DBT Song of the Week: Sounds Better In The Song

Bill in CT · Post by **Bill in CT** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:09 am

The tension between the road and a loved one at home is at the core of this Cooley gem.

Dreams are given to you when you're young enough to dream them
before they can do you any harm.
They don't start to hurt, until you try to hold on to them after seeing how they really are.

The narrator allows as how he's not entirely certain she wouldn't be better off without him.

And now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

All too rarely played these days, it would be great to hear this one in Athens.

Discuss.

Lurleen McQueen · Post by **Lurleen McQueen** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:59 am

Bill in CT wrote:The tension between the road and a loved one at home is at the core of this Cooley gem.

Dreams are given to you when you're young enough to dream them
before they can do you any harm.
They don't start to hurt, until you try to hold on to them after seeing how they really are.

The narrator allows as how he's not entirely certain she wouldn't be better off without him.

And now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

All too rarely played these days, it would be great to hear this one in Athens.

Discuss.

This is one of my all-time favorites of Cooley. Very rarely heard.

Zip City · Post by **Zip City** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:44 am

Cooley's most heart-breaking song

ScottyC · Post by **ScottyC** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:45 am

So my girl and I had to drive about 800 miles this weekend and so we were listening to the Truckers a good bit for the trip to get ready for Athens. She has heard most of their stuff and knows most of it, but for some reason she had never heard this song. She is an English teacher and is really great at breaking down lyrics, which is what we often do when we are in the car together. Sounds Better in The Song comes on and then she wants to hear it again, it was right after we had listened to Loaded Gun in the Closet and if you listen to the two together there is a very common theme about a woman possibly becoming all she can be and not relying on a man or other person to meet their potential. I never drew that connection but if you listen to both of them and recognize they are on the same album there must be a reason this was so prominent on DD. Of course what the women do with this empowerment or lack there of is completely different, but the theme is there.

beantownbubba · Post by **beantownbubba** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:44 am

And now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

Brilliant. Perfect. Classic.

lajakesdad · Post by **lajakesdad** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:02 am

This is up there with my all time favorite songs. I love how raw it sounds. The vocals pulled back like he is standing away from the mic. I was listening to this yesterday and wondering if it has been a song of the week. Excellent choice.

colodogdoc · Post by **colodogdoc** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:05 am

Lord, she gave me everything and never wanted anything I couldn't give.
Just what was inside of me.

Those lines kill me everytime. A completely selfless and unconditional love, only asking to be let under the hard exterior, but denied. I've read that around the time they finished SRO and made DD most of the relationships between band members and their SO's were falling apart, so this song to me really shines a light on what must have been going on for all of them at that time.

Lurleen McQueen · Post by **Lurleen McQueen** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:08 am

colodogdoc wrote:Lord, she gave me everything and never wanted anything I couldn't give.
Just what was inside of me.

Those lines kill me everytime. A completely selfless and unconditional love, only asking to be let under the hard exterior, but denied. I've read that around the time they finished SRO and made DD most of the relationships between band members and their SO's were falling apart, so this song to me really shines a light on what must have been going on for all of them at that time.

x2

Clams · Post by **Clams** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:13 am

Good choice, Bill. The comparison with Loaded Gun is interesting. Like, maybe if the girl in Sounds Better had stayed with the guy, she'd turn into the woman in Loaded Gun. Good stuff.

Here's the whole song...

When I saw her standing there, with her bright eyes and shining hair,
she was looking back at me.
Some are meant to sing, some are meant to talk and some aren't meant to say a thing.
But when she opened up her mouth and that sweet voice came out
I lost track of my own name.
Now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

Well the drifter, He holds on to his youth just like it was money in the bank.
And "Lord knows, I can't change" sounds better in the song
than it does with hell to pay.
I might as well of slipped that ring on your finger from a window of a van
as it drove away.
Now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

Dreams are given to you when you're young enough to dream them
before they can do you any harm.
They don't start to hurt, until you try to hold on to them after seeing how they really are.
She used to dream them with me, every single crazy one,
until they started hurting her too, now she's got some of her own
and outgrowing me, might be the best thing for her she's ever done.

A light that shines as bright as hers can't be kept in the shadows for too long.
A heart that wants to live and a soul that wants to give
can't just sit at home alone.
Lord, she's give me everything and never wanted anything I couldn't give.
Just what was inside of me.
And now she's found herself, and I lost mine
and I'm just another guy who can't give her anything.

jimmyjack · Post by **jimmyjack** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:21 am

The 'Song of the Week' threads are my favorite part of 3DD.

I love that this song is all room mic. And of course, one of Cooley's best, but yall have already said that more eloquently than I could.

Iowan · Post by **Iowan** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:44 am

"'Lord knows I can't change' sounds better in the song than it does with hell to pay"

Such a great line about one of those lies rock and roll can't help telling young boys and coming to terms with the realization that rock and roll is faced with heartbreaking trade-offs.

Not sure if Cooley had that intention, but I've always felt that "Sounds Better in the Song" was kind of the compliment to that part of "Marry Me".

beantownbubba · Post by **beantownbubba** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:12 pm

Iowan wrote:"'Lord knows I can't change' sounds better in the song than it does with hell to pay"

Such a great line about one of those lies rock and roll can't help telling young boys and coming to terms with the realization that life is faced with heartbreaking trade-offs.

Not sure if Cooley had that intention, but I've always felt that "Sounds Better in the Song" was kind of the compliment to that part of "Marry Me".

Fixed.

Zip City · Post by **Zip City** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:42 pm

The Outgrowing me line is the one that kills me. To that point, the story sounds simply like a girl matured and thought she could do better, but it's heartbreaking to hear the narrator admit that she made the right decision. No one wants to admit that they aren't good enough for their SO, or that your lives are moving at different speeds

GuitarManUpstairs · Post by **GuitarManUpstairs** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:22 pm

Iowan wrote:"'Lord knows I can't change' sounds better in the song than it does with hell to pay"

Such a great line about one of those lies rock and roll can't help telling young boys and coming to terms with the realization that rock and roll is faced with heartbreaking trade-offs.

Not sure if Cooley had that intention, but I've always felt that "Sounds Better in the Song" was kind of the compliment to that part of "Marry Me".

Just a quick comment/observation as i am about to go out the door, but I always thought bot SBITS and Marry Me had a SRO feel about them, what with the opening guitar lick of marry me and Skynrd allusion in SBITS.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:19 pm

GuitarManUpstairs wrote:Just a quick comment/observation as i am about to go out the door, but I always thought bot SBITS and Marry Me had a SRO feel about them, what with the opening guitar lick of marry me and Skynrd allusion in SBITS.

I always wondered if the opening riff to "Marry Me" was intentionally meant to reference the Eagles' "Already Gone" or is that what you're getting at here? Considering their disdain for the Eagles I got the impression that it wasn't intentional.

I think this ("Sounds Better In the Song") is another of Cooley's very finest moments and am curious if it is why he once referred to Decoration Day as his solo record.

hendooman · Post by **hendooman** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:29 pm

Sounds Better in the Song. Probably going to go down as one of my all time favorite songs.

I love Cooley's voice and the recording. I have searched out a few live versions and found that 7/29/2004 is about the best I can find. The guitar is so eerie it gives me goose bumps. I would love to hear them break it out on the GGB tour.

Also on my iTunes it showed my play count of SBITS at 124! Yeah that is number one, only to be followed by Loaded Gun.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:34 pm

Amazing - the original is untouchable, but the worked up version they played live a couple times is great too.

Post by **Tequila Cowboy** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:38 pm

Zip City wrote:The Outgrowing me line is the one that kills me. To that point, the story sounds simply like a girl matured and thought she could do better, but it's heartbreaking to hear the narrator admit that she made the right decision. No one wants to admit that they aren't good enough for their SO, or that your lives are moving at different speeds

This is spot on. One of my all time favorite Cooley songs and songs period. Was one of the first DBT tunes to hit me hard, lyrically.

Zip City · Post by **Zip City** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:46 pm

Tequila Cowboy wrote:
Zip City wrote:The Outgrowing me line is the one that kills me. To that point, the story sounds simply like a girl matured and thought she could do better, but it's heartbreaking to hear the narrator admit that she made the right decision. No one wants to admit that they aren't good enough for their SO, or that your lives are moving at different speeds

This is spot on. One of my all time favorite Cooley songs and songs period. Was one of the first DBT tunes to hit me hard, lyrically.

The narrator sounds like he's the guy that the father in Outfit warned about (stuck in a lifetime of going nowhere). At least he's self aware

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:51 pm

The one-two punch of "Sounds Better.." & "Somethings Gotta Give" are devastating. Two of the most heartbreakingly personal (& vulnerable) songs I've ever heard.

RevMatt · Post by **RevMatt** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:59 pm

One aspects of Cooley's songwriting is that he comes up with some of the most honest lines I've ever heard. This song is full of them.

Clams · Post by **Clams** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:26 pm

hendooman wrote:Sounds Better in the Song. Probably going to go down as one of my all time favorite songs.

I love Cooley's voice and the recording. I have searched out a few live versions and found that 7/29/2004 is about the best I can find. The guitar is so eerie it gives me goose bumps. I would love to hear them break it out on the GGB tour.

Also on my iTunes it showed my play count of SBITS at 124! Yeah that is number one, only to be followed by Loaded Gun.

Hendooman knows whereof he speaks...
http://www.archive.org/details/dbt2004- ... rix.flac16

Joshua · Post by **Joshua** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:40 pm

Clams wrote:
hendooman wrote:Sounds Better in the Song. Probably going to go down as one of my all time favorite songs.

I love Cooley's voice and the recording. I have searched out a few live versions and found that 7/29/2004 is about the best I can find. The guitar is so eerie it gives me goose bumps. I would love to hear them break it out on the GGB tour.

Also on my iTunes it showed my play count of SBITS at 124! Yeah that is number one, only to be followed by Loaded Gun.

Hendooman knows whereof he speaks...
http://www.archive.org/details/dbt2004- ... rix.flac16

My all time favorite Cooley song. Also, the sound quality of the aforementioned show is top notch for those that don't already have it.

hendooman · Post by **hendooman** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:43 pm

RevMatt wrote:One aspects of Cooley's songwriting is that he comes up with some of the most honest lines I've ever heard. This song is full of them.

You know that is what really draws me to MC, you said that well. I hate to make comparisons but I think this is the exact same reason I am drawn to ones like Kris K, and in some aspects Jamey Johnson. There lyrics are real and so honest yeah sometimes they hurt.

hendooman · Post by **hendooman** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:46 pm

Joshua wrote:
Clams wrote:
hendooman wrote:Sounds Better in the Song. Probably going to go down as one of my all time favorite songs.

I love Cooley's voice and the recording. I have searched out a few live versions and found that 7/29/2004 is about the best I can find. The guitar is so eerie it gives me goose bumps. I would love to hear them break it out on the GGB tour.

Also on my iTunes it showed my play count of SBITS at 124! Yeah that is number one, only to be followed by Loaded Gun.

Hendooman knows whereof he speaks...
http://www.archive.org/details/dbt2004- ... rix.flac16

My all time favorite Cooley song. Also, the sound quality of the aforementioned show is top notch for those that don't already have it.

Thanks Clams, and Joshua you are right on, the recording is spot on. Not t get off topic but this concert has the only version of wrong for all these years sung by Jason. The way he sets up the song is priceless, please download if you have not already.

Iowan · Post by **Iowan** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:53 pm

Smitty wrote:The one-two punch of "Sounds Better.." & "Somethings Gotta Give" are devastating. Two of the most heartbreakingly personal (& vulnerable) songs I've ever heard.

"Something's Gotta Give" is one of Patterson's best. I gotta think that a "Somethings Gotta Give" situation is what he's addressing in the latter half of "World of Hurt".

beantownbubba · Post by **beantownbubba** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:05 pm

Clams wrote:
hendooman wrote:Sounds Better in the Song. Probably going to go down as one of my all time favorite songs.

I love Cooley's voice and the recording. I have searched out a few live versions and found that 7/29/2004 is about the best I can find. The guitar is so eerie it gives me goose bumps. I would love to hear them break it out on the GGB tour.

Also on my iTunes it showed my play count of SBITS at 124! Yeah that is number one, only to be followed by Loaded Gun.

Hendooman knows whereof he speaks...
http://www.archive.org/details/dbt2004- ... rix.flac16

Thanks for the recs & link. This show kicks some serious ass, and i'm digging the hell out of it as we speak

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:18 pm

hendooman wrote:My all time favorite Cooley song. Also, the sound quality of the aforementioned show is top notch for those that don't already have it.

Thanks Clams, and Joshua you are right on, the recording is spot on. Not t get off topic but this concert has the only version of wrong for all these years sung by Jason. The way he sets up the song is priceless, please download if you have not already.[/quote]

Not to keep straying off topic, but while it's the only performance on the archive, there's a great acoustic version of it at the Summer Cousins (P Hood, Jason & Shonna) show from Richmond 5/25/04, which is found here: http://welfare-music.blogspot.com/searc ... %20Cousins

hendooman · Post by **hendooman** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:36 pm

Smitty wrote:Not to keep straying off topic, but while it's the only performance on the archive, there's a great acoustic version of it at the Summer Cousins (P Hood, Jason & Shonna) show from Richmond 5/25/04, which is found here: http://welfare-music.blogspot.com/searc ... %20Cousins

Nice Smitty, how did you find that? I just checked the OOTD set-list chart and it only shows the show I mentioned. I guess since this is not billed as DBT it wouldn't show up. How is the quality, can't download now but will later. Thanks.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:40 pm

hendooman wrote:
Smitty wrote:Not to keep straying off topic, but while it's the only performance on the archive, there's a great acoustic version of it at the Summer Cousins (P Hood, Jason & Shonna) show from Richmond 5/25/04, which is found here: http://welfare-music.blogspot.com/searc ... %20Cousins

Nice Smitty, how did you find that? I just checked the OOTD set-list chart and it only shows the show I mentioned. I guess since this is not billed as DBT it wouldn't show up. How is the quality, can't download now but will later. Thanks.

Quality is very good - don't remember the original source, I've had that for a few years - oneofthesedays is far from complete, they do a great job but they have to rely on fans keeping up with setlists, so you can imagine how that goes.

BTW, if you go to airplanescreams.org, it'll direct you to oneofthesedays, but it has Jason Isbell solo & trio setlists as well, amongst others

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