Rod Picott (born November 3, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter whose m… Read Full Bio ↴Rod Picott (born November 3, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter whose music incorporates elements of Americana, alt-country, and folk. He grew up in New Hampshire, but relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in 1994. After several years of playing local clubs and supporting such acts as Alison Krauss, Picott released his first album in 2001. By 2008, he had released five studio albums and one live recording.

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.

Ghost
Rod Picott Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ghost
I lost a couple of high notes from the top of my voice
From moaning too hard but I guess that was my choice
I drink myself to sleep at night can't tell myself I don't
Crawling through the minefield of passing time and losing hope

Hard as nails thin as hope
I'm the punchline of my own joke

And I'm broken as a bone
Going up in smoke
I'm a ghost

No one can hear me even when I shout
The louder I yell well the more I'm filled with doubt
Hickory would break on my stupid pride
A crow bar would bend trying to get a look inside

Chorus

You would think I would give in just a little bit
Find some kind of redemption from my own sins

Now I'm alone and lonely can't say I've done my best
I could lie to myself but I know god damn well what comes next
If I had half a lick of sense I'd be counting stars
The ones that were shining right there in your eyes

Chorus

Overall Meaning

In Rod Picott's song "Ghost," the lyrics showcase a sense of despair and self-destructive behavior. The opening lines depict the singer's voice being strained and damaged due to emotional pain, which he admits he willingly brought upon himself. The act of drinking himself to sleep further reflects his need to numb the pain and escape from reality. The mention of crawling through a minefield of passing time and losing hope suggests a sense of vulnerability and the constant struggle to find meaning in life.

The chorus reveals the internal struggle the singer faces, feeling unheard and filled with doubt despite his efforts to make his voice heard. The reference to hickory breaking on his pride and a crowbar bending to see inside highlights his deep-rooted stubbornness and unwillingness to be vulnerable. He sees himself as a broken individual, slowly fading away like a ghost.

The second verse emphasizes the singer's pessimistic outlook. Despite the singer's awareness of his own flaws and sins, he finds it challenging to find redemption. He expresses a sense of loneliness and acknowledges that he hasn't given his best in life. He contemplates lying to himself but realizes deep down what the consequences will be. The mention of counting stars also suggests that the singer recognizes the beauty and love that once existed but failed to fully appreciate it.

Overall, "Ghost" delves into themes of self-destruction, loneliness, and the struggle to find redemption. It portrays a character who is haunted by their own choices and internal battles, highlighting the human tendency to sabotage oneself.

Line by Line Meaning

I lost a couple of high notes from the top of my voice
I have experienced loss and pain that has affected my ability to express myself

From moaning too hard but I guess that was my choice
I chose to dwell in my sorrow and self-pity, causing further harm

I drink myself to sleep at night can't tell myself I don't
I turn to alcohol to escape my loneliness, even though I know it's not the solution

Crawling through the minefield of passing time and losing hope
I struggle to navigate through life, constantly losing hope as time goes by

Hard as nails thin as hope
I appear tough on the outside, but my hope is fragile and easily broken

I'm the punchline of my own joke
I am the subject of my own self-deprecating humor and ridicule

And I'm broken as a bone
I am emotionally shattered and damaged

Going up in smoke
I am slowly fading away and losing myself

I'm a ghost
I feel invisible and disconnected from the world, like a ghost

No one can hear me even when I shout
I feel unheard and ignored, even when I try to make myself heard

The louder I yell well the more I'm filled with doubt
The more I try to assert myself, the more uncertain and doubtful I become

Hickory would break on my stupid pride
My foolish pride is so strong that even tough materials like hickory would break on it

A crow bar would bend trying to get a look inside
Even if someone tried to pry into my inner thoughts and feelings, they would struggle to understand me

You would think I would give in just a little bit
One might expect me to yield or show some vulnerability

Find some kind of redemption from my own sins
Seek forgiveness and a chance for redemption for the mistakes I have made

Now I'm alone and lonely can't say I've done my best
I am now left feeling isolated and empty, realizing that I have not given my all

I could lie to myself but I know god damn well what comes next
I could deceive myself, but deep down, I am fully aware of the consequences awaiting me

If I had half a lick of sense I'd be counting stars
If I were more wise and perceptive, I would appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world

The ones that were shining right there in your eyes
The moments of happiness and love that I experienced through your eyes

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rod Picott

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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