Receiving a hand up in this business of music from the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard is no small accomplishment, and that mentorship – and sometimes harsh instruction – was not lost on Sam Riggs, who has had the fortunate opportunity to meander through Wylie’s cerebral countryside over the last few years. At the time of their meeting, Riggs was already a commercially-viable songwriter with an impressive root system, having sprung from his family’s musical genes; but he was still feeding off the unripe fruits of his youth. Through the songwriting school of Hubbard, he learned the time-honored virtue of patience and the aptitude for turning the rough and tumble falls to the ground into a steady, recovered gait.
“He opened my eyes to songwriting, and I could see the idiot I had been and the idiot I was going to be, and he helped me to navigate that. He taught me what it really is to be a songwriter.”
Those rough and tumble falls steadily began upon Riggs’ relocation in 2007 from his home base in Florida to Austin, Texas, after some friends brought him a CD from the prominent Texas-based band, Reckless Kelly. Their unprocessed lyrics and raw production hit Riggs squarely between the eyes, like hammer on nail, driving him to plant his personal flag in a place where he could be his own artist. His inception was less than spectacular, as he struggled to imprint himself on the hearts of Texas Music fans while also drawing heavy influence from commercial radio. With hard stares and indifferent responses, Riggs diligently worked to strip down the polish and bring out the more natural shine – a task that resulted from the truth that, as Riggs so accurately put it, “You can’t bullshit a Texan.” The experience was both a breath of fresh air and a simultaneous smack in the face, and it ultimately cultivated the signature collection that is his debut record release, OUTRUN THE SUN.
“The only thing that matters is how you interpret this life. I wanted this to be reflection of my intent and an echo of my soul as songwriter and artist.”
Following the release of the 2012 EP, Lighthouse, OUTRUN THE SUN is a perfectly ripened delicacy that will be available for the picking on October 29, 2013, on Nashville-based Vision Entertainment. Produced by Erik Herbst (Eli Young Band, Bowling For Soup, Josh Abbott Band), the debut album of Sam Riggs & The Night People signals a lyrical comprehension that reaches far beyond Sam’s years, and musical compositions that are both brave and progressive. The driving will in “Longshot”; the matter of abuse in “The Change”; and the love-provoked courage in “Lighthouse” are just a few of the towering giants included in this release.
The record is fully backed by a live show that comes out swinging and keeps the energy high. Having opened for acts that include Chris Knight; Joe Diffie; Kevin Fowler; Pat Green; the Eli Young Band; the Randy Rogers Band; and, of course, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sam Riggs & The Night People have become well-educated in the art of working a crowd. Riggs himself never fails to dazzle with his “musical chair” performances that never restrict him to one location on the stage. Vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, fiddle, and even drums are all part of the magic that he hypnotically spins on a nightly basis.
“Your audience is like a dreamer, and the last thing you want to do is wake a dreamer. We try to draw them in with our music and keep them entranced in that dream.”
Six Feet in the Ground
Sam Riggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got a memory to drown.
And I'm not givin up until me or that memory
is buried six feet in the ground.
Hey Sailor Jerry, its good to see you.
I can see you're doin fine.
Pull up a glass while I'm thinkin this through,
And oh mister Jameson, whats that you say?
I should just leave her behind?
Cause I'm better off now without her wicked ways,
that drove me out of my mind.
Well now,
Bartender, bartender, pour me a shot.
I've got a memory to drown.
And I'm not givin up until me or that memory
is buried six feet in the ground.
Shot glass in hand, time to dig a hole
so damn deep nobody will know
where I laid to rest my heartbroken soul.
Well I guess that I should just pay off my tab,
go home and hope for the best.
But she'll never miss me and this glass of whiskey
it seems to be all I got left.
Woah now,
Bartender, bartender, pour me a shot.
I've got a memory to drown.
On second thought pass me a bottle instead,
tonight I'm gonna shoot this one down.
Woah, I've tried this before without any luck,
she always come back around.
But I'm not givin up until me or that memory
is buried six feet in the ground,
buried six feet in the ground,
oh buried six feet in the ground.
The lyrics to "Six Feet in the Ground" by Sam Riggs tell the story of a man who is trying to drown out the memories of a past relationship by drinking. The song opens with the man asking the bartender to pour him a shot so he can forget his painful memories. He's determined to not stop until either he or the memory is buried six feet in the ground. However, as the song progresses, he realizes that drinking alone won't be enough to bury the memory completely and he needs something stronger. He still holds onto the hope that his ex-girlfriend will miss him, but he knows that the only way to move on is to try and forget her completely.
The song is relatable in the sense that many people have experienced heartbreak and have turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the pain the singer is going through and his desperate attempts to forget. The use of names of specific alcoholic beverages adds to the authenticity of the theme of the song. The lyrics also show that despite the man's attempts to move on, he's still somewhat hopeful that his ex-girlfriend will come back to him.
Line by Line Meaning
Bartender, bartender, pour me a shot.
I want you to give me a glass of alcohol.
I've got a memory to drown.
I want to forget something unpleasant that happened to me.
And I'm not givin up until me or that memory is buried six feet in the ground.
I will keep on trying to forget or die before remembering it again.
Hey Sailor Jerry, its good to see you.
Hello Mr. Sailor Jerry, it's good to see you again.
I can see you're doin fine.
You seem to be doing well.
Pull up a glass while I'm thinkin this through, you always gettin me through the night.
Please sit down and join me while I'm thinking about this. You have always helped me get through tough times at night.
And oh mister Jameson, whats that you say?
Hello Mr. Jameson, what advice do you have for me?
I should just leave her behind?
Are you telling me that I should forget about her?
Cause I'm better off now without her wicked ways, that drove me out of my mind.
I'm better off now without her cruel actions that made me go crazy.
Shot glass in hand, time to dig a hole so damn deep nobody will know where I laid to rest my heartbroken soul.
I have a glass in my hand and will dig a hole deep enough so that no one knows where I buried my brokenhearted self.
Well I guess that I should just pay off my tab, go home and hope for the best.
I think I should pay my bill and leave, hoping that everything will work out well for me.
But she'll never miss me and this glass of whiskey it seems to be all I got left.
She will never care for me again, and this glass of whiskey is all I have left to comfort me.
On second thought pass me a bottle instead, tonight I'm gonna shoot this one down.
Actually, give me a bottle because tonight I want to drink until I blackout.
Woah now,
Oh my,
I've tried this before without any luck, she always come back around.
I have tried to forget her before, but she always comes back.
But I'm not givin up until me or that memory is buried six feet in the ground, buried six feet in the ground, oh buried six feet in the ground.
I won't stop trying to forget until either I die, or the memory is so deep in my mind that I never remember it again.
Contributed by Sarah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.