Before his professional music career began, Thorn was briefly a professional boxer. After a few years of working in a local furniture factory and playing in local clubs, he was discovered by music professional Miles Copeland (brother of The Police drummer Stewart Copeland). This resulted in Thorn being signed to a recording contract with A&M Records and recording his first album, Hammer & Nail in 1997.
Thorn took an unexpected detour on the road to recording a follow-up to his most successful release, 2010's Pimps and Preachers. After writing many discs of semi-autobiographical tunes that have drawn comparisons to John Hiatt and John Prine, the critically acclaimed singer/songwriter - hailed as the "Mark Twain of Americana" - decided to do an album of covers. "I wanted to take a break from myself," he reveals, "do something different, and just have fun."
The collection, entitled What The Hell Is Goin' On? (Perpetual Obscurity / Thirty Tigers) finds Thorn putting his own gritty rock stamp on some of his favorite songs. There are some names familiar to Americana fans (Buddy Miller, Ray Wylie Hubbard), some lesser-known (Foy Vance, Wild Bill Emerson) and some surprises. The Buckingham/Nicks tune Don't Let Me Down Again originated on that duo's debut, not during the Fleetwood Mac era, while the Paul Rogers/Free song that Thorn chose to cover is an obscure one, Walk In My Shadow.
The idea for a covers album grew as Thorn encountered tunes that meant something important to him. "I would hear them in the tour van or I'd be at a festival and see someone perform them live," Thorn says, "and I'd say 'That's a great song, I wish I had written it!'" One thing all the writers of these songs have in common, according to Thorn, is that they are true artists. "They don't just write songs in an effort to become popular or follow trends," he explains. "At the risk of sounding corny, they write with their hearts. None of these songs are cookie-cutter tunes like you hear on the radio today. They all have real depth, which is very appealing to me."
The set covers subjects that are familiar territory to Thorn, from the spiritual pull of Miller's Shelter Me Lord to the spirited fun in Big Al Anderson's Jukin'. Thorn, so skilled with his own character studies, plays storyteller with such lurid tales as Hubbard's Snake Farm and Emerson's Bull Mountain Bridge. Emerson (who has written for George Jones and Tammy Wynette) is someone, according to Thorn, who "can tell a story in a song like nobody else."
What The Hell Is Goin' On? also delivers songs of love and salvation. Vance's Shed A Little Light and Eli "Paperboy" Reed's Take My Love With You are emotionally powerful tunes. The latter particularly expresses Thorn's feelings about being on the road and missing his family back home: "Being a touring musician is a blessing and a curse... and Eli put into words what I feel like sometimes."
What The Hell's centerpiece is the powerful title track, a blistering look at life in modern times that was penned by blues-rock icon Elvin Bishop. "We are living in a new world where people are very connected, but also at the same time are disconnected," Thorn states. "I believe technology in moderation is good but too many folks are walking around wearing ear phones and some have forgotten the lost art of basic social skills."
The song also is significant because he has developed a friendship with Bishop over the years. "I sometimes visit him at his house when I'm out in California and he always gives me a jar of his homemade jelly that he makes with fresh kiwis from his garden," Thorn recalls. "He sang this song for me on his front porch one day and it blew me away." It was also a treat to have Bishop perform a guitar solo on the tune - which Thorn describes as "wonderfully raw and dirty." Other special guests on the album are Delbert McClinton (another Thorn idol) and the marvelous singing McCrary Sisters.
The heavy lifting on the album, however, was done by Thorn and, as usual, his touring band (guitarist Bill Hinds, keyboard player Michael Graham, bassist Ralph Friedrichsen and drummer Jeffrey Perkins). "The guys in this outfit are a tight unit and a well-oiled machine," he proclaims. "I've had the same guys in my band for goin' on 15 years and they are incredible musicians." Another long-time collaborator is Billy Maddox, who steered the ship and also served as What The Hell's producer. The sense of camaraderie among Thorn, his band and Maddox contributes to the disc's loose, live performances. The lived-in quality is undoubted aided by the fact that Thorn and the band had already played these songs live and honed them into what he calls "crowd-pleasers."
Photo of Paul ThornThorn has been pleasing crowds for years with his muscular brand of roots music - bluesy, rocking and thoroughly Southern, yet also speaking universal truths. The Tupelo, Mississippi native worked in a furniture factory, jumped out of airplanes, and was a professional boxer before sharing his experiences with the world as a singer-songwriter. Pimps and Preachers, which topped the Americana charts for three weeks and broke into the Billboard Top 100, perfectly exemplified the vivid scope of his songwriting and illuminated his family background. While his father is a Church of God Pentecostal Minister, his uncle (his father's brother) spent time as a pimp, and Thorn was influenced by both of these men. Mining these "saint and sinner" scenarios, Thorn crafted a disc that All Music Guide lauded as "a great rock & roll album," while The Nation labeled it "an incredible find."
When Thorn and his band hit the road, he'll be performing both his captivating originals and these favored covers, because, as he says, "there are so many great writers out there whose songs need to be heard." Thorn also might slip in a new song or two as he already has started writing more songs of his own for the next album.
Even Heroes Die
Paul Thorn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shooting TVs with groupies in the Jungle Room
A little fame and fortune was all he had left
They dug his grave by the kitchen door
And millions of blue-haired ladies took the guided tour
His Chinese fan club came over on a boat
And took pictures at his birthplace in Tupelo
Some disappear, they drop out of sight
Some stay too long and get crucified
Whoa this world ain't no place to be
When you′re larger than life, ohhh even heroes die
Over on the poor side of Birmingham
He was preaching on the corner but nobody gave a damn
Except a couple hookers and a homeless man
A dozen losers Were his best friends
At the church across the street, they were raising hell
They said if he is a man of God, why do his old clothes smell
They ran him out of town for disturbing the peace
He died on a shelter cot in his sleep
Some disappear, they drop out of sight
Some stay too long and get crucified
Whoa this world ain't no place to be
When you're larger than life, ohhh even heroes die
Whoa, even heroes die
Whoa, even heroes die
The song "Even Heroes Die" by Paul Thorn is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of fame and the tragic end that even the most iconic figures can meet. The first verse describes Elvis Presley at the height of his popularity, in the Jungle Room at Graceland, shooting TVs with groupies. Despite his fame and fortune, he eventually succumbed to a premature death - represented in the line "they dug his grave by the kitchen door". The second verse speaks about a street preacher in Birmingham who's ignored by most but finds friendship in those rejected by society. Though he's run out of town and dies alone, he's a hero in his own right, having impacted those around him in a positive way.
The overarching message of the song is that fame and fortune are not the ultimate goal in life, as they can be fleeting and hollow. The people who make a lasting impact are those who touch others' lives, regardless of their social status or level of recognition. Heroes can be found in all walks of life, and sometimes, they're not even aware of the influence they have on others. This is a powerful message that resonates with listeners, reminding them to focus on what's truly important in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight at Graceland in ′72
The year was 1972, and it's midnight at Graceland (the home of Elvis Presley).
Shooting TVs with groupies in the Jungle Room
In Graceland's Jungle Room, Elvis was hanging out with groupies and shooting the TVs, indicating a party environment.
A little fame and fortune was all he had left
Being a very famous entertainer, Elvis's main joy was his fame and fortune, which was left to him.
They dug his grave by the kitchen door
Elvis's gravesite was located next to his kitchen door in Graceland.
And millions of blue-haired ladies took the guided tour
Graceland became a tourist attraction, and many elderly ladies flocked to see it.
His Chinese fan club came over on a boat
Some of his Chinese fans traveled by boat to arrive at his birthplace in Tupelo.
And took pictures at his birthplace in Tupelo
Elvis Presley's birthplace in Tupelo also became a tourist attraction, and many people started to take pictures there.
Some disappear, they drop out of sight
Some people disappear from the public eye.
Some stay too long and get crucified
Some people in the public eye overstay their welcome and are crucified by the public.
Whoa this world ain't no place to be
The world is a tough, inhospitable environment for everyone.
When you′re larger than life, ohhh even heroes die
When heroes are perceived for too long as larger than life, they too are subject to death like anyone else.
Over on the poor side of Birmingham
In Birmingham's poor area, there was a man, who was not so famous.
He was preaching on the corner but nobody gave a damn
Despite preaching on the corner, nobody was interested in listening to his message.
Except a couple hookers and a homeless man
Only a few hopeless people, a couple hookers and a homeless man, cared to engage with him.
A dozen losers Were his best friends
His good friends were a dozen of other losers like him.
At the church across the street, they were raising hell
The church across the street was not fond of the preacher who was considered a troublemaker.
They said if he is a man of God, why do his old clothes smell
The church questioned his credibility by highlighting the shabby state of his clothes.
They ran him out of town for disturbing the peace
He was chased out of town for being a nuisance and disrupting the peace.
He died on a shelter cot in his sleep
He passed away in his sleep while staying in a shelter.
Whoa, even heroes die
An emphasis on the awareness that heroes die too.
Whoa, even heroes die
An emphasis on the awareness that heroes die too.
Writer(s): Billy Maddox, Paul Wayne Thorn
Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.