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.
Welding Burns
Rod Picott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La Palma north atlantic where the winters come down hard
After work he did some drinking and sometimes it was a little rough
Most nights he gets his fill sometimes you can't get enough
Some things you're born to, some things you gotta learn
Broken homes, wrecked cars, scars and welding burns
Little bottle under the seat hard enough to make you cough
And I swore I wasn't gonna stay here, I used to dream a lot
Now I can't remember what it was, that I was dreaming of
Some things you're born to, some things you gotta learn
Broken homes, wrecked cars, scars and welding burns
I used to take her down to lee's mill pond to seen August sun on her brown skin
Promised I would take her away, she knew better even way back then
Now there a wife, a kid, a dresser draw
Filled with pocket tees
Little holes burned in each one where the good shirts used to be
Some things you're born to, some things you gotta learn
Broken homes, wrecked cars, scars and welding burns
Some things you're born to, some things you better learn
Broken dreams, wrecked cars, broken bones and welding burns
Some things you're born to, some things you're born to
"Welding Burns" by Rod Picott is a powerful song that explores the dynamics of a blue-collar family, where a father works hard as a welder but also struggles with alcoholism. The singer, presumably the son of the welder, muses on the difficulties of growing up in this environment, where broken homes, wrecked cars, scars, and welding burns are all part of the package. The song is a reflection on the inevitability of certain aspects of life, and how sometimes the things we are born into can shape our fate.
The song opens with the singer introducing his father as a welder at the navy yard. He describes the harsh winters of La Palma North Atlantic, where his father worked and how his father sometimes turned to drinking after work, which could get rough. The song then transitions to the singer's own struggles, with a little bottle hidden under the seat to help "knock the edges off." The singer expresses regret that he hasn't fulfilled his dreams and can't remember what they were, suggesting that the difficult circumstances of his upbringing may have limited his opportunities.
The final verse explores the singer's past relationship with a woman he took to Lee's Mill Pond. He promised to take her away, but the realities of the situation have led him to a different life, with a wife, kid, and a dresser drawer full of burned pocket tees. The song ends on a somber note, with the repetition of the idea that some things are born into and some things that must be learned, including broken dreams, wrecked cars, broken bones, and welding burns.
Line by Line Meaning
My father was a welder at the navy yard
My dad worked as a skilled welder in the naval shipyard
La Palma north atlantic where the winters come down hard
He worked in the La Palma region of the North Atlantic where the winters are especially harsh
After work he did some drinking and sometimes it was a little rough
After work, he'd have a few drinks, which sometimes led to some trouble
Most nights he gets his fill sometimes you can't get enough
He'd usually have enough to drink, but sometimes he couldn't get enough
Some things you're born to, some things you gotta learn
Life has its inherent challenges, while others are faced through experience
Broken homes, wrecked cars, scars and welding burns
Life experiences can lead to difficult moments, with examples ranging from broken homes to scars and burns from his welding profession
Little bottle under the seat hard enough to make you cough
Sometimes, he carried a small bottle of alcohol in his car to help dull his senses
Some days you need something to knock the edges off
There are days when one just needs something to take away the roughness of life
And I swore I wasn't gonna stay here, I used to dream a lot
The artist had dreams of leaving this place and hoped to fulfill that desire
Now I can't remember what it was, that I was dreaming of
Over time, his desire to leave and his dreams have faded away or become vague
I used to take her down to lee's mill pond to seen August sun on her brown skin
He used to take his loved one to Lee's Mill Pond to enjoy the warmth of the August sun on her skin
Promised I would take her away, she knew better even way back then
He promised to take her away from this place, but deep down, she knew that wasn't going to happen
Now there a wife, a kid, a dresser draw
Now, he has a wife and a child, and a drawer filled with plain t-shirts
Filled with pocket tees
These t-shirts all have pockets
Little holes burned in each one where the good shirts used to be
These t-shirts now have tiny holes burned into them, where the better shirts used to be
Broken dreams, wrecked cars, broken bones and welding burns
Life isn't always fair, with some people facing broken dreams, wrecked cars, broken bones, and welding burns as the artist has experienced
Some things you're born to, some things you better learn
Again, some difficulties are inherent to life, while others require learning through experience
Some things you're born to
Some of life's difficulties are out of our control
Contributed by Miles D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johnharold8682
Been there, done that. At 71 I show the kids in college the scars and make sure they know working is not going to be easy. Respect.
@LymeWarriors
Rod played a fundraiser for us years ago, and we've been casual buds ever since. His music is on Amazon, and seriously, BUY EVERYTHING. Rod is one of the most talented guys that no one pays attention to. Let's get that changed!
@nancybeckwith1543
I agree. He's amazing. 65 Ford falcon came across my feed one day and I was hooked! And he's from Naine, as am I. How could I contact him?
@danielmcdowell9526
I'm a welder and this song is true not everyone can be a welder but I'm proud to be one. Its not a life for everyone I have many friends on the ship yards and this is the story for most of them on the daily.
@jilo860
Not gonna lie that song hit home like a brick. My father was a pipe welder. When I was 20, he committed suicide. I've always wanted to live up to what he would have thought me and that's why I became a welder and that's why I use his hood every day I earn a paycheck. This song makes me wanna cry it's so real. Thank you
@slopainguevara5615
pick up that 7018 and Burn brother
@PilgrimPiper
Very sorry for your loss. How cool though you honor him in the way you do. Peace be with you
@icarusburning2208
I a first gen welder and this makes me happy you are a part my world.
@davidhick4303
Wow I feel your pain Thankyou for sharing!
@spyder6100
Some things you're born too , some things you gotta learn..... much love