By Truckers tell a story of a woman who lives a life of quiet desperation. She has a routine where she takes care of her husband, making sure he has everything he needs, and keeps a loaded gun in the closet just because her husband wants it to be there. The lyrics also show that she understands and accepts her husband's needs, as she waits for him to come home, listens to him rant about his day, and prepares a hot supper for him. The song portrays the woman as someone who is trapped in her life, but also someone who has agency over her own life through the possession of the loaded gun.
The song is a commentary on gender roles and societal expectations. The lyrics suggest that the woman is expected to live a life where she is defined by her husband and is judged by society based on her appearance and behavior. However, the woman in the song chooses to live life on her own terms, even if it means having a loaded gun in her closet. The song challenges the traditional view of women as weak and powerless, and highlights the fact that women have the right to make decisions for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a loaded gun in the closet
I keep a gun in my closet, fully loaded and ready to be used in case of any mishap.
And another one in the dresser drawer
Apart from the one in the closet, I have kept another gun in the dresser drawer for added security.
Just in case the one in the closet didn't make a big enough hole.
In case the first gun wasn't able to cause significant damage, I have an extra one to take care of the situation.
She had his breakfast ready every morning
The woman in the song was very devoted to her partner and would have his breakfast ready every morning.
And his lunch in a box sitting there by the kitchen door.
She would also make sure that his lunch was packed and kept ready by the kitchen door for him to take with him.
She'd make sure he had everything he needed
She was very attentive to her partner's needs and would ensure that he had everything he required.
And hug his neck and tell him how much she loved him
She was very loving towards her partner and would show it by hugging him and telling him that she loved him.
And it was beautiful.
The acts of love between the couple were beautiful and touching to observe.
You should have seen it.
The act of love between the couple was so heartfelt and genuine that it would have been worth witnessing.
Then she'd make herself a pot of coffee,
After sending off her partner, she would make herself some coffee to drink.
Just the way she liked it
She would make her coffee just the way she preferred it.
And sit down and enjoy the quiet of the house all alone,
She would then sit down and relish the peace and tranquility of the house in her partner's absence
But, by two-o-clock or so every afternoon
However, around two in the afternoon, her loneliness would start to set in.
The quiet would start getting to her and she'd watch
She would feel the effects of the silence and would start looking at the clock, waiting for her partner's return.
The clock until he came back home.
She would keep a close eye on the clock, counting down the minutes until her partner would be home.
And she understood just what he needed
The woman was very understanding of her partner's needs and would do everything in her power to fulfill them.
When he came home every evening
When her partner returned home in the evening,
Was a couple of beers and a couple of minutes
All he required was a few beers and a few minutes to unwind.
To cuss about his day.
He would vent and complain about his day to release his frustrations.
So she'd fix him a nice hot supper
Meanwhile, the woman would prepare a delicious meal for her partner.
While he ranted and raved about one thing or the other.
Her partner would continue to vent about his day while they ate dinner together.
And she never once told him what he was going on about
Although she listened intently to him, she chose to stay silent and not comment on his complaints.
Didn't add up to a thing.
Although her partner's complaints seemed trivial to her, she didn't let that show and chose to keep quiet.
And she never touched that gun in the closet.
Despite the presence of the gun in the closet, the woman never felt the need to use it or even touch it.
It was his and it was there just because he wanted it to be.
The gun was solely placed there at the behest of her partner, and she respected his decision to keep it in the house.
She didn't get out much, so she never knew just what it was
Since the woman didn't go out much, she wasn't aware of the source of her partner's fear that required the presence of the gun in their home.
That made him so afraid.
She was unaware of the reason that her partner was so terrified that he felt the need to keep the gun in the house at all times.
Most women today would say she was a disgrace.
Most modern women would be of the opinion that this woman wasn't living up to modern ideals of self-sufficiency and independence.
Most men would say she wasn't much to look at.
Most men would think that the woman wasn't physically as attractive as she ought to be.
And they all would say she'd be a lot better off
People, in general, would be of the opinion that the woman would be happier and better off if she made certain changes to her life.
If she cared a little more about what they all think.
They felt that the woman would have a more fulfilling life if she paid more attention to the opinions of others.
She could have a life of her own if she had a little pride,
If the woman had a little more self-respect and confidence in herself, she could lead a life of her own choosing.
Some silicone implants, and another man on the side.
People suggested that the woman could enhance her physical appearance with implants and seek the company of other men.
But she's got a loaded gun in the closet.
The woman, however, is content with what she has and is secure in the knowledge that she has a loaded gun in her closet for protection if needed.
And it's there anytime she wants it.
The presence of the gun gives her a sense of security, knowing that it's there for her use if necessary.
And her one and only man knows it and
Her partner is the only one who knows about the presence of the gun in the house.
That's why he put it there in the first place.
The primary purpose of placing the gun in the house is to keep the couple safe, and her partner is the only one who knows the true value of having that gun in their home.
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Written by: JOHN MICHAEL COOLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Badbad Manly
Great song, how can anyone not like it? Poignant
Old Groucho
3 chords and the truth
Dick Enya
Cause people today like force fed crap, it's sad really.
DJ Donald
Dang.
Rustic Appalachia
Damn