Sunday, March 13, 2011

I Ain’t No Rock Guy!


I heard these white guys from Mississippi singin’ on Public Radio yesterday and I went and bought an album of their stuff.
by Charlie Leck

Relax Mississippi! I’ve got somethin’ good to write about you today! You see, I heard these brothers on Public Radio yesterday (listen to the interview and some of their music here), and I had to go on line and buy one of their albums right then.

Weekend Edition featured Luther and Cody Dickinson on the radio yesterday. When their dad, Jim Dickinson, died they put together an album of songs as a memorial to him – Keys to the Kingdom.

I was impressed with both their story about the massive influence their dad had on them and their music. Ain’t No Grave was particularly touching and I felt the respect they had for their dad just seeping out of every note. I haven’t bought a music album in a long time – probably ten years, but I just had to have this one, so I downloaded it from iTunes (actin’ like a regular kid).

I like every single song, but I was most intrigued with Hear the Hills and I played it over and over… an edited version of the lyrics follow…

The sun is sinking lo
Into the Mississippi
The shadow of death
Darkens the valley
I have run
As far as I can
My days are done
Oh come angel band

I can hear the hills callin’ out my name
Goin’ up to heaven for to stake my claim
Call me my thunder
Call me my whisperin’ pine
I have seen proof of God and I don’t mind dyin’
I have the keys to the Kingdom…
I have for fathers ingin’ songs of old

Going up the mountain
Deep into the care
Ride the mighty elephant
Into the ocean’s wave
See that bolt of lightnin’ jump from cloud to cloud
Hear that roll of thunder call my name out loud

I can hear the hills callin’ out my name.
Going up to heaven for to stake my claim.
Call me my thunder
Call me whisperin’ pines
I have seen though not forgotten
And I don’t mind dyin’
I have the keys to the Kingdom
Granted passage to road paved of gold
I have the keys to the Kingdom
I have for fathers tellin’ tales of old.

Rest easy, partner
Your troubles now shall cease
Rest easy, Partner
May you now rest in Peace
Rest in Peace!

I can hear the hill callin’ out my name
Going up to heaven for to stake my claim

The brothers are from Hernando, Mississippi. I guess, if you had to define their music, you’d call it southern rock/blues, but I don’t really know. I just thought it was great listen’ and I loved the story of their father and how he influenced their music.

You can see and listen to them perform Hear the Hills on You Tube.

_________________________

Why not become a follower?
If you read my blog regularly, why not become a follower? All you have to do is click in the upper right hand corner and establish a simple means of communication. Then you'll be informed every time a new blog is posted here. If all that's confusing, here's Google's explanation of how to do it! If you don’t want to post comments on the blog, but would like to communicate with me about it, send me an email if you’d like.

1 comment:

  1. It's commonly called Alternative Country. Check out The Avett Brothers, The Drive-By Truckers, Old Crow Medicine Show, Wilco, Reckless Kelly, and a ton of others.

    ReplyDelete