DBT track 84 - Birthday Boy

[Clams]

This one sounded great when Cooley played it solo last week.


Which ones the birthday boy?
she said I ain't got all night
What'd your mama name you?
You can call me what you like
Every skinny mystery gotta make it hard somehow
Sit your narrow ass down hot shot
I'll solve yours right now

You got a girlfriend don't you boy?
Nervous hands cant lie
Married men don't ask how much, single ones ain't buying
One day you got everything, next day it's all broke
Let miss Trixie sit up front
Let her wipe your nose

Working for the money like you got eight hands
Flat on your back under a mean old man
just thinking happy thoughts and breathing deep
Between your mama's drive and daddy's belt
It don't take smarts to learn to tune out what hurts more than helps

The pretty girls from the smallest towns
get remembered like storms and droughts
that old men talk about for years to come
I guess that's why they give us names
So a few old men can say they saw us rain when we were young

Which ones the birthday boy?
she said I aint got all night
What'd your mama name you?
You can call me what you like

[Iowan]

How the hell is this track still hanging around?

Top 10 DBT song, IMO. Just floored me the first time I heard it. Lyrics, melody, everything. When Patterson talks about how Cooley doesn't write many songs, but when he does they're incredible, I feel that Birthday Boy is the shining example.

"The pretty girls from the smallest towns
get remembered like storms and droughts
that old men talk about for years to come
I guess that's why they give us names
So a few old men can say they saw us rain when we were young"

I love the imagery of this verse. I always imagine this movie scene in my brain, where some 20 something girl from a small town is giving someone a lap dance, hating her life, while 2 old men in her hometown are sitting at the bar saying "Whatever happened to So-And-So? She sure was a looker".

[Tequila Cowboy]

Bottom tier Cooley song for me (still better than most songwriter's best work) but I'm with Clams, the acoustic arrangement was a revelation. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[beantownbubba]

How the hell is this track still hanging around?

Top 10 DBT song, IMO. Just floored me the first time I heard it. Lyrics, melody, everything. When Patterson talks about how Cooley doesn't write many songs, but when he does they're incredible, I feel that Birthday Boy is the shining example.

"The pretty girls from the smallest towns
get remembered like storms and droughts
that old men talk about for years to come
I guess that's why they give us names
So a few old men can say they saw us rain when we were young"

I love the imagery of this verse. I always imagine this movie scene in my brain, where some 20 something girl from a small town is giving someone a lap dance, hating her life, while 2 old men in her hometown are sitting at the bar saying "Whatever happened to So-And-So? She sure was a looker".

I love this verse, but I always thought it was "reign" not "rain." Loses something this way, imho.

[RevMatt]

Interesting diversity of opinion on this one which isn't unusual here. I consider "Birthday Boy" to be top tier Cooley and DBT. When I first heard it I was absolutely floored by Neff's slide guitar. It reminded me of Jeffrey Lee Pierce/Kid Congo Powers/ The Las Vegas Story era Gun Club. And lyrically, I think it is one of the best songs ever written from a prostitute's perspective.

I remember how Cooley said in an interview that the song was originally two different songs. The second half ("Between your mama's drive and Daddy's belt...") was a different song altogether. But I think he bridged the two with the line "Flat on your back under a mean old man..." So I wonder if the second half was originally about a hard working, jaded woman who is stuck in a bad marriage, like maybe the tough talking waitress in a diner, the faded beauty who calls everyone "honey" but Cooley realized that they could be the same song.

[Sterling Big Mouth]

TC, that sure is a surprise. Even if the lyrics aren't your favorite, BB has to be in the discussion for best music in the catalogue. The band is like a well-oiled rifle in this one. Jay provides great texture throughout the whole song, Neff is on fire the entire time (with the tight counterpoint in the verses and the slide in between), the rythym section is driving, and everyone's in perfect balance. I love the "mulligan" Later version, which is one of my favorite performances ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmszhICjUYo

On the lyrics, I'm with Iowan, it's up there with anything Cooley's written for the band. I remember the first time I heard it, I looked at the title and thought oh, this could be a more positive song, and then I hear the first four lines. Being a tall and rangy guy myself, I also feel a bit connected to Cooley's recollection of his own awkward lap dance. In all, this song leaves me with a dirty feeling, and then twinges of guilt because I like it. Thanks, MC.

[Tequila Cowboy]

TC, that sure is a surprise. Even if the lyrics aren't your favorite, BB has to be in the discussion for best music in the catalogue. The band is like a well-oiled rifle in this one. Jay provides great texture throughout the whole song, Neff is on fire the entire time (with the tight counterpoint in the verses and the slide in between), the rythym section is driving, and everyone's in perfect balance. I love the "mulligan" Later version, which is one of my favorite performances ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmszhICjUYo

On the lyrics, I'm with Iowan, it's up there with anything Cooley's written for the band. I remember the first time I heard it, I looked at the title and thought oh, this could be a more positive song, and then I hear the first four lines. Being a tall and rangy guy myself, I also feel a bit connected to Cooley's recollection of his own awkward lap dance. In all, this song leaves me with a dirty feeling, and then twinges of guilt because I like it. Thanks, MC.

I do like the song, I just don't love it. In a canon that includes Zip City, WWW, Space City, Cottonseed, Pin Hits The Shell, Gravity's Gone, etc. it just doesn't measure up.

[Iowan]

How the hell is this track still hanging around?

Top 10 DBT song, IMO. Just floored me the first time I heard it. Lyrics, melody, everything. When Patterson talks about how Cooley doesn't write many songs, but when he does they're incredible, I feel that Birthday Boy is the shining example.

"The pretty girls from the smallest towns
get remembered like storms and droughts
that old men talk about for years to come
I guess that's why they give us names
So a few old men can say they saw us rain when we were young"

I love the imagery of this verse. I always imagine this movie scene in my brain, where some 20 something girl from a small town is giving someone a lap dance, hating her life, while 2 old men in her hometown are sitting at the bar saying "Whatever happened to So-And-So? She sure was a looker".

I love this verse, but I always thought it was "reign" not "rain." Loses something this way, imho.

I like the fact that it can be interpreted either way and still make the same exact point.

[Iowan]

Interesting diversity of opinion on this one which isn't unusual here. I consider "Birthday Boy" to be top tier Cooley and DBT. When I first heard it I was absolutely floored by Neff's slide guitar. It reminded me of Jeffrey Lee Pierce/Kid Congo Powers/ The Las Vegas Story era Gun Club. And lyrically, I think it is one of the best songs ever written from a prostitute's perspective.

I remember how Cooley said in an interview that the song was originally two different songs. The second half ("Between your mama's drive and Daddy's belt...") was a different song altogether. But I think he bridged the two with the line "Flat on your back under a mean old man..." So I wonder if the second half was originally about a hard working, jaded woman who is stuck in a bad marriage, like maybe the tough talking waitress in a diner, the faded beauty who calls everyone "honey" but Cooley realized that they could be the same song.

It fucking soars.

[Iowan]

TC, that sure is a surprise. Even if the lyrics aren't your favorite, BB has to be in the discussion for best music in the catalogue. The band is like a well-oiled rifle in this one. Jay provides great texture throughout the whole song, Neff is on fire the entire time (with the tight counterpoint in the verses and the slide in between), the rythym section is driving, and everyone's in perfect balance. I love the "mulligan" Later version, which is one of my favorite performances ever:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmszhICjUYo

On the lyrics, I'm with Iowan, it's up there with anything Cooley's written for the band. I remember the first time I heard it, I looked at the title and thought oh, this could be a more positive song, and then I hear the first four lines. Being a tall and rangy guy myself, I also feel a bit connected to Cooley's recollection of his own awkward lap dance. In all, this song leaves me with a dirty feeling, and then twinges of guilt because I like it. Thanks, MC.

I do like the song, I just don't love it. In a canon that includes Zip City, WWW, Space City, Cottonseed, Pin Hits The Shell, Gravity's Gone, etc. it just doesn't measure up.

For me it exceeds half of those songs.

[Smitty]

Speaking of Cooley's minimalist approach... pretty small-town girl turned dancer-cum-hooker's life summed up in a few lines of dialogue. Cooley must be intrigued by "innocent" young girls getting off track (Pulaski, BB) and he definitely empathizes with the fairer sex (Loaded Gun, Sounds Better in a Song, etc).
Absolutely one of Cooley's (DBT's) best, IMO, and no doubt the best song on TBTD - I didn't initially get the Paper Moon reference, and that line seemed forced at first, but after seeing the movie and tying it in it works fine. If I make a mix to introduce someone to DBT, Birthday Boy is on it.

[Penny Lane]

It has to be 'reign' I think..
Love this song, especially the versus quoted. Even more fitting and funny now after hearing Cooley's banter last week "I'm not above putting a girl through college'..He loves the tale of the small town girl made to turn to the dark side for survival, abused girls from small towns who turn to prostituting or stripping.. How can you not love that kind of story?
Agree with SBM---also love Jay's contribution to this song...

edited--Smitty posted this before I saw your post! Same idea...you said it better..

[Sub]

I've always considered this song okay but not quite a favorite but the first night Cooley stream put this song back on my radar. He just killed it with that arrangement and I look forward to hearing this song live someday.

[Smitty]

I do like the song, I just don't love it. In a canon that includes Zip City, WWW, Space City, Cottonseed, Pin Hits The Shell, Gravity's Gone, etc. it just doesn't measure up.

For me it exceeds half of those songs.

I'm with Iowan - it's stands up fine to Zip CIty & WWW, and probably higher than the rest. I feel the same way about Pulaski too, so I'm probably in the minority.

[RevMatt]

I think Cooley came to the TBTD/GGB sessions with some of his best songs. "Birthday Boy" and "Get Downtown" are both balls out rockers while "Cartoon Gold" and "Pulaski" are songs where he explores his traditional country roots. There are two sides to Cooley's music.

[Iowan]

It has to be 'reign' I think..
Love this song, especially the versus quoted. Even more fitting and funny now after hearing Cooley's banter last week "I'm not above putting a girl through college'..He loves the tale of the small town girl made to turn to the dark side for survival, abused girls from small towns who turn to prostituting or stripping.. How can you not love that kind of story?
Agree with SBM---also love Jay's contribution to this song...

edited--Smitty posted this before I saw your post! Same idea...you said it better..

I think it's "rain" because Cooley uses the "storms and draughts" metaphor. When the girl "rains", just like a storm, it's when she's performing/existing at her highest level (in their eyes). The old men talk about a massive rain storm like they talk about these pretty girls. In the past tense, with a sense of awe/nostalgia.

Coming from a small town, I've over heard many of these conversations. "Remember that flood in '84? Sure was a doozy" and "Remember that Anderson girl who graduated a few years back? Boy she sure was a looker. Wonder whatever happened to her..." These guys are using the same tone and sentiment to describe them both.

[Iowan]

I do like the song, I just don't love it. In a canon that includes Zip City, WWW, Space City, Cottonseed, Pin Hits The Shell, Gravity's Gone, etc. it just doesn't measure up.

For me it exceeds half of those songs.

I'm with Iowan - it's stands up fine to Zip CIty & WWW, and probably higher than the rest. I feel the same way about Pulaski too, so I'm probably in the minority.

Pulaski is a great song, but I think "Cartoon Gold" is his best off of Go-Go Boots.

Honestly, the only Cooley songs that I ever skip are on BTCD (Checkout Time in Vegas, sometimes Bob) and TBTD (Eyes Like Glue). Every other song he's put on a DBT record is something I could file in the "top shelf material" category on any given day.

[beantownbubba]

It has to be 'reign' I think..
Love this song, especially the versus quoted. Even more fitting and funny now after hearing Cooley's banter last week "I'm not above putting a girl through college'..He loves the tale of the small town girl made to turn to the dark side for survival, abused girls from small towns who turn to prostituting or stripping.. How can you not love that kind of story?
Agree with SBM---also love Jay's contribution to this song...

edited--Smitty posted this before I saw your post! Same idea...you said it better..

I think it's "rain" because Cooley uses the "storms and draughts" metaphor. When the girl "rains", just like a storm, it's when she's performing/existing at her highest level (in their eyes). The old men talk about a massive rain storm like they talk about these pretty girls. In the past tense, with a sense of awe/nostalgia.

Coming from a small town, I've over heard many of these conversations. "Remember that flood in '84? Sure was a doozy" and "Remember that Anderson girl who graduated a few years back? Boy she sure was a looker. Wonder whatever happened to her..." These guys are using the same tone and sentiment to describe them both.

Well, apparently it's "rain" 'cause the lyrics on the DBT website, which I assume are about as official as these things get, say so.

Of course "rain" fits w/ the storm metaphor and the implied conversation which you make express, Iowan. What makes "reign" better is that it fits w/ the storm metaphor/conversation because of the homonym while also adding a more exact application to or description of the girls in question. "Rain" is a perfectly fine extended metaphor. "Reign" is that plus a lot more and much more clever, dare i say cooleyesque, to boot.

[Iowan]

It has to be 'reign' I think..
Love this song, especially the versus quoted. Even more fitting and funny now after hearing Cooley's banter last week "I'm not above putting a girl through college'..He loves the tale of the small town girl made to turn to the dark side for survival, abused girls from small towns who turn to prostituting or stripping.. How can you not love that kind of story?
Agree with SBM---also love Jay's contribution to this song...

edited--Smitty posted this before I saw your post! Same idea...you said it better..

I think it's "rain" because Cooley uses the "storms and draughts" metaphor. When the girl "rains", just like a storm, it's when she's performing/existing at her highest level (in their eyes). The old men talk about a massive rain storm like they talk about these pretty girls. In the past tense, with a sense of awe/nostalgia.

Coming from a small town, I've over heard many of these conversations. "Remember that flood in '84? Sure was a doozy" and "Remember that Anderson girl who graduated a few years back? Boy she sure was a looker. Wonder whatever happened to her..." These guys are using the same tone and sentiment to describe them both.

Well, apparently it's "rain" 'cause the lyrics on the DBT website, which I assume are about as official as these things get, say so.

Of course "rain" fits w/ the storm metaphor and the implied conversation which you make express, Iowan. What makes "reign" better is that it fits w/ the storm metaphor/conversation because of the homonym while also adding a more exact application to or description of the girls in question. "Rain" is a perfectly fine extended metaphor. "Reign" is that plus a lot more and much more clever, dare i say cooleyesque, to boot.

I depart, because I was having this discussion with some buddies once and they all assumed it was "reign". IMO, "reign" seems to be more "likely" and due to its obvious meaning, doesn't do the metaphor justice. Cooley, IMO, is using "rain" as a metaphor for the closer-to-literal application of "reign" that would exist. I find this to be a higher level of wordsmanship.

[Slipkid42]

I always thought it was 'reign' too (and in my mind, it still is). I do love this song & it is one of Cooley's & DBT's best songs (not in my Top 20, though). The lyrics are very clever (in spite of the rain/reign thing). I agree w/Rev that it is a look from the prostitute's perspective, that is on par w/John Prine's female perspective in Angel From Montgomery. The music is top notch & it is among the most accessible & catchiest songs in the DBT catalog. It is definitely one you would wanna include when turnin' on new fans. I disagree that it's the best song on TBTD & a poll we had right here on 3DD, agrees w/me on that. Either way, it is not 'far better' than Santa Fe.

[Sterling Big Mouth]

I've always heard it as "rain." I share in Iowan's reasoning, and also just find it more consistent with the storms and droughts part of the verse.

While this may be way too "literal" of an interpretation, I don't think "reign" makes any sense. The whole point of the song is that the girls are not "reigning" anything. They're up on stage, or on their backs, for the enjoyment of others. Their names (which signifies individuality and worth, i.e., your parents chose to name you) are even at the disposal of who ever "owns" them for the time being. Selling one's self is not consistent with the definition of "to reign."

Regardless, I love Patterson's harmony in this verse. Totally twists the knife.

[beantownbubba]

I depart, because I was having this discussion with some buddies once and they all assumed it was "reign". IMO, "reign" seems to be more "likely" and due to its obvious meaning, doesn't do the metaphor justice. Cooley, IMO, is using "rain" as a metaphor for the closer-to-literal application of "reign" that would exist. I find this to be a higher level of wordsmanship.

This reminds me of Wallace Shawn in The Princess Bride. In any case it's way too complicated for me to understand.

Sterling, the old men can say "they saw us rain(reign) when we were young," i.e. before they left their small towns and got smacked upside the head by life.

[Sterling Big Mouth]

BTB, interesting. I read it as the old men can say "they saw us rain when we were young," i.e. they leered at us while we were worth being leered at.

[Razorback]

I've always imagined it as "rain".

I love this song. I can't rank DBT songs, so I can't say if it'd make any list.

The other line from this song that I love is, "it don't take smarts to learn to tune out what hurts more than helps". I think it's the way Cooley makes it flow while singing it. Just sounds cool and catchy, which makes sense, coming from him. The opening riff and the ensuing beat really grab you and doesn't let go on this one. Then, before you know it, the song ends quite abruptly.

[Slipkid42]

Oddly enough, I did a cover poem once. I had read an e.e. cummings poem & all of a sudden I felt like writing back. Anyway, the last verse in the original poem went like this:

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

In my 'cover' poem the last verse goes like this:

Everyone slept (through thick and thin)
falling down summers sprang winters again
one by one change same old same
clouds snow stars reign

I was proud of my clever little twist (though now I can't remember why).

[dime in the gutter]

this is some complex shit, man.

[Iowan]

I depart, because I was having this discussion with some buddies once and they all assumed it was "reign". IMO, "reign" seems to be more "likely" and due to its obvious meaning, doesn't do the metaphor justice. Cooley, IMO, is using "rain" as a metaphor for the closer-to-literal application of "reign" that would exist. I find this to be a higher level of wordsmanship.

This reminds me of Wallace Shawn in The Princess Bride. In any case it's way too complicated for me to understand.

Sterling, the old men can say "they saw us rain(reign) when we were young," i.e. before they left their small towns and got smacked upside the head by life.

It makes way more sense in my head than it does on paper. I can promise you that.

[mwh]

The song is about a stripper and when they were younger they made it rain like Pacman Jones.

[Smitty]

[Rocky]

Reign / Rain....I blame Pete Townshend.

Birthday Boy is my favorite song on that disc. I'm surprised a coupla folks in this thread aren't espousing its greatness but it's art, after all, and open to interpretation.

Me, I love it.