Rise with the Moonshine (Back Story)
Rise was a creation of inspiration. I was up late, it was about 1 am or so, and as usual I was cruising thru YouTube when I happened upon a video documentary about the late and great Popcorn Sutton. He was making moonshine of course, but it really stood out to me how hard he worked to get that liquid lightening. In this video the steel was inside a building, it was really hot inside the room where the steel was and it looked miserable. But Popcorn tended and respected that steel like it was something that he cherished very much. The care he took with that old piece of metal inspired me to write this song. He took care of it and it took care of him.
I wrote this song with a lot of double imagery. The last verse however, is a warning that if you do mess with the brew it can do bad thing like put you in jail. But really… when does that ever stop someone from what they do for a living (in all cases). Undoubtedly this verse may or may not have some inspiration from certain someones and/or relatives that will be left unnamed.
Back to the music…of course I cannot play and instrument (yet) so I had to take these lyrics to Ruby. She liked the lyrics and I had a melody but it took us a few days to really get inspired to fit the lyrics to music. I don’t know if Rise would have even been a song if it wasn’t for one irreplaceable mistake. Ruby was plunking around on her guitar and we were practicing a few of our other songs. She was wearing her favorite silver chain bracelet. I asked her if we could work on this song and she started picking around and trying to compose Rise.
Her bracelet kept falling to her hand and hitting the guitar strings which gave it a tinny almost “steely” effect when she played. This accident really set the mood for finishing the song. When we would play it I started hearing this strange beat. I would tap on the table or cup or anything to get an organic “bongo” type drum rhythm that I kept hearing when we would sing. The rhythm changes three times during the course of the song, (what can I say it just fit). Then when we were able to work with Jerry, He brought Rise with the Moonshine to another level! He placed some bongos and beats that were just perfect for the song. It is an earthy and universal song and I am just in love with it!
Rise with the Moonshine is a fun loving song with a special warning to anyone who decides to partake in the drink. If you havn’t tried…I mean heard this song go check it out right now!
-M
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Dixie Down (Back Story)
Ruby was approached with a fantastic opportunity to join a band. A year went by and I joined the band and they finally decided on a name. We all decided the band's name would be "Dixie Down." Ruby was so invested she even got her car tags changed to "DIXI DWN." A few more months went by and thing were falling apart with the band more than they were coming together (like most bands do). She could see it wasn't going to get off the ground as soon as she hoped. And one day she thought to herself "Dammit I'll just write a song... that way my tags will make sense!" And then and there Dixie Down was born!
It was the first song Ruby and I wrote coming back from her "life block." It wasn’t just a mental block or a writer's block, it took over her whole life and when she broke out of it, this is what she came up with. It is a great song and I want people to listen and get their own understanding and opinions of it but we wrote it to be a heart-break/healing song. Its starts out "I’m swearing off the Daniels and the Rebel flag; they only remind me of what I used to have..." Isn't that so true?
While you are with someone, you create favorite things like hearing a song or going places that are special to you both; but as soon as they break your heart, it becomes unbearable to hear them or be in the places where you made such happy memories. Well, for the person in the song, everything southern makes them think of their old flame so they just want to move north to get away from the hurt and memories. "The Daniels" is a double meaning for Jack Daniels whisky and Charlie Daniels. They are both southern icons that we enjoy very much and definitely enjoy with other people in our life.
Deceit, Distrust, and Death are some things that can leave our souls with unfinished business; and pain makes emotional wounds that can cut deeper than any blade or bullet. Ruby and I are no strangers to giving up going places and listening to certain music because the memories of loved ones that have passed and broken hearts inhabit the happiness we once had. Now it’s time to heal… and the message is that it’s okay to be Angry! This isn’t an “Aww, it okay…Everything is going to be better in a little while” song. It’s a “Dammit! I can't stand it I’m so mad, I’m just gonna leave and never come back!” Be angry…then calm down...not because im a psychologist, but because most songs written tell you to do that! I get hurt…I get angry … and I calm down…(usually in that order). And I’m pretty sure we have a song for each of those times so keep listening and reading...The Southern Daughters will help you get through it all.
Oh and Happy Valentines Day!!!
Reply
Southern Daughters / Blog
Rise with the Moonshine (Back Story)
Rise with the Moonshine (Back Story)
Rise was a creation of inspiration. I was up late, it was about 1 am or so, and as usual I was cruising thru YouTube when I happened upon a video documentary about the late and great Popcorn Sutton. He was making moonshine of course, but it really stood out to me how hard he worked to get that liquid lightening. In this video the steel was inside a building, it was really hot inside the room where the steel was and it looked miserable. But Popcorn tended and respected that steel like it was something that he cherished very much. The care he took with that old piece of metal inspired me to write this song. He took care of it and it took care of him. I wrote this song with a lot of double imagery. The last verse however, is a warning that if you do mess with the brew it can do bad thing like put you in jail. But really… when does that ever stop someone from what they do for a living (in all cases). Undoubtedly this verse may or may not have some inspiration from certain someones and/or relatives that will be left unnamed.
Back to the music…of course I cannot play and instrument (yet) so I had to take these lyrics to Ruby. She liked the lyrics and I had a melody but it took us a few days to really get inspired to fit the lyrics to music. I don’t know if Rise would have even been a song if it wasn’t for one irreplaceable mistake. Ruby was plunking around on her guitar and we were practicing a few of our other songs. She was wearing her favorite silver chain bracelet. I asked her if we could work on this song and she started picking around and trying to compose Rise. Her bracelet kept falling to her hand and hitting the guitar strings which gave it a tinny almost “steely” effect when she played. This accident really set the mood for finishing the song. When we would play it I started hearing this strange beat. I would tap on the table or cup or anything to get an organic “bongo” type drum rhythm that I kept hearing when we would sing. The rhythm changes three times during the course of the song, (what can I say it just fit). Then when we were able to work with Jerry, He brought Rise with the Moonshine to another level! He placed some bongos and beats that were just perfect for the song. It is an earthy and universal song and I am just in love with it! Rise with the Moonshine is a fun loving song with a special warning to anyone who decides to partake in the drink. If you havn’t tried…I mean heard this song go check it out right now!
-M
Reply
Dixie Down (Back Story)
Dixie Down (Back Story) Ruby was approached with a fantastic opportunity to join a band. A year went by and I joined the band and they finally decided on a name. We all decided the band's name would be "Dixie Down." Ruby was so invested she even got her car tags changed to "DIXI DWN." A few more months went by and thing were falling apart with the band more than they were coming together (like most bands do). She could see it wasn't going to get off the ground as soon as she hoped. And one day she thought to herself "Dammit I'll just write a song... that way my tags will make sense!" And then and there Dixie Down was born!
It was the first song Ruby and I wrote coming back from her "life block." It wasn’t just a mental block or a writer's block, it took over her whole life and when she broke out of it, this is what she came up with. It is a great song and I want people to listen and get their own understanding and opinions of it but we wrote it to be a heart-break/healing song. Its starts out "I’m swearing off the Daniels and the Rebel flag; they only remind me of what I used to have..." Isn't that so true?
While you are with someone, you create favorite things like hearing a song or going places that are special to you both; but as soon as they break your heart, it becomes unbearable to hear them or be in the places where you made such happy memories. Well, for the person in the song, everything southern makes them think of their old flame so they just want to move north to get away from the hurt and memories. "The Daniels" is a double meaning for Jack Daniels whisky and Charlie Daniels. They are both southern icons that we enjoy very much and definitely enjoy with other people in our life.
Deceit, Distrust, and Death are some things that can leave our souls with unfinished business; and pain makes emotional wounds that can cut deeper than any blade or bullet. Ruby and I are no strangers to giving up going places and listening to certain music because the memories of loved ones that have passed and broken hearts inhabit the happiness we once had. Now it’s time to heal… and the message is that it’s okay to be Angry! This isn’t an “Aww, it okay…Everything is going to be better in a little while” song. It’s a “Dammit! I can't stand it I’m so mad, I’m just gonna leave and never come back!” Be angry…then calm down...not because im a psychologist, but because most songs written tell you to do that! I get hurt…I get angry … and I calm down…(usually in that order). And I’m pretty sure we have a song for each of those times so keep listening and reading...The Southern Daughters will help you get through it all.
Oh and Happy Valentines Day!!!
Reply