The Wig He Made Her Wear
I dragged my feet for a good while before I picked up the new Drive-By Truckers record, The Big To-Do. I finally downloaded it from eMusic yesterday during a nice cool Arizona morning – one of the last before the thermometer jumps over 100 and sends us all scurrying into our sealed, air-conditioned dwellings.
I especially dig the Southern drawl of singer/guitarist Patterson Hood – so I’m drawn to the songs he sings (his Murdering Oscar solo album last year was a 2009 favorite). On The Big To-Do, I’ve been loving “Drag the Lake Charlie” and “The Wig He Made Her Wear”. Yep, the lyrics are one entertaining trip too. Colorful characters and the immoral society they live in are a theme throughout their songs.
“The Wig He Made Her Wear” is the story of the preacher’s wife, who kills said preacher and high-tails it across state lines with their three kids. She’s soon caught and returned for trial. During her defense, she “[s]aid that he berated her about everything / Make her do things that made her feel so ashamed”.
I’ll let you listen to this great song to figure out the verdict, and how “The Wig He Made Her Wear” figures into the story.
I love the rhythm of this tune (has me thinking of Marah’s “Phantom Eyes” from their first record). Dig the sinister, down n’ dirty vibe of this tune, the guitars, and a story enhanced by Patterson Hood’s unmistakable drawl.
Drive-By Truckers – “The Wig He Made Her Wear”
Buy Big To-Do
Visit: Drive-By Truckers.com
2 Comments
Owen Brown
“The Wig” is one of my favorites. Patterson Hood is on my top ten list of singers that sound more like me than I do. (I am talking about the accent; I can’t sing at all.) He had me the moment I first heard “Birmingham” and “The Southern Thing” back to back listening thru Southern Rock Opera. Might not find as much real truth in all the history books I read in school; combined.
Pete
I’ve had Southern Rock Opera for a while, and have never really given it the time it deserves. That shall change.