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
Twistin'
Slaid Cleaves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A crowd gathered from miles around
Over a thousand, I heard one say
All around me on the square in town
Ladies dressed up in their best
Kids ran around and played
They all come to see me I guessed
Me and the sheriff and a man in chains
To the women, the men, the boys and girls
"We are graveyard sons and daughters
Passing through an unfriendly world"
A few last words and down he goes
Teeth bared in an awful grin
A cheer rises up from the crowd
As I hold him, twistin in the wind
Men held up their babies to see
Reporters jotted down a tale
Hawkers brought out lemonade
And the ladies headed for the hangin' day sale
From time to time these folks would come
And all but one would walk away
I'd shudder as the rope snapped tight
But I got used to hanging day
Now they don't gather round no more
Though I'm tall and stouter still
Now they do it all behind closed doors
They say it's a better way to kill
The Reverend Sam began a prayer
To the women, the men, the boys and girls
"We are graveyard sons and daughters
Passing through an unfriendly world"
A few last words and down he goes
Teeth bared in an awful grin
A cheer rises up from the crowd
As I hold him, twistin in the wind
One more poor boy dead and gone
Twistin in the wind
The opening lines of Slaid Cleaves’s "Twistin’ in the Wind" describes a scene of an execution, happening in a square in a town where a massive crowd has gathered for the event. They have come to watch the hanging of a man, who is in chains and apparently, the singer of the song is the executioner. The song deals with themes of justice and morality, depicting the violent practice of public executions and its shortcomings. The public used to gather in large numbers to watch the hangman do his job, but the singer observes that now executions happen behind closed doors, a more sanitized and less sensationalized version of the same violent act.
The Reverend Sam leads the prayers for the convicted. The use of the words “graveyard sons and daughters” points to the notion that we all come from the earth and will ultimately return to it. The lyrics “Passing through an unfriendly world” reinforces the idea that our time here is temporary and often difficult. Although it is not stated, the singer’s repetition of “a few last words, and down he goes” suggests their unease with the finality of their actions. Their shock and sadness at the hanging can be seen in the final line “One more poor boy dead and gone.”
Slaid Cleaves's "Twistin’ in the Wind" addresses the effects of public executions on both the people who organized them and those who observe them. It is a commentary on the negative influences of mob mentality and the fact that violence – even when justified – leads to adverse and long-lasting consequences. This song highlights the importance of social connections, empathy, and understanding in a time when such values can feel at risk.
Line by Line Meaning
Years ago on an April day
The song's narrator recollects a specific event from his past, which took place on an April day.
A crowd gathered from miles around
The event in question drew a large group of people from far and wide to witness what was happening.
Over a thousand, I heard one say
The crowd was so large that someone estimated there were over a thousand people present.
All around me on the square in town
The event took place in the town square, and the artist was in the midst of the crowd.
Ladies dressed up in their best
Many of the women in the crowd had gotten dolled up for the occasion.
Kids ran around and played
Despite the gravity of the situation, some of the children in the crowd were still able to run around and play.
They all come to see me I guessed
The singer surmises that the reason so many people showed up was to witness the event that he was involved in.
Me and the sheriff and a man in chains
The artist, the sheriff, and a man in chains were the central figures of the event.
The Reverend Sam began a prayer
The Reverend Sam, a man of the cloth, began to offer a prayer for those present.
To the women, the men, the boys and girls
The prayer was addressed to everyone in the crowd, regardless of gender or age.
"We are graveyard sons and daughters
The Reverend Sam acknowledges that we are all mortal and will one day be buried in the ground.
Passing through an unfriendly world"
He suggests that life can be harsh and difficult to navigate.
A few last words and down he goes
The man in chains, who is about to be hanged, is given the opportunity to say a few last words.
Teeth bared in an awful grin
Despite his impending death, the man in chains seems to be smiling in a way that the singer finds unnerving.
A cheer rises up from the crowd
When the man is dropped from the gallows, many in the crowd cheer and celebrate.
As I hold him, twistin in the wind
The artist, who appears to have been involved in the hanging, holds onto the rope and watches the man's body twist and turn.
Men held up their babies to see
Some of the men in the crowd lifted their babies up so they could get a better view of the hanging man.
Reporters jotted down a tale
Journalists who were present took notes in order to write a story about the event later on.
Hawkers brought out lemonade
Vendors sold refreshments like lemonade to the people in the crowd.
And the ladies headed for the hangin' day sale
Some of the women in the crowd used the occasion as an excuse to go shopping for bargains offered by local merchants.
From time to time these folks would come
After the initial event, some of the same people would show up again from time to time for similar public hangings.
And all but one would walk away
With the exception of the man who was hanged, everyone else would leave the scene unscathed.
I'd shudder as the rope snapped tight
The singer, who appeared to be involved in the event, found the sight of the man being hanged so unsettling that he would shudder.
But I got used to hanging day
After repeated experiences of witnessing public hangings, the artist grew accustomed to the gruesome spectacle.
Now they don't gather round no more
The public's interest in attending hangings has waned over time, and fewer people show up for such events.
Though I'm tall and stouter still
Despite the fact that he is still alive and relatively healthy, the singer has grown physically larger over time.
Now they do it all behind closed doors
Hangings are no longer public events, but are instead carried out in private.
They say it's a better way to kill
The implication is that private execution is a more humane way of carrying out the death penalty.
One more poor boy dead and gone
The song ends on a mournful note, with the artist lamenting the loss of yet another life to capital punishment.
Twistin in the wind
The repeated refrain of the song suggests that the phrase is meant to serve as a metaphor for the inhumanity of the death penalty, and the twisted nature of those who would carry it out.
Contributed by Lillian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.