Slaid Cleaves’ music is marked by both the quirky blend of isolated eccentricity and steely resilience of his Yankee upbringing and the weathered soul of Texas, the state he has called home for over a decade now. First registering on the national folk scene by winning the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk competition in 1992, Cleaves released his national debut No Angel Knows (Philo/Rounder) in 1997, following a string of self-released albums and many nights logged in folk clubs as both a performer and a soundman. Met with effusive critical praise, No Angel Knows was followed by Broke Down (Philo/Rounder) in 2000, which expanded his audience exponentially by virtue of its exceedingly well-crafted songs and rugged Gurf Morlix production. In addition to the title track, a Rod Picott collaboration that won Song of the Year at the Austin Music Awards in 2001, Broke Down featured a couple of interpretations of other writers’ songs prefiguring Slaid’s later work, including a poignant reading of fellow Austinite Karen Poston’s “Lydia.”
Following Broke Down came 2004’s Wishbones (Philo/Rounder), a richly detailed exploration of life’s darker corners where still a ray of hope somehow shines. Wishbones climbed to the top of the Americana Radio chart coming in at #1 for 2004 while Slaid toured relentlessly promoting the album. It was after the recording of Wishbones that Cleaves began to consider the endeavor that became Unsung. “Over the years,” Cleaves explains, “as I grew as a songwriter, my songs began to make up the bulk of my sets. But I continued to throw in the odd song by a hero or friend, both in my shows and on the records I made. I did that partly out of tribute to my influences, but also to give my set, or album, some context and some variety.” These are songs from the songwriter trenches – compositions Cleaves first heard at late-night song-swaps, open-mic nights, during downtime at recording sessions, and on modest self-released CDs. Thanks to the work of producers David Henry and Rod Picott (a long-time Cleaves cohort and fellow Mainer), the performances and backdrops on Unsung are as evocative and captivating as the songs themselves. Cleaves’ gifts as an interpreter are such that the line between singer and song vanish completely.
"Cleaves tells gorgeously compact stories in a voice packed with Texas trail dust." -- Entertainment Weekly
"...one of the finest singer-songwriters in Texas." -- Neil Strauss, The New York Times
Drinkin' Days
Slaid Cleaves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No more nights at the Carousel
My buddies say they're gonna miss me but
Who could ever tell
I never knew what time it was
Til closing time came round
My drinking days are over
But I'm still troublebound
I used to hang at the Horseshoe
You'd see me spinning at the Broken Spoke
I'd take my gal to The Gaslight
We lived on whiskey and smoke
Don't know how it all started
Didn't mean to hurt no one
Some bad luck and what's done can't be undone
Well it was way past midnight
Anetta hollered out last call
I turned around and Wranglin' Ron
Was headed for a brawl
I didn't know that other guy was a cop
I guess I didn't care
Sometime you gotta act like you gotta pair
My drinking days are over...
I got a ride out to Huntsville
I'll be there for a while
Staring out a mesh window
Mile after mile
I don't have any regrets, well
Maybe just a few
A man's gonna do what he's gonna do
My drinking days are over...
Slaid Cleaves's "Drinkin' Days" is a song about a man who has given up his wild lifestyle of heavy drinking and partying. He has reached the point where he has to admit that it's over and that he can no longer keep up this lifestyle. He reflects back on his younger days of hanging out with his buddies at the Carousel and Horseshoe bars, spinning at the Broken Spoke, and taking his gal to The Gaslight. He admits that he never knew what time it was until it was closing time, but now he's still "troublebound."
The chorus "My drinking days are over" serves as a continuous reminder of his decision to change his life. The song also touches on themes such as regret and accepting consequences. The singer has accepted that he cannot undo the damage he has caused and must live with the choices he has made. He ends up in Huntsville, looking out of a mesh window, perhaps behind bars, but he has no regrets, just a few. He concludes that a man is going to do what he needs to do.
The song "Drinkin' Days" has resonated with many people who have gone through similar experiences in their lives. It's a truthful portrayal of the damage that can be caused by excessive drinking and the need to change one's ways. The song is an excellent example of Slaid Cleaves's exceptional storytelling abilities.
Line by Line Meaning
My drinking days are over
I used to drink heavily but I don't anymore.
No more nights at the Carousel
I don't go to the Carousel anymore because it reminds me of my drinking days.
My buddies say they're gonna miss me but
Who could ever tell
My friends say they'll miss me since I'm not drinking with them anymore but they can't predict what will happen.
I never knew what time it was
Til closing time came round
I lost track of time when I was drinking and only knew it was time to leave when the bar closed.
But I'm still troublebound
Even though I'm not drinking, I still have issues to deal with.
I used to hang at the Horseshoe
You'd see me spinning at the Broken Spoke
I'd take my gal to The Gaslight
We lived on whiskey and smoke
I used to go to these bars and clubs and drink and smoke with my girlfriend.
Don't know how it all started
Didn't mean to hurt no one
Some bad luck and what's done can't be undone
I don't know how my addiction started and I didn't mean to hurt anyone. However, some bad things happened and I can't change the past.
Well it was way past midnight
Anetta hollered out last call
I turned around and Wranglin' Ron
Was headed for a brawl
I didn't know that other guy was a cop
I guess I didn't care
Sometime you gotta act like you gotta pair
One night, when we were getting kicked out of a bar, I got into a fight with a cop. I didn't know he was a cop but even if I did, I probably wouldn't have cared. Sometimes you need to be tough and stand up for yourself.
I got a ride out to Huntsville
I'll be there for a while
Staring out a mesh window
Mile after mile
I don't have any regrets, well
Maybe just a few
A man's gonna do what he's gonna do
After that night, I ended up in jail and will be here for a while. I still don't regret the way I lived my life, but maybe I should have done things differently. However, ultimately, people will do what they want to do.
Contributed by Bailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
qbagwell
Good stuff. Well written, definitely not a Nashville "clone in the box"!
VeriSheri
Classic Slaid Cleaves, one of his best.
TurdFerguson1800
Some of the best steel guitar ever in that solo. It gives me chills every time I hear it.
Mark Andrew Zwartynski
This guy is really good!
english shab
just a very fine song ~~
WhoDatNatn
I just heard this performed at a bar and they killed it!
Clamman4U
Love this song and the heart, still no regrets and drinking even though the Carosal is long gone.
Jac D.
The Carousel is still going strong. http://www.carousellounge.net
metriczeppelin
Saw Slaid back in the 80's at the Old Port Festival in downtown Portland, Maine. Just now discovering him for the 2nd time. I won't let him get away this time!
Lucy Schoenmakers
Nice to listen to this song and music.