Growing up in the small mill town of South Berwick, Maine, Picott was exposed to a surprising mix of music. His father, a former marine owned a record collection that spanned from the marches of John Philip Sousa to the rhythm and blues of Ray Charles. His older brother, an avid record collector, introduced Rod to the punk poetry of Patti Smith and The Clash, finishing the groundwork of influences that Rod would draw from later in his own music. Through his teens and early twenties Picott payed his dues bumping around the raucous and thriving local music scene that ran from Boston MA. north to Portland ME.
After a few years in Boulder, Colorado busking on the streets and studying song craft with hit songwriter Stephen Allen Davis, 1994 saw a move to Nashville TN. Picott quickly established himself as one of the sharper penned new writers in town while hosting a weekly showcase called Rod Picott's Fireside Whiskey Hour. Two years later Picott was invited to be the opening act for Alison Krauss and Union Station on the western swing of their 1997 tour. In 2001 Picott's co-write with Slaid Cleaves became the most played song on Americana radio when Cleaves Rounder Records release of the same name broke Cleaves to a worldwide audience.
Picott's own 2001 debut release, Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues, announced his arrival as an artist of note. The album received airplay from Bob Harris on the BBC, and Music Row magazine’s Robert Oermann called the debut, "the birth of a major, major artist".
2002's Straydogs displayed even finer skills as a writer and vocalist and featured guest appearances from Alison Krauss and frequent co-writer Slaid Cleaves. The album was embraced by Americana radio and found it's way onto the chart for 5 weeks. It also found it's way onto many year’s-best lists in both the States and Europe.
Released in November 2004 , Girl From Arkansas, brought Picott's eye for lyric detail and whiskey-voiced delivery together with a newfound intimacy.
In 2005 a collection of live performances titled Travel Log was released. Recorded in front of a small crowd in Charlotte N.C. the cd documents a soulful and sometimes magical performance with accompaniment from Dobro and lapsteel player Matt Mauch.
In 2006 Picott co-produced, [with David Henry] Slaid Cleaves' Rounder Records release Unsung.
In the summer of 2007 Rod assembled some of his favorite musicians. The resulting cd Summerbirds is a beautifully realized collection that contains both full on rockers and the elegant ballads his audience has come to know him for. Maverick magazine called Summerbirds "as damn near perfect as you can get" and gave the album a full five star review. A full band tour through the UK and Italy followed the European release of Summerbirds. Rod and the band played live on the BBC in London and a distribution deal with Proper Distribution was signed for the album.
At the Folk Alliance Conference in Austin Tx. in 2006 Rod Picott met Texas fiddle sensation Amanda Shires. Over the following 2 years they toured throughout the States and Europe playing more than 150 shows together. In the winter of 2008 they began co-writing and recording their debut duo project. Picott and Amanda Shires are currently touring in support of their debut duo release, titled "Sew Your Heart with Wires" . The album is a completely acoustic recording featuring only their two voices, Picott's guitar and Shires' fiddle and Ukelele. The songs range from a murder ballad [Little Darlin'] to a gospel rave up [When You Get Your Story Told] to an outlaw narrative [Ruby]. All ten tracks were co-written by Rod Picott and Amanda Shires. The album's sound is rich, full of texture and drenched with soul and reverb. The album is distributed by Proper Distribution. "Sew Your Heart with Wires" received unanimous rave reviews, reached #7 on the Euro Americana Chart and was voted #4 Best Debut of 2008 by the FAR Chart radio reporters.
Picott released Welding Burns in 2011.
Bailing
Rod Picott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We bailed out the cellar every god damn spring
There were buckets going out cause the water came in
All night long my dad in a t shirt
He'd sleep for an hour then drive back to work
Took every shift that he could get
Sweat or rain either way your wet
Till my fingers bled but I had to get paid
So I traded myself and the dream inside
I had no faith I had no pride
Just a poor man's kid in a thrift store shirt
So I did what I did just to hurt
Route 95
Shining like a diamond
Hissing in the mercury lights
A long black promise tail lights fading
Bailing in the middle of the night
Leaving that place I rolled the windows down
Checked the rear view mirror and I listened for the sound
Of the humming black top and the ghosts in the trees
I heard a siren somewhere hoped it wasn't for me
Nashville skyline nobody knew me there
I closed my eyes and I sang my prayer
Chorus
Had I girl I loved but she had to go home
Some people have a place where they belong
I guess I'm not cut from that cloth
A pirate is home even when he's lost
But you pay for the things that you give away
That one's never gonna get repaid
Route 95
Shining like a diamond
Hissing in then mercury lights
Bail out the cellar bail out your brother
Bail til you get it right
In Rod Picott's song "Bailing," the lyrics paint a vivid picture of hard work, sacrifice, and the search for a better life. The opening lines describe the relentless task of bailing out a cellar every spring, symbolizing the constant struggle against the hardships of life. The singer's father is depicted tirelessly working day and night, sleeping only briefly before going back to work. This emphasizes the blue-collar work ethic and resilience of the working class.
The next verse reveals the singer's own experience as a young person, working hard to earn money. The imagery of sanding walls until his fingers bled represents the physical toll and sacrifice he made to survive. The singer's lack of faith and pride is mentioned, suggesting a sense of hopelessness and desperation. Wearing a thrift store shirt signifies his humble background and the feeling of being an outsider.
The chorus introduces the concept of escape, both physically and metaphorically. "Route 95," a highway often associated with travel and freedom, is described as shining like a diamond. The imagery of the hissing mercury lights enhances the sense of movement and adventure. The singer's decision to leave his past behind and embark on a journey is depicted. As he drives away, he reflects on the uncertain future and the possibility of being caught or pursued by a siren.
The final verse explores the theme of belonging and love. The singer recalls a girl he loved who had to return home, highlighting the transient nature of relationships and the longing for a place to call home. The notion of not fitting in or belonging to a certain cloth or group is expressed, portraying the singer as a wanderer or outsider. The lyrics emphasize the idea that one must pay for the things they give away, hinting at the consequences of sacrifice and the lack of reciprocity in life.
Overall, "Bailing" tells a story of hard work, sacrifice, and the search for belonging and a better life. The lyrics capture the struggles and emotions of the working class, while also exploring themes of escape and longing for a place to call home.
Line by Line Meaning
We bailed out the cellar every god damn spring
Every spring, we diligently removed the water that flooded into our cellar
There were buckets going out cause the water came in
We constantly had to empty buckets as the water continuously seeped into the cellar
All night long my dad in a t shirt
My father worked tirelessly all night, wearing only a t-shirt
He'd sleep for an hour then drive back to work
After just an hour of sleep, he would courageously return to his job
Took every shift that he could get
He accepted every available shift to make ends meet
Sweat or rain either way your wet
Regardless of whether it was from sweat or rain, he was always soaked with moisture
I sanded those walls on the very first day
On the initial day, I conscientiously smoothed the walls by sanding them
Till my fingers bled but I had to get paid
Even though my fingers bled, I persevered because I needed to earn a living
So I traded myself and the dream inside
I sacrificed my own well-being and the aspirations I held deep within
I had no faith I had no pride
I lacked faith in myself and had no sense of self-worth
Just a poor man's kid in a thrift store shirt
Merely a child from a low-income family, dressed in secondhand clothing
So I did what I did just to hurt
I engaged in certain actions purely to inflict pain upon myself
Route 95
Travelling along Highway 95
Shining like a diamond
The road gleaming brightly, resembling a precious gemstone
Hissing in the mercury lights
The road making a faint sizzling sound under the glow of the streetlights
A long black promise tail lights fading
A distant promise represented by the fading taillights ahead
Bailing in the middle of the night
Escaping abruptly during the darkness of night
Leaving that place I rolled the windows down
As I departed from that location, I opened the car windows
Checked the rear view mirror and I listened for the sound
I glanced at the rear view mirror and attentively listened for any audible signs
Of the humming black top and the ghosts in the trees
The resonating vibrations of the road's surface and the eerie presence of the trees
I heard a siren somewhere hoped it wasn't for me
A distant siren heard, and I prayed it wasn't intended for my capture
Nashville skyline nobody knew me there
Arriving in Nashville, where I remained unknown
I closed my eyes and I sang my prayer
I shut my eyes and expressed my prayer through song
Had I girl I loved but she had to go home
There was a girl I adored, but circumstances forced her to return to her place of origin
Some people have a place where they belong
Certain individuals possess a sense of belonging to a particular location
I guess I'm not cut from that cloth
I suppose I do not possess that inherent sense of belonging
A pirate is home even when he's lost
For a pirate, the feeling of home persists even when navigation is aimless
But you pay for the things that you give away
There is a cost for relinquishing the things you offer to others
That one's never gonna get repaid
That particular debt will never be settled
Bail out the cellar bail out your brother
Rescue the cellar from flooding and support your sibling in times of need
Bail til you get it right
Continue providing assistance until the situation is resolved satisfactorily
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rod Picott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tammy
on Gettin' To Me
Gettin to me