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.
Sandwiches for the Road
Drive-By Truckers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lay them out across the dash in the August sun
And if they turn green don't be afraid
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
I been given to visions from time to time (Mighty fields of vision)
And the voice in my brain can be a little unkind sometimes
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
And if you see me on the street and if I whop you on the head
You probably got it coming
And if you hit me back, we'll call it even, but I ain't going down easy
'Cause my mama loves me and I got friends in Decatur, Alabama.
So drink another drink and smoke another cigarette
Something's gonna get us yet
'Cause I got ashes in my throat and I ain't got no vote
It's just the way I stand myself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
In Drive-By Truckers' song "Sandwiches for the Road," the lyrics take us on a journey that explores the ideas of self-harm and feeling vulnerable, juxtaposed with the mundanity of packing simple sandwiches for a road trip. The lines "All packed to go, baloney and mayonnaise sandwiches for the road/Lay them out across the dash in the August sun/And if they turn green don't be afraid" sets a scene of preparation for travel but also highlights the potential for the food to turn bad, representing the unpredictability of life.
The chorus "Nothing can hurt you but yourself" is repeated throughout the song and acts as a reminder to the listener that, ultimately, we are in control of our own actions and thoughts. However, the verse "I been given to visions from time to time (Mighty fields of vision)/And the voice in my brain can be a little unkind sometimes" demonstrates the complexities of mental health and the struggle some individuals face with their own thoughts. The juxtaposition of the two themes within the same song creates an interesting tension and raises questions about the human experience.
The line "So drink another drink and smoke another cigarette/Something's gonna get us yet" acknowledges the potential for danger and harm in life but also implies a sense of resignation or apathy towards it. The final lines, "It's just the way I stand myself/Nothing can hurt you but yourself," pose a final reflection that how we view and treat ourselves is ultimately the most important factor in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
All packed to go, baloney and mayonnaise sandwiches for the road
I have prepared sandwiches of baloney and mayonnaise for the journey.
Lay them out across the dash in the August sun
I keep the sandwiches on the dashboard under the sun in August.
And if they turn green don't be afraid
Don't worry if the sandwiches change color.
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
The only thing that can harm you is your own actions.
I been given to visions from time to time (Mighty fields of vision)
Sometimes I have powerful visions in my mind.
And the voice in my brain can be a little unkind sometimes
At times, my internal voice is not very nice to me.
Go ahead, point it at me, I ain't scared
You can criticize me, but I am not afraid.
And if you see me on the street and if I whop you on the head
If we meet on the street and I hit you, you likely deserved it.
You probably got it coming
You probably deserved it.
And if you hit me back, we'll call it even, but I ain't going down easy
If you hit me back, we will be even, but I won't give up easily.
'Cause my mama loves me and I got friends in Decatur, Alabama.
I am confident because my mother loves me, and I have friends in Decatur, Alabama.
So drink another drink and smoke another cigarette
Have another drink and smoke another cigarette.
Something's gonna get us yet
We will encounter trouble at some point.
'Cause I got ashes in my throat and I ain't got no vote
I have a sore throat and no political power.
It's just the way I stand myself
This is my personality and I am comfortable with it.
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
The only thing that can harm you is your own actions.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: PATTERSON HOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
CT Griffin
All packed to go, baloney and mayonnaise sandwiches for the road
Lay them out across the dash in the August sun
And if they turn green don't be afraid
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
I been given to visions from time to time (Mighty fields of vision)
And the voice in my head can be a little unkind sometimes
Go ahead, point it at me, I ain't scared
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
And if you see me on the street and if I whop you on the head
You probably got it coming
And if you hit me back, we'll call it even, but I ain't going down easy
'Cause my mama loves me and I got friends in Decatur, Alabama.
So drink another drink and smoke another cigarette
Something's gonna get us yet
'Cause I got ashes in my throat and I ain't got no vote
It's just the way I stand myself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Steve Weaver
one of the best pat songs
Jim Jones
Nothing can hurt you but yourself
Normanator
Ain't it the truth !!!!
CountryMusic52
Loving it