# Tell me about Drive By Truckers! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838 "2016-10-07T13:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/1 "2016-10-07T13:37:00Z")
A few years ago, my wife and I drove to St. Louis to meet up with my brother and my niece to see one of our favorite bands, Old 97s, open a show for Drive By Truckers. (To be honest, the way the show was billed, it wasn’t clear who was opening for who, or whether they were both going to play full sets.) If you’ve ever seen an Old 97s show, you know they play some high-energy alt-country rock. None of us were familiar at all with Drive By Truckers but we figured it must be a similar style of music. DBT came out and started their set with some plodding, dirge-y sounding songs about people losing their jobs at Wal-Mart and stuff like that. After about three songs we all looked at each other and decided we’d heard enough and took off. I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about DBT, both here and elsewhere, so I’d really like to give them a second chance. I’m sure they have plenty of fans here, so help me out. Where should I start? What’s a good first album of theirs to get me hooked, and where do I go from there? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/2 "2016-10-07T13:49:38Z")
I always go with compilation or greatest hits albums. If I don’t like those, I probably won’t like the band’s work in general. [Discography for DBT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drive-By_Truckers#Discography) ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/3 "2016-10-07T14:02:14Z")
I’m a huge fan of both the Old 97s and the Truckers, and I can see where you’re coming from. The Truckers are very dark and heavy by comparison, and they can be even moreso live. Their masterpiece, IMO, is _Southern Rock Opera_, a big sprawling double album (very) loosely themed around Lynyrd Skynyrd and their plane crash. A lot of their indisputable classics come from that one–“Ronnie and Neil”, “Women Without Whiskey”, “Let There Be Rock”, “Zip City”, etc. The three albums that follow (_The Dirty South_, _Decoration Day_, _A Blessing and a Curse_) are all fantastic as well, buoyed by the addition of Jason Isbell as a third singer and songwriter. (You should check Isbell’s solo work out if you haven’t–his Southeastern is the best album of this decade so far, IMO.) That’s another thing about the Truckers–with two principle singers and songwriters, plus Isbell and an occasional song by their former bass player Shonna Tucker, they can seem like a lot of different bands. I know people who don’t like Patterson Hood’s songs but love Mike Cooley’s, and vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/4 "2016-10-07T14:22:47Z")
I can’t talk you into the Drive By Truckers, but if you like alt-country music the Turnpike Troubadours are a great band: [Tunpike Troubadours - 7 & 7 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQrv-cgfnVw) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/5 "2016-10-07T14:46:51Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I can’t talk you into the Drive By Truckers, but if you like alt-country music the Turnpike Troubadours are a great band: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQrv-cgfnVw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQrv-cgfnVw) Funny you should mention that. They had a show in KC this summer with… guess who? Old 97s opening for them. My wife and I were going to go but were afraid of a repeat of the DBT show. But by all accounts it was a fantastic show and now I’m sorry I missed it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/6 "2016-10-07T14:47:05Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > I’m a huge fan of both the Old 97s and the Truckers, and I can see where you’re coming from. The Truckers are very dark and heavy by comparison, and they can be even moreso live. > > Their masterpiece, IMO, is _Southern Rock Opera_, a big sprawling double album (very) loosely themed around Lynyrd Skynyrd and their plane crash. A lot of their indisputable classics come from that one–“Ronnie and Neil”, “Women Without Whiskey”, “Let There Be Rock”, “Zip City”, etc. The three albums that follow (_The Dirty South_, _Decoration Day_, _A Blessing and a Curse_) are all fantastic as well, buoyed by the addition of Jason Isbell as a third singer and songwriter. (You should check Isbell’s solo work out if you haven’t–his Southeastern is the best album of this decade so far, IMO.) > > That’s another thing about the Truckers–with two principle singers and songwriters, plus Isbell and an occasional song by their former bass player Shonna Tucker, they can seem like a lot of different bands. I know people who don’t like Patterson Hood’s songs but love Mike Cooley’s, and vice versa. This is all good. Jason Isbell was briefly in the Truckers and now has his own thing with his violinist wife. Also medium/slow tempo alt-country work. I wish I had much more time to dig into this area of music. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/7 "2016-10-07T14:50:59Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > This is all good. Jason Isbell was briefly in the Truckers and now has his own thing with his violinist wife. Also medium/slow tempo alt-country work. > > I wish I had much more time to dig into this area of music. We saw his wife (Amanda Shires) open for Richard Thompson a couple years back on his “Electric” tour. We really enjoyed her set. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/8 "2016-10-07T15:01:14Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > (You should check Isbell’s solo work out if you haven’t–his Southeastern is the best album of this decade so far, IMO.) I fully endorse this opinion. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/9 "2016-10-07T15:01:18Z")
The DBTs are fantastic, and I’m a huge Jason Isbell fan. Their lyrics can be heavy, but they’re poetic and gorgeous and brilliant. Here are a couple to try. If you don’t like these, then the Truckers are probably not for you. [Gravity’s Gone](https://youtu.be/9-WE87LFu5s) [Outfit](https://youtu.be/HyJ9JfWbKLE) [My Sweet Annette](https://youtu.be/J-PF1Egqz3g) And a bonus track from Southeastern, Jason Isbell’s gorgeous album written after his last stint in rehab (he’s sober now). [Songs That She Sang in the Shower](https://youtu.be/ZSAJU1hJ9gw) ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/10 "2016-10-07T17:26:54Z")
My favorite is their 2008 album “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” which leads off with a song that makes me cry every single time I hear it: [Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs6rgjWZXyQ) Written about the murder of Bryan Harvey and his family. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/11 "2016-10-07T19:07:51Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > This is all good. Jason Isbell was briefly in the Truckers and now has his own thing with his violinist wife. Also medium/slow tempo alt-country work. > > I wish I had much more time to dig into this area of music. His wife (Amanda Shires) doesn’t go out with him much anymore because she’s busy doing her own thing, which is also worth checking out. In addition to his songwriting, Isbell is a fantastic guitarist and nerd thereof. I got to see him do a Bonnaroo press conference alongside John McLaughlin, and I’ve never seen anybody fanboy out like that. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/12 "2016-10-08T05:25:29Z")
By far my favorite song by them is [Danko/Manuel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9UPxaF4TEw). Don’t get me wrong, I like some of their other songs too (though not as many as I like by the Old 97s) but there’s just something special about this one. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/13 "2016-10-08T13:53:07Z")
The DBT are, IMHO, among the premier touring bands of their generations. They tour on their entire recorded catalog, with no set list, alternating between songs by two amazing songwriters: Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley. Stereotyped as southern rednecks, they sing from the perspective of liberals in the south, not from an “in your face” perspective, but through intelligent songwriting. Check out their new album, “An American Band” which is less political than it is billed, but no less relevant. They recently played a [live run-through](http://www.npr.org/event/music/496689769/first-listen-live-drive-by-truckers-american-band) online which is a rare event these days for a band ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/14 "2016-10-08T17:13:29Z")
> [@MoonMoon](#): > > The DBTs are fantastic, and I’m a huge Jason Isbell fan. Their lyrics can be heavy, but they’re poetic and gorgeous and brilliant. Here are a couple to try. If you don’t like these, then the Truckers are probably not for you. > > [Gravity’s Gone](https://youtu.be/9-WE87LFu5s) > > [Outfit](https://youtu.be/HyJ9JfWbKLE) > > [My Sweet Annette](https://youtu.be/J-PF1Egqz3g) > > And a bonus track from Southeastern, Jason Isbell’s gorgeous album written after his last stint in rehab (he’s sober now). > > [Songs That She Sang in the Shower](https://youtu.be/ZSAJU1hJ9gw) Well. I was basically unaware of this band, but the first two of these songs I listened to were fantastic. Thanks for posting em. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/15 "2016-10-08T17:45:13Z")
Here are three great songs written by Patterson Hood: [Putting People on the Moon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeYGo33_wkY) [Sinkhole](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q-Ma6UlrtA) [The Living Bubba](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWLllNOBe0c) And by Mike Cooley: [Uncle Frank](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4yekMeDeUA) [Where the Devil Don’t Stay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLwrPDRRnf8) [Ghost to Most](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEW5p3vGo10) They recently did a live recording of their new album, streamed on NPR: [An American Band](http://www.npr.org/event/music/496689769/first-listen-live-drive-by-truckers-american-band) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/16 "2016-10-08T18:28:33Z")
My favorite band! See this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=806599](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=806599) Simply amazing live show. The guys come out (on time), pick up their guitars and rock the shit out for a couple hours straight. No messin’ around, no goofy shit. Just a solid block of really good music. I’m seeing them tonight! Check out these tunes, A little dark and serious: \* Where the Devil Don’t Stay Made Up English Oceans Women Without Whisky (Whisky’s hard to beat!) Marry Me Used to Be A Cop (fantastic bass groove!) Grand Canyon Angles and Fuselage\* And these tunes that are remarkably light and almost comical: \* Three Dimes Down Shut Up and Get on the Plane Uncle Frank\* But whatever you do, listen to this turned up as loud as your equipment will allow: Zip City [Drive-By Truckers - D1 - 10) Zip City - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffI303l9SLY) Enjoy! By the way, I haven’t seen them do an Isbell song live since he left the band. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/17 "2016-10-08T18:41:04Z")
Here, let me take you through my steps in overcoming ignorance: 1. Read thread title - Drive By Truckers! I love the Drive By Truckers 2. Hey, I wonder if anyone has ever heard their bitchin’ cover of Raffi’s Bowling Song 3. Search for link to their bitchin’ cover of Raffi’s Bowling Song 4. Can’t find the damn thing 5. On further investigation discover the bitchin’ cover of Raffi’s Bowling Song is in fact by Asleep at the Wheel 6. :smack: 7. Anyway, here’s [the bitchin’ cover of Raffi’s Bowling Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vnRRSbFcW0) that’s not by the Drive by Truckers ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/18 "2016-10-09T05:32:46Z")
Great band, I’ve been a fan for several years and seen them live a couple of times. Bass player Matt Patton is also a member of The Dexateens, a band based (more or less) here where I live. I also agree with all the praise about Jason Isbell. He’s putting out some really great stuff. “Zip City” and “Ghost to Most” are two of my favorite DBT songs, which have already been mentioned. A couple more (both are Isbell songs): “Decoration Day” “Outfit” Hood, Cooley, Isbell and Patton are all from Alabama so they have a pretty big following here. Check out The Dexateens, too. > **[The Dexateens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dexateens)** > > The Dexateens are a five-piece rock and roll band out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. > The Dexateens began as a four-piece band in 1998 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, with co-lead singer-songwriters and guitarists Elliott McPherson and John Smith, with drummer Craig "Sweet Dog" Pickering and bassist Matt Patton rounding out the quartet. Patton pulls double duty, as he is also a full-time member of the Drive-By Truckers, with whom The Dexateens have toured in the past. In its earliest form, the band was known fo... [http://www.dexateens.org/bio.html](http://www.dexateens.org/bio.html) “Maker’s Mound” “Take Me To The Speedway” “Grandaddy’s Mouth” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vhvbkfS_-_M/maxresdefault.jpg "Dexateens - "Grandaddy's Mouth" - HearYa Live Session 5/20/09") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhvbkfS_-_M) ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/19 "2016-10-09T14:25:30Z")
Anyone who is a DBT fan, a Jason Isbell fan, or just a fan of good music should listen to the benefit show from 2015, at which Cooley, Hood, and Isbell took the stage for the first time since Isbell left the band. 3 singer/songwriters, 3 acoustic guitars, 3 microphones… taking turns playing the songs they wrote, with all the stories you could ever want. It is [available free online at archive.org](https://archive.org/details/dbt2014-06-15) (along with several hundred other DBT shows) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838/20 "2016-10-13T22:52:44Z")
This should be added, DBT are masters of the “story song”. Really good tunes that tell a story, not just pop fluff. _Goode’s Field Road Cottonseed My Sweet Annette The Great Car Dealer War The Night GG Allin Came to Town_ All really great songs that tell a good story. Many more of them, as well. And as hesitant as I am to call them a “Country” band, Cooley wrote the best country song ever: _Panties In Your Purse_ How can you not smile listening to that? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-drive-by-truckers/767838.md?page=2)