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.
Everything's Gonna Be Alright
Paul Thorn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a V-8 Ford that's cherry red
I heard a little voice inside my head
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
(Somebody help me sing)
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
Ridin' on the back of a dragon fly
With Mississippi moonshine in my eye
I'm sailin' home on southern skies
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
(I do believe)
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
I saw the devil down in Mexico
He was rollin' bones at the Texaco.
He handed me the dice, but I said no
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
(Hallelujah)
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
I got a front row seat at the apocalypse,
With a chili cheese dog and a bag of chips;
All the women in Heaven got hula-girl hips.
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
(Let me hear you sing)
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
The song "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by Paul Thorn is all about living in the moment and not worrying too much about the future. The lyrics describe the simple joys of life, like eating fried chicken and cornbread, riding on the back of a dragonfly with moonshine in your eye, and even watching the apocalypse with a chili cheese dog and a bag of chips. The repetition of the phrase "everything's gonna be all right" throughout the song reinforces the idea that no matter what life throws at you, things will work out in the end.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of temptation and the choice to overcome it. The singer encounters the devil in Mexico, who offers him a game of dice, but he chooses to resist and trust that "everything's gonna be all right." This suggests that, even when faced with difficult decisions or temptations, having faith that things will work out can help make the right choices.
Line by Line Meaning
Eatin' fried chicken and Mama's corn bread,
Enjoying the simple pleasures of life and feeling content with what one has.
I got a V-8 Ford that's cherry red
Feeling successful and proud of one's possessions.
I heard a little voice inside my head
Having a sense of inner peace and positivity.
Everything's gonna be all right
Feeling optimistic and confident about the future.
Ridin' on the back of a dragon fly
Experiencing a sense of freedom and carefree joy.
With Mississippi moonshine in my eye
Being in the moment and enjoying life's little indulgences.
I'm sailin' home on southern skies
Feeling a sense of belonging in one's homeland.
I saw the devil down in Mexico
Confronting life's challenges and overcoming obstacles.
He was rollin' bones at the Texaco.
Being confronted with temptation and making the right choice despite it.
He handed me the dice, but I said no
Making a conscious decision to avoid negative influences and temptations.
I got a front row seat at the apocalypse,
Facing the metaphorical end of the world with a sense of humor and perspective.
With a chili cheese dog and a bag of chips;
Enjoying life's small pleasures even in difficult times.
All the women in Heaven got hula-girl hips.
Seeing the beauty in life and finding joy in unexpected places.
Everything's gonna be all right
Maintaining a sense of hope and positivity despite adversity.
Everything's gonna be all right, everything's gonna be all right.
Reinforcing the message of optimism and positivity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NILE RODGERS, MARK ROONEY, MARK MORALES, DAMON JOHNSON, BERNARD EDWARDS, TIM BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronald Jennings
My uncle just passed away we buried him Christmas Eve. this was the song we played at his funeral. thank.
Steve Osheyack
What a classic song! Excellent writing, arranging and musicianship! A bases loaded homerun! Been a Thorn-head for several years now and we've got tickets to see him in an acoustic show. We've seen him with the full band a few times and are looking forward to seeing him play an acoustic show!
jane love
I love you Paul! This was awesome live at Merlefest! Your set list was perfect! You played all the songs I love. I listen to this one almost every morning before work. Thanks for all you do for us 'Thornies' !! Keep Jammin!!!
gail michaels
Got us through some tough times. Love you Paul, Bill, Ralph, Jeffery, and Michael.
sherry dutton
my new favorite song!!! love how uplifting it is..makes me wanna sit back and close my eyes and smile :)
GLENN EWELL
sherry dutton, That's my Best friend and Bro from Tupelo
Picturegrace Colb
For sure, Thankful for my Jesus! And God Bless the LORD for giving you a beautiful heart for sharing Music! Love, Love Love! 9/10/22
Kal Thompson
Paul Thorn, My respect for you knows no bounds. You've pretty much done it all. I wanna let ya know that you may have faced the "Hands of Stone," and he might've got ya in the later rounds, but your heart certainly is not made of stone. You're a great man, with a wonderful heart and I respect you more than you'll ever know. Stay strong and never ever quit what you're doing, because who you do changes lives for the better. Not many folks can say that. Trust me. :) Sincerely - Your Friend, Kal
@PaulThorn @PimpsPreachers
Jane Allan
boy do we need this song NOW!
GLENN EWELL
Paul is down so down to Earth
My Wife and I have had the privilege of meeting Paul many times, and he always remembers the one character that comes
to his show in a Kilt. And that's Me!