song of the week #122: a blessing and a curse

[dime in the gutter]

the bastard child from a much disliked cousin......context makes this a much better album than people give it credit for being.

really dig this tune. seems as if patterson is working thru/complaining about inner band issues. love me some oprah/dr phil rock.....confusion and glory.

who the fuck is eugene? pretty sure bro is in multiple dbt tunes.

love the sucking on the end of a shotgun line.




trouble in paradise.



When it all comes down
There'll be nothing left to catch you but ground
It's calling your name and filling your head
With delusions of glory

Is that how you're gonna write your story?
Down in your time as a high-flying flame out?
Sucking on what's left of your trust fund?
Sucking on the end of a shot gun?

But there's more here than meets the eye
The real story is under the surface
We're all so in love with the artifice
We don't dare look too close

It's a blessing and a curse
Watch out, Eugene, you don't make things worse
Wild dreams come true, what to do then?
Confusion and glory

A man's got to think it all through
Got to do what you got to do
It's itching to conquer and take you
Itching to make a mistake out of you

It's a blessing and a curse
I wish it didn't hurt so much
I wish it didn't hurt so much
I wish it didn't hurt so much

[Zip City]

Never understood the hate for this song.

[Razorback]

I love it. It's actually one of my favorite DBT tunes.

[Iowan]

I've always thought the guitar on this was filthy.

context makes this a much better album than people give it credit for being

Yup. I always liked this album more than most DBT fans, and Secret made it that much more interesting to me.

['Scratch]

A lot of great songs on this album, and the bonus tracks are some of my favorite.

[Mrs Swamp]

I have always loved this song.....for many reasons.

[blackwll]

A lot of great songs on this album, and the bonus tracks are some of my favorite.

What were they? I started listening to DBT seriously around that time (2006?) but do not remember the bonus songs. Did any make it on the Fine Print? Seems like that was mostly from TDS.Were any on the Rocktober songs?

[Kudzu Guillotine]

A lot of great songs on this album, and the bonus tracks are some of my favorite.

What were they? I started listening to DBT seriously around that time (2006?) but do not remember the bonus songs. Did any make it on the Fine Print? Seems like that was mostly from TDS.Were any on the Rocktober songs?

The only bonus songs I'm aware of came from this CD single, which, if I remember correctly, was only available at independent record stores at the time. I think some other songs from the Blessing and A Curse sessions eventually surfaced such as Jason's "Drop the Weapon", though I'm not sure if it was part of the Rocktober thing or not.


1. When The Well Runs Dry
2. Like A Rolling Stone (From Uncut magazine's Highway 61 Revisited tribute to Bob Dylan)
3. Careless (Live)
4. Marry Me (Live)

[fistfightsandtears]

I love this song and the album itself is my top list of song writing. The song and album seems to be somewhat under rated to most people other than devout DBT fans (with the exception of Gravities Gone and Aftermath) and that's something that has always puzzled me. The forthright lyrics explain to Eugene to slow down and evaluate the situation(life) before pulling the trigger on something that’s gonna ultimately impact you more than you may desire and share a rock 'n' roll maturity that everyone should live by.

Life can be so beautiful but at the same time suc so bad. Sometimes it seems life can be such a downhill fall and you were just born cursed, but the blessing that you were born and you’re alive during that fall is something to value

ABAC was played on the FX show the Shield in a Walton Goggin scene in the final season. That’s the 3rd Walter scene I’m aware of where DBT was played in the back. Walter also stars in all the Ray Mckinnon movies. Coincidence?

[Clams]

I have always loved this song.....for many reasons.

Care to elaborate, Mrs S?

Been listening to this song a lot over the past few days. These threads almost always give me a newfound or added appreciation and respect for the songs.

As for ABAAC, I think on the one hand it suffers because (a) it came on the heels of SRO/Decoration Day/The Dirty South and (b) Jason's contrbutions are lackluster to say the least. But on the other hand, it's hard to slam an album that has stone classics like Gravity's Gone, World of Hurt and Space City, not to mention five Patterson songs (Little Bonnie, Goodbye, Wednesday, Aftermath and Feb 14) that are pretty effin' good too.

btw - thanks to dime and tyler for helping out with song of the week the past couple of weeks. If anyone else wants to give it a shot, send me a pm.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

ABAC was played on the FX show the Shield in a Walton Goggin scene in the final season. That’s the 3rd Walter scene I’m aware of where DBT was played in the back. Walter also stars in all the Ray Mckinnon movies. Coincidence?

I seriously doubt it. I would imagine he has enough pull to help them out when he can.

[GuitarManUpstairs]

who the fuck is eugene?

Interesting listen to Go It Alone after this one.

Go It Alone Jason Isbell

Are you lonely tonight?
Are you out on the road?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.
Are you dreaming out loud?
Scared of the crowds?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.

It's realizing just how close you've come to death.
and rearranging accordingly.
I'm realizing what I've lost and what I've left
and taking it home to go it alone again.

Find me a place
With salt on the roads
I'll do what I'm told, and buy what I'm sold again.
She was enough
but that was never enough.
The wound that won't heal
is pain I can't feel again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

I�m taking it home to go it alone again.
Taking it home to go it alone again.

[dime in the gutter]

to my hearing...lots of open spaces for weird jamming in this tune. they ought to tweak it up proper and rip into it right after you and your crystal meth.

or do they already do that? if they don't they should.

[Tyler]

They would have to actually play YaYCM again first

Actually caught the last time that got played at my "first" DBT show.

[ramonz]

who the fuck is eugene?

Interesting listen to Go It Alone after this one.

Go It Alone Jason Isbell

Are you lonely tonight?
Are you out on the road?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.
Are you dreaming out loud?
Scared of the crowds?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.

It's realizing just how close you've come to death.
and rearranging accordingly.
I'm realizing what I've lost and what I've left
and taking it home to go it alone again.

Find me a place
With salt on the roads
I'll do what I'm told, and buy what I'm sold again.
She was enough
but that was never enough.
The wound that won't heal
is pain I can't feel again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

I�m taking it home to go it alone again.
Taking it home to go it alone again.

I'm with you on this one, GM. You hear the term "Eugene, you genius" in several random movies and songs out there.....I've always felt the "genius" reference was pretty clear (in its opaque way).

[dime in the gutter]

who the fuck is eugene?

Interesting listen to Go It Alone after this one.

Go It Alone Jason Isbell

Are you lonely tonight?
Are you out on the road?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.
Are you dreaming out loud?
Scared of the crowds?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.

It's realizing just how close you've come to death.
and rearranging accordingly.
I'm realizing what I've lost and what I've left
and taking it home to go it alone again.

Find me a place
With salt on the roads
I'll do what I'm told, and buy what I'm sold again.
She was enough
but that was never enough.
The wound that won't heal
is pain I can't feel again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

I�m taking it home to go it alone again.
Taking it home to go it alone again.

I'm with you on this one, GM. You hear the term "Eugene, you genius" in several random movies and songs out there.....I've always felt the "genius" reference was pretty clear (in its opaque way).

yeah....i don't have any idea what the fuck ya'll are talking about.

[cortez the killer]

Upper-tier track. Methodically dripping with all kinds of rock 'n' roll sleaze. All kinds of styles on this album fighting/melding together. This one always struck me as 70's glam colliding with the semi-clumsy plod of The Horse. Love it.

[GuitarManUpstairs]

yeah....i don't have any idea what the fuck ya'll are talking about.

I think maybe Eugene = Jason.

I think you are right...this song is about the internal turmoil going on in the band at the time. About how Jason was wanting to put the pedal down and go go go... his obvious genius and talent propelling him to do his own thing and make that jump perhaps before he was ready to do so. I think Patterson is singing to him saying, "Hey realize if you keep pushing in this direction regardless of your talent it might fuck you in the end if you aren't careful. Think it through and don't be naive." Its a blessing and a curse to be both so incredibly talented but it also lends itself to excess and pitfalls of overconfidence.

In Go It Alone, I think Jason is admitting as much...that making that transition almost did ruin him. He contrasts his situation with Shonna's still being in DBT.

I'm realizing what I've lost and what I've left = Realizing the comfortable situation he left (or was perhaps forced to leave due to pushing when a little pulling was called for. See his comments in TSTAHE about people carrying the rock for reference.) in DBT, and if he finds a place...With salt on the roads (That is safer and less chance of running his shit in the ditch) he will...do what I'm told, and buy what I'm sold again. Listen to sound advice like what Patterson offers is AB&AC.

[Penny Lane]

who the fuck is eugene?

Interesting listen to Go It Alone after this one.

Go It Alone Jason Isbell

Are you lonely tonight?
Are you out on the road?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.
Are you dreaming out loud?
Scared of the crowds?
I'm headed home to go it alone again.

It's realizing just how close you've come to death.
and rearranging accordingly.
I'm realizing what I've lost and what I've left
and taking it home to go it alone again.

Find me a place
With salt on the roads
I'll do what I'm told, and buy what I'm sold again.
She was enough
but that was never enough.
The wound that won't heal
is pain I can't feel again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

In real life these things don't happen much at all.
Too bad we all live the dream.
I'm realizing just how far I had to fall
and taking it home to go it alone again.

I�m taking it home to go it alone again.
Taking it home to go it alone again.

I'm with you on this one, GM. You hear the term "Eugene, you genius" in several random movies and songs out there.....I've always felt the "genius" reference was pretty clear (in its opaque way).

...and so does 'trust fund' reference the songwriting/publishing deal--the separate income while in DBT? (RevMatt posted about this a couple years ago)

[GuitarManUpstairs]

Could be...i don't know much about that deal...need to read Rev's comments...seems to make some sense.

[GuitarManUpstairs]

Along this same vein...and this might be more of a stretch... but I wonder if Gravity's Gone is Cooley's note to Jason in this same regard.

[GuitarManUpstairs]

Along this same vein...and this might be more of a stretch... but I wonder if Gravity's Gone is Cooley's note to Jason in this same regard.

BUMP....Nobody even gonna attempt to call bullshit on me for this?

[Smitty]

Along this same vein...and this might be more of a stretch... but I wonder if Gravity's Gone is Cooley's note to Jason in this same regard.

BUMP....Nobody even gonna attempt to call bullshit on me for this?

BULLSHIT.
It's about heroin.

[GuitarManUpstairs]