Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue actually spent the majority of his adolescence north of the Red River, where he was raised in Southeastern Oklahoma . He never really pictured himself doing anything else but making good music, so LaRue eventually made his way to the state’s Red Dirt hotbed of Stillwater, where he began to develop his individualized style from a widespread range of influences.
From Willie Nelson to Ray Charles, to The Grateful Dead and Kris Kristofferson, LaRue’s emerging style impressively blends varied elements of country, blues, and soulful rock into cohesive, vocal driven performances. His abilities earned the immediate respect of then “up and coming” peers including Cody Canada, Mike McClure, Jason Boland, and other cohorts of the revitalizing Texas and Red Dirt circuits (now electrifying audiences nationwide.)
In 2002, both fans and industry took good notice of LaRue after he spearheaded The Organic Boogie Band and released ”Downtown,” which was recorded in private sessions at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa and mixed in a trailer on the side of a cliff in Bartlesville,OK. It was just the beginning, as the debut cemented LaRue’s following and inspired a move to New Braunfels, Texas, where a vibrant music community and a persistent touring schedule spawned a vast response.
Fans anxiously awaited the August 2005 release of Stoney LaRue-the Red Dirt Album, which hit the Billboard sales charts in its debut week. A far cry from the mixing trailer on the cliff, The Red Dirt Album was recorded with a tight circle of players and professionals in a studio setting. The record was a pinnacle effort for LaRue and has inarguably established his triple threat status as a truly gifted vocalist, player, and performer.
Armed with golden ear musicianship, an amusing wit, and soulful magnetism, LaRue’s shows are infused with an uplifting quality, a cathartic barroom brand of spirituality, where venues are complimented for good bar “feng shui,” and where time and dimension can be traversed via emotive lyrics and melodic riffs. A charismatic performer, LaRue’s flawless vocals can draw a crowd to a open mouth level of sonic mesmerization, and next have them singing “Forever Young” so loudly that you can’t hear anything else.
At 28 years old, Stoney LaRue now performs close to 300 dates a year at top festivals and venues across the nation and even the Caribbean, sharing bills with renowned acts like Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan,Dierks Bentley, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Radney Foster, and others. With a newly assembled band that includes Jeremy Bryant (drums), Jesse Fritz (bass), Rodney Pyeatt (guitar), and Steve Littleton (keys), Stoney LaRue is poised for his upcoming addition to the famed Live at Billy Bob’s series and even greater horizons to come.
The music is undeniably inside of Stoney LaRue, but he’s the type of artist that doesn’t HAVE to point it out to you, his belief in the music is strong enough that it just powers through transparently. Stoney LaRue is not trying to be anybody but the artist that he is, and his sincerity just seeps out, spills off the stage, and overtakes any room.
The Weight
Stoney LaRue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just need some place where I can lay my head
"Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
He just grinned and shook my hand, "No" was all he said
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side
I said "Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown"
She said "I gotta go but my friend can stick around"
Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgment day
"Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?"
He said "Do me a favor son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee company?"
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
He said "I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog"
I said "Wait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man"
He said "That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?"
Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line
My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
The Weight by Stoney LaRue is a cover of The Band's 1968 classic song. The song tells the story of a traveler who arrives in Nazareth, Pennsylvania feeling exhausted and looking for a place to rest. The traveler asks the people he encounters for help, but they all turn him away, except for a man who tells him to take the load off Fanny and put the load on him. The song then goes on to tell the story of several other characters the traveler meets, such as Carmen and the Devil, old Luke, young Anna-Lee, and Crazy Chester. The lyrics are deep and metaphorical, with each character representing various feelings, sins, or even spiritual figures, such as the Devil and Moses.
The opening verse of the song sets the scene of the story, where the traveler is desperately looking for a place to rest but cannot find one. The man who tells him to take the load off Fanny is a metaphor for offering the traveler help and support. Fanny is thought to represent the idea of someone who can provide comfort, support and advice. The later characters that the traveler encounters, such as Crazy Chester and young Anna-Lee, are also rich with symbolism and deeper meanings. While the song's lyrics leave the interpretation open to some extent, it's clear that the story is about personal struggles, seeking help, and finding solace in unlikely places.
One interesting fact about the song is that it has been covered by numerous artists, including Aretha Franklin and Joe Cocker. The song's title comes from a common phrase, "the weight," which refers to someone's significant problems or responsibilities. The Band, originating from Canada, chose to set the song's story in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, due to the town's proximity to the recording studio they used to record their first album. The song's use in the 1969 film, Easy Rider, brought The Band and their music to a wider audience.
Chords (capo 1st fret):
Verse: G - F - C - G
Chorus: C - G - C - G - D - C - G
Line by Line Meaning
I pulled in to Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past dead
I was exhausted and lost, and I ended up in Nazareth.
I just need some place where I can lay my head
I was simply looking for a place to rest and regain my strength.
"Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
I asked a man for help, hoping he could tell me where I could sleep.
He just grinned and shook my hand, "No" was all he said
The man didn't offer me anywhere to sleep and gave me no explanation.
Take a load off, Fanny
Fanny, please help me relieve my burden.
Take a load for free
I need someone to take on my problems without expecting anything in return.
Take a load off, Fanny
Fanny, please help me relieve my burden.
And you put the load right on me
But instead of helping me, Fanny put more burdens on me.
I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide
I left that man and went on my way, searching for a place to temporarily escape my problems.
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side
I stumbled upon a woman and the Devil having a conversation.
I said "Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown"
I asked the woman, Carmen, to come with me and escape her possibly threatening scenario with the Devil.
She said "I gotta go but my friend can stick around"
But Carmen refused and offered her friend's company instead.
Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say
Someone tells a woman (Miss Moses) that there's nothing she can do or say to prevent something from happening.
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgment day
The situation is only involving one man named Luke, who is waiting for judgement day.
"Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?"
Someone asked Luke about another person, Anna-Lee.
He said "Do me a favor son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee company?"
Luke asked the person to stay and comfort Anna-Lee.
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
I was followed by a man named Crazy Chester and he approached me while I was traveling.
He said "I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog"
Crazy Chester offered to solve one of my problems if I took care of his dog Jack.
I said "Wait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man"
I responded by reminding Chester that I'm not a violent person and would prefer not to harm his rat.
He said "That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?"
Chester accepted my refusal and only asked that I feed the rat when possible.
Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line
I must take a mode of transportation (such as a cannonball) to continue my journey.
My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time
My belongings are becoming heavy and I must relieve the load.
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
I need to return to Fanny, the only one who asked me to bring her regards to everyone.
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
Fanny asked me to pass on her greetings to everyone while I was on my journey.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robbie Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind