Song Lyric Sunday: Weed, Whites And Wine

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This week for Song Lyric Sunday we have an amazing invitation: to play a song that mentions either Cars or Trucks. This was suggested by Clive of Take It Easy – oh, hang on, that’s me. It’s wonderful what can come out of a comments chat, isn’t it! I’ve no doubt that this or something similar has been an SLS theme before, but as that would have been before I started joining in I don’t count it! Jim’s post Driving With Music explains all.

I’m playing a couple of songs today, both of which have been favourites of mine for many years. They kind of mention cars and trucks: the vehicles are central to their themes. First up, this bit of classic rock:

Little Feat, of course, with Willin’ – the second version they recorded. And here are the lyrics:

 

I’ve been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I’m drunk and dirty, don’t you know
And I’m still willin’

And I was out on the road, late at night
I seen my pretty Alice in every headlight
Alice, Dallas Alice

And I’ve been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonopah
Driven every kind of rig that’s ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn’t get weighed
And if you give me; weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I’ll be willin’ to be movin’

Well, I’ve been kicked by the wind, robbed by the sleet
Had my head stoved in, but I’m still on my feet
And I’m still willin’

I smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico
Baked by the sun every time I go to Mexico
And I’m still…

And I’ve been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonopah
Driven every kind of rig that’s ever been made
Driven the back roads so I wouldn’t get weighed
And if you give me weed, whites, and wine
And you show me a sign
I’ll be willin’ to be movin’

Lyrics: genius.com

Songwriter: Lowell George

Having borrowed the lyrics from genius.com I may as well give you an edit of some of what they say about the song:

“Willin’ is s song written by Lowell George about a truck driver driving a semi-trailer truck through the American Southwest and Mexico (Tucson, AZ., Tucumcari, NM., Tehachapi, CA., Tonapah, NV.) There are 3 versions recorded and released by Little Feat. The first is on their debut album in 1971. A different studio version (the more popular, and the one I’m playing) is on the album Sailin’ Shoes (1972) and a live version is on Waiting For Columbus (1978). Lowell was inspired to write it from his experience working at a gas station while studying Art at Los Angeles Valley College. It’s an anthem about a “trucker’s life”. Living on the road, high on drugs and alcohol, avoiding weigh scales, smuggling, and feeling lonesome, drunk and dirty. And all the time thinking of Dallas Alice. The only thing keeping him going is drugs and alcohol and seeing a sign telling him not to stop for either a passenger or God.”

You probably got the references to drugs and booze, but in case you’re wondering about ‘whites’ this is likely to mean amphetamines, which were commonly used by truck drivers to stay awake – and maybe still are, for all I know, never having driven anything bigger than a Ford Transit! As was mentioned in the genius.com extract, Willin’ in this version was a track on Little Feat’s second album, Sailin’ Shoes, which was released in February 1972 and only charted – just – in the US, where it staggered all the way up to #203. I still like the album, though: for me they could do no wrong in their early days, with a whole string of great albums.

There have been several cover versions of the song, notably by Linda Ronstadt. Much though I love her, that just doesn’t feel right to me: her beautiful voice doesn’t seem to fit a song that needs, in my view, to have an air of dirt, dust and illegality about it. For that reason my favourite cover is the one by Steve Earle on his outtakes album, Sidetracks, released in April 2002 and making #109 in the US.

Speaking of Steve Earle and of dirt, dust and illegality, here is my second song for today:

Copperhead Road, the title track from Steve’s third album, which was released in October 1988 and peaked at #14 in Canada, #42 in the UK and #56 in the US, though it did get to #7 in the US Country Albums Chart. The track was released as a single and reached #12 in Canada and #45 in the UK, and made #10 in the US Mainstream Rock chart, which was based on radio airplay. According to Wikipedia:

“The song’s narrator is named John Lee Pettimore III, whose father and grandfather were both active in moonshine making and bootlegging in rural Johnson County, Tennessee. Pettimore’s grandfather visited town only rarely, in order to buy supplies for a still he had set up in a holler (i.e. a ‘hollow,’ a small valley) along Copperhead Road. Pettimore’s father hauled the moonshine to Knoxville each week in an old police cruiser he bought at a surplus auction. According to a family story, a revenue man once confronted John Sr. on Copperhead Road, intent on apprehending him for his moonshine activities, but never returned. John Jr. himself is killed in a fiery car crash on the same road while driving to Knoxville with a weekly shipment.”

Whilst John Lee Pettimore III is probably fictional, the story would have been repeated countless times. It makes for a great title track for an excellent album, one that I played to bits at the time and still return to now.

That would be it for today, but I can’t resist throwing in a little bit of fun for a bonus. From 1979 to 1982 the BBC ran a sketch comedy show called Not The Nine O’Clock News, which gave their big breaks to Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, Pamela Stephenson (now Mrs Billy Connolly), and Rowan Atkinson, probably best known to most as Mr. Bean. They ended their shows with a song, which explains the credits rolling over this – for me this was one of their best:

Keep it classy, Clive 🤣

That’s all for today: as always I’m grateful to Jim for running the show and am looking forward to seeing what others will play for this excellent theme….ahem.

See you again for Tuesday Tunes? 🎶

56 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday: Weed, Whites And Wine”

  1. Pingback: That Was October | Take It Easy

  2. Great choices, and all were new to me. I like the Little feat one, and the last one was so funny! But for me the best was Steve Earle’s song and video. I’ve heard some of his songs before and always like them. I’m saving this one. 🙂

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  3. Hey Clive,

    You know I live in Knoxville, right? Moonshining in these parts much before my day are infamous. Heck, growing up in southern WV some Appalachian folks had stills in their backyard…well, down a holler somewhere. As a kid, those kind of people were frowned on and considered the wrong sorts to associate with. When I was a teenager, a kid a brought a mason jar. Its content contained some white lightning. That stuff tasted awful! I’m so glad I never took to drinking stuff like that. Anwyho, interesting choice music today. Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Have a boogietastic week!

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  4. In the early 70s, I shared a house with 4 friends for a year. They had long hair, and all performed in a band. (Unlike me, a short-haired always-suited soul boy who had become a Bowie fan) One of them was an admirer of Little Feat, so that brought back some fond memories for me today. Steve Earle’s song is way too ‘Country’ for me, but I loved ‘Not The 9 O’Clock News’, so that was a joy to see again.

    Best wishes, Pete.

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    • I’m happy to have brought back some good memories for you, Pete. Steve Earle isn’t for everyone, I accept, but I’m a huge fan! And I just had to include that NTNOCN clip – a classic of its time 😊

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  8. Clive two sizzling hot choices for the prompt. Love the Little Feat original first time hearing it. Only knew Ronstadt’s and totally agree not suited to her content-wise. Little Feat is a band I need to listen to more of. Love Dancin Shoes also.

    Steve Earle was looking hot in that 2nd video. I have loved this song for a long time but first time seeing the video to my memory. Steve knows how to write exception narrative songs. Have you heard Taneytown?

    Love the hilarious closing video. The hedgehog sandwich had me laughing and nauseous at the same time.

    Good prompt suggestion and great selections you chose for it.

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    • Thank you, Lisa, I’m really pleased you liked the theme and my choices so much. Happy to have introduced you to the original and best version of Willin’ though if you don’t know Steve Earle’s you should try it: faithful to the feel of Little Feat’s version. And do try more of Little Feat: a big favourite of mine is Long Distance Love, from The Last Record Album.

      Steve Earle has changed a bit over the years, hasn’t he! All those wives and drugs have taken their toll! Yes, I know Taneytown – great song. I have all of his albums.

      That final video just had to go in: funny and gross in equal measure 🤣

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      • You are welcome. I don’t know all Steve Earle music. I came in at Train A Coming, after he served time. I do know some of the earlier stuff now. Yes, he looks somewhat different now 😉 Have you seen the HBO series, Treme? He plays a street musician on it.

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      • I’ve been a fan since his first album, since when he has been through a lot! Good to know you’re catching up, as some of his earlier stuff is fantastic. I’ve heard of Treme but have never watched it – maybe I have some catching up to do too 🤣

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      • Clive, I’m not sure which season he comes in to the show, but if you are at all a fan of New Orleans jazz, you will love the series. It’s ALL about the music (and recovering from Hurricane Katrina.)

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      • Thank you for this, Lisa. I’ve checked the IMDb and I think he joined part way through season 1. I do like New Orleans jazz – a big fan of Tuba Skinny – and have found Treme in the on demand part of my tv package. It is now on my watchlist 👍

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    • You did well to recognise that, as few others have! From some of the clips on YouTube I think they might have trouble trying to show that again – it would have to be heavily edited to cut out the non-PC stuff!

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  14. Great songs, Clive. Little Feat always a good listen and Steve Earle is fantastic in everything he does. That video had me laughing from the start with the “squash” scene. Hilarious all the way through and an LOL ending with that sandwich. Great idea to include that one! 😁

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    • Thank you, Nancy, I’m pleased you liked them. The first two are, as I said in the post, long time favourites of mine and were always going to be my choices. The NTNOCN one was just a bit of fun, but they did it so well 😊

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  16. These are great songs indeed…not sure if it has to be in the title, but I think one of Jackson Browne’s most iconic lyrics, as sung by the Eagles, fits the bill:

    “Well, I’m a-runnin’ down the road tryna loosen my load
    I’ve got seven women on my mind
    Four that wanna own me, two that wanna stone me
    One says she’s a friend of mine
    Take it easy, take it easy
    Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy…”

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  18. Great music today, Clive and thanks for suggesting this wonderful theme. The Little Feat song was new to me, but I found it very enjoyable. Copper Head Road belongs here today. and I am happy you shared that. I got a chuckle out of the last video.

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    • Thank you, Jim, I’m glad you liked them and the theme seems to be working well. I just had to play that last one! You’re now the third to say they didn’t know the Little Feat one, so I’m glad I included it 👍

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    • It only ran for a few years but was excellent. They all went on to good careers after it, apart from Pamela Stephenson, who left the business to train for a successful career as a psychotherapist, and found her husband.

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  21. Well as it was your suggested theme this week Clive – I expected nothing less, three great tracks. The first one I had not heard before but quite liked it.  The second Copperhead Road I love, but the best by far was the last clip I had forgotten all about it! 😂 Classic from the oh so talented  cast of Not The Nine o’clock News – brilliant🙌

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  22. You offered some excellent selections today, Clive. I do love songs that tell a story, and you offered me two of them. The first one Willin’ I hadn’t heard before, but I did enjoy. Copperhead road I love. And that video! Too funny, we used to joke about getting points for hitting people with the car door as we drove around looking for trouble in my youth- so it was a lot of fun.

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