Hogan left the Rock*A*Teens after the release of Cry, and signed with Bloodshot Records, releasing two full-length albums in 2000-01. Among those appearing on the records were the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Andrew Bird, and Edith Frost. In the 2000s she also collaborated with Neko Case, The Waco Brothers, The Minus 5, Nora O'Connor, The Wee Hairy Beasties, and others.
Drunkard's Blues
Kelly Hogan Lyrics
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Now I've even lost my baby I guess I've got the drunkard's blues
It was down at Big Joe's barroom on the corner beyond the square
Everybody drinkin' good liquor the regular crowd was there
So I strolled out on the sidewalk began to look around
Looking everywhere for my baby but that sweet woman can't be found
It was down at St James infirmary I found my baby there
Stretched out on a long white table so cold so pale so fair
The next thing you know I'm reeling rocking and drunk again
Sixteen coal black horses all hitched up in a line
In that pretty buggy she's ridin' goodbye ol' gal of mine
Walking slow to the graveyard I've lost everything I could lose
Now I've even lost my baby I guess I've got the drunker's blues
The lyrics to Kelly Hogan's "Drunkard's Blues" detail the despair and heartbreak of someone who has hit rock bottom. The song starts off slow, with the singer walking slowly towards a graveyard, having lost everything they could lose. But the weight of their loss is deepened when they realize they've even lost their baby, leaving them with nothing but a broken heart and the "drunkard's blues."
The song then flashes back to a scene at Big Joe's barroom, where the crowd is drinking good liquor and enjoying themselves. The singer wanders out, searching for their baby, but comes up empty. The scene then shifts to St. James Infirmary, where they find their baby lying on a table, dead and cold. Returning to the barroom, the singer turns to drinking more gin, which leads to them becoming drunk again.
In an ironic twist, the song ends with a funeral procession, with sixteen coal-black horses and a pretty buggy carrying away the singer's lost love. The slow, melancholic tone of the song underscores the heartbreak and despondency of the singer's situation, while the recurring theme of drinking highlights the self-destructive cycle they're caught in.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking slow to the graveyard I've lost everything I could lose
I am walking slowly towards the graveyard because I have lost everything I could possibly lose in my life.
Now I've even lost my baby I guess I've got the drunkard's blues
I have lost my significant other and now I feel miserable and depressed due to excessive drinking.
It was down at Big Joe's barroom on the corner beyond the square
I went to Big Joe's bar located in a corner beyond the square.
Everybody drinkin' good liquor the regular crowd was there
Good quality alcohol was being served while the usual crowd was present at the bar.
So I strolled out on the sidewalk began to look around
I went outside and started to look around.
Looking everywhere for my baby but that sweet woman can't be found
I was searching everywhere for my significant other, but she was nowhere to be seen.
It was down at St James infirmary I found my baby there
I found my significant other at the St. James Infirmary.
Stretched out on a long white table so cold so pale so fair
She was lying on a long white table looking cold, pale, and beautiful.
So I strolled back down to the barroom to get another drink of gin
I walked back to the barroom to get another gin drink.
The next thing you know I'm reeling rocking and drunk again
Soon after, I became intoxicated again and started swaying and rocking back and forth.
Sixteen coal black horses all hitched up in a line
Sixteen black horses were all lined up in a row with their reins connected.
In that pretty buggy she's ridin' goodbye ol' gal of mine
My significant other was in that pretty buggy going away, leaving me alone.
Walking slow to the graveyard I've lost everything I could lose
I am walking slowly towards the graveyard because I have lost everything I could possibly lose in my life.
Now I've even lost my baby I guess I've got the drunker's blues
I have lost my significant other and now I feel miserable and depressed due to excessive drinking.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANK THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind