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Son Volt — Medicine Hat
Album: Wide Swing Tremolo
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 702









Released: 1998
Length: 4:08
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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There will be droughts and days inundated
Unveilings free from saturation
Departures raised with no masquerading

There will be teachers that die by their own hand
Pundits that push headlong for atonement
Friends and followers devoted to living

There will be watchers that ply for new confines
Those committed to society's circles
Unwary cogs with no cadence of virtue
There will be right
There will be wrong

Drop of the hat and it's already started
Just like that and the deed is done
What I'd give for that hat to be medicine
The time is now to be on the run

There will be machinations unforeseen
Sleepwalking sense from a bad dream
No promenade walk in the parkway

There will be catchwords filled with infection
Circulars to prop up occasion
No golden mean to guide the footsteps

There will be levels on high hills that appraise
There will be unchanging certainties
Barometers that follow the stampede
There will be right
There will be wrong

Drop of the hat and it's already started
Just like that and the deed is done
What I'd give for that hat to be medicine
The time is now to be on the run

There will be signposts of indication
Semaphore go signs and warnings
Hailstone halos and country-blues wailings

There will be strains that break out of straight time
To pave with grace different roads to the same place
No consequence to repay what's been given

There will be layers of means to an end
Drawn-out days before resolution
Dregs will rain down from all directions
There will be right
There will be wrong

Drop of the hat and it's already started
Just like that and the deed is done
What I'd give for that hat to be medicine
The time is now to be on the run
Comments (81)add comment
Lot's of Uncle Tupelo splinters this morning... that's a good thing.

This song has a lot of multisyllabic words.
Posted 1 year ago by ick    [ Reply ]
 h8rhater wrote:

Clearly superior in talent to Tweedy, but far less successful post-Tupelo.


 
 
For some, life is a constant popularity contest. 

Here we have 2 great singer/songwriters who did great things together and have since done great things apart.  The fact that one wanted to take one road and the other another is gravy for everyone that loves both of the great bands that they formed. 


Well said.
Posted 1 year ago by bimmerfan739    [ Reply ]
When I lived in Florida, I saw fellow Hoosier John Mellencamp in concert. These guys opened up. In fact I think they were touring for this album. GREAT show by BOTH.
Posted 1 year ago by 3Dave    [ Reply ]
Posted 1 year ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
The two Jeffs! What a fine sound they had.
Posted 2 years ago by reguru2112    [ Reply ]
Wait till I tell my family in Medicine Hat (Alberta, Canada) there's a song about them!
Posted 2 years ago by RoelantSiekman    [ Reply ]
 Proclivities wrote:


Yes it is a reference to a Twilight Zone episode: it means to banish it, or make it disappear.

quite a disturbing episode...never trusted anyone called Billy again...cannot remember what his name was in the episode, probably Billy

excellent tune off this album 
Posted 2 years ago by xcranky_yankee    [ Reply ]
 truescorpio wrote:

Son Volt needs to go away. Way too twangy for my taste. Or my father's, or his father, and the father that went before everyone. 




If you don't like it, Zippy, hit the SKIP BUTTON & SHUT UP!!! Thank God we don't have to listen to YOUR playlist!
Posted 2 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
 truescorpio wrote:

Son Volt needs to go away. Way too twangy for my taste. Or my father's, or his father, and the father that went before everyone. 


You apparently haven't noticed that your taste doesn't dictate the RP playlist.  Nor does that of your ancestry.
Posted 3 years ago by dwhayslett    [ Reply ]
 truescorpio wrote:

Son Volt needs to go away. Way too twangy for my taste. Or my father's, or his father, and the father that went before everyone. 


Just go to the "My Favorites" mix and you'll never have to hear someone you haven't preapproved and you don't have to waste your time making inane comments.
Posted 3 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
Son Volt needs to go away. Way too twangy for my taste. Or my father's, or his father, and the father that went before everyone. 
Posted 3 years ago by truescorpio    [ Reply ]
They're touring - hope to see them in October in San Francisco. 
Posted 5 years ago by poetdancer    [ Reply ]
Love Son Volt
Posted 5 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
This sparks joy. 
Posted 5 years ago by Vicey    [ Reply ]
 stewliscious wrote:

What is this supposed to mean? What is the cornfield? What would a cornfield want with a song?
 

A reference to a classic Twilight Zone episode featuring Billy Mummy before Lost in Space. Boy, do I feel old remember that!
Posted 5 years ago by Quixx_II    [ Reply ]

beagen wrote:Clearly superior in talent to Tweedy, but far less successful post-Tupelo.


 lemmoth wrote:

Obviously not so clear to the public — or frankly to professional critics.  Perhaps clear to you.

 
For some, life is a constant popularity contest. 

Here we have 2 great singer/songwriters who did great things together and have since done great things apart.  The fact that one wanted to take one road and the other another is gravy for everyone that loves both of the great bands that they formed. 
Posted 5 years ago by h8rhater    [ Reply ]
it's a Twilight Zone reference...


 
stewliscious wrote:

What is this supposed to mean? What is the cornfield? What would a cornfield want with a song?

 

Posted 9 years ago by lazylemming    [ Reply ]
Some of the good folk dissing this song were not born in 1998. Great song from a highly influential band in the Americana scene. Thanks Bill.
Posted 9 years ago by bstevens1951    [ Reply ]
Those cornfields are the ones in Southern Illinois...near Belleville, IL...the home town of Uncle Tupelo and this derivative band. 
Posted 9 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
 joelbb wrote:
No, Bill!  No!  No!  Send it to the cornfield, send it to the cornfield!!

 
What is this supposed to mean? What is the cornfield? What would a cornfield want with a song?
Posted 10 years ago by stewliscious    [ Reply ]
Mediocre hat. 
Posted 10 years ago by chism2    [ Reply ]
Love Jay and the band.  They are FANTASTIC LIVE too.
Posted 10 years ago by Susan_Amati    [ Reply ]
No, Bill!  No!  No!  Send it to the cornfield, send it to the cornfield!!
Posted 11 years ago by joelbb    [ Reply ]
 Cynaera wrote:
Maybe it's the vodka, but I'm having a really hard time yanking myself away from RP tonight! I have to get up early and work (if the weather permits), but I'm still sitting here, listening and commenting. I'll leave soon - I promise!  Except that now "All Hell For A Basement" by Big Sugar is playing - and the only songs I've ever heard by them were because they were featured on "La Femme Nikita."

Okay - seriously shutting up now. (But I love Son Volt.)

 
Rock on Cynaera...
Posted 11 years ago by motobecane    [ Reply ]
I thought this was REM for a minute. 
Posted 11 years ago by bb_matt    [ Reply ]
bad set (imo), now this one's the bottom, gonna listen to NPR for a bit, or maybe just open the window and hear the sound of traffic rather than this poop
Posted 11 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
Liking SV more and more w/ each listen here on RP.

7->8
Posted 12 years ago by le_colonel    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

If she says it sounds like TMBG to her then it sounds like TMBG to her.
 
I can hear it.

 
He does have a similar voice to that of John Linnell.

Posted 12 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Thanks Bill.....always like a little Son Volt in the am.... {#Dancingbanana}
Posted 13 years ago by Windspirit    [ Reply ]
My wife usually makes me turn off Son Volt/Jay Farrar cuz she says they sound too depressing. So I sneak in some listening when I can. Love ya, RP.
Posted 13 years ago by drjimmy    [ Reply ]
 beagen wrote:
Clearly superior in talent to Tweedy, but far less successful post-Tupelo.
 
Obviously not so clear to the public — or frankly to professional critics.  Perhaps clear to you.

Posted 13 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
Great tune....love the original line-up of Son Volt 
Posted 14 years ago by Windspirit    [ Reply ]
 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
Call me extra weird.
 
Okay. You're extra weird.

Posted 14 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
Listening to Son Volt makes everything all better.
Posted 14 years ago by zipper    [ Reply ]
Maybe it's the vodka, but I'm having a really hard time yanking myself away from RP tonight! I have to get up early and work (if the weather permits), but I'm still sitting here, listening and commenting. I'll leave soon - I promise!  Except that now "All Hell For A Basement" by Big Sugar is playing - and the only songs I've ever heard by them were because they were featured on "La Femme Nikita."

Okay - seriously shutting up now. (But I love Son Volt.)
Posted 14 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:

If she says it sounds like TMBG to her then it sounds like TMBG to her.
 
I can hear it.

 
Scott correctly points out that seem-statements are incorrigible.  This may not sound like Jeff Beck, but if someone says that it sounds like (seems like) Jeff Beck to them, there can be no argument (except in the rare case in which someone can be shown to be lying).  And yes, I hear the TMBG, too.

Posted 14 years ago by nate917    [ Reply ]
 onomasticator wrote:
No, not They Might be Giants. 
 
If she says it sounds like TMBG to her then it sounds like TMBG to her.
 
I can hear it.

Posted 14 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
Never heard a Son Volt song I can stand even as long as it takes to hurriedly change the channel.  

Yeah, I knew you would want to know.
Posted 14 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
No, not They Might be Giants.  Uncle Tupelo, more like - and epochal band if there was one.  If you are unfamiliar, go directly to the album, Anodyne, do not pass go, do not collect $200 - just listen to it.
Posted 15 years ago by onomasticator    [ Reply ]
this voice sounds familiar - like They Might Be Giants ??
Posted 15 years ago by suebee3    [ Reply ]
Zevon-esque
Posted 15 years ago by casey1024    [ Reply ]
 mettle wrote:
MORE Son Volt, The Jayhawks and Wilco please.
Please.
Please please please.
 


Posted 15 years ago by d00kie    [ Reply ]
 mettle wrote:
Less Son Volt, The Jayhawks and Wilco please.
Please.
Please please please.
 
{#Fever} Hmmmm, I detect a wide swing in your tremolo. Prescription - take the medicine from under your hat and ingest it.
Posted 15 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
 mettle wrote:
Less Son Volt, The Jayhawks and Wilco please.
Please.
Please please please.
 
I hear ya.
Posted 15 years ago by Papernapkin    [ Reply ]
 FrankMc wrote:
I wish you'd cull the pewking emoticons from your selection. I've only heard one song ever on RP that I wanted to be over immediately and even it certainly wouldn't qualify as hurl-inducing.

This song is damn fine. I shall have investigate Son Volt further.
 
                                                    {#Clap}  agree.

Posted 15 years ago by bindi    [ Reply ]
I wish you'd cull the pewking emoticons from your selection. I've only heard one song ever on RP that I wanted to be over immediately and even it certainly wouldn't qualify as hurl-inducing.

This song is damn fine. I shall have investigate Son Volt further.
Posted 15 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
Dear Lord.  Wilco, and then Son Volt 5 songs later?  Ugh. It's a double-team of suck.  {#Puke}
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
10 TEN 10 TEN 10! If you ever saw this song performed live, you'd understand. It THROBS, the entire place swells and contracts to it. Sheer Magic!
Posted 17 years ago by greg6494    [ Reply ]
Rickvee wrote:
Great song from a very underrated album. TRACE gets all the attention, and no question it is an awesome album, but WIDE SWING TREMELO is seriously good as well.
Agreed. TRACE gets much attention (deserved) but anyone who enjoys Trace absolutely MUST check out Straightaways and WST.
Posted 17 years ago by rjs    [ Reply ]
mettle wrote:
Less Son Volt, The Jayhawks and Wilco please. Please. Please please please.
More Son Volt, Jayhawks, and Wilco please. Please. please please please
Posted 17 years ago by rjs    [ Reply ]
Great song from a very underrated album. TRACE gets all the attention, and no question it is an awesome album, but WIDE SWING TREMELO is seriously good as well.
Posted 17 years ago by Rickvee    [ Reply ]
When you see Jay live, this is a song you ache for him to play. Not sure you can set a 10 criteria based on that, but it works for me.
Posted 17 years ago by greg6494    [ Reply ]
I like what Jay is doing with Son Volt, even though I pine for the good ol Uncle Tupelo daze!
Agreed. I've heard just about everything that both Farrar and Tweedy have done separately and while I think SV's "Trace" is right up there, I still miss UT. "No Depression" remains one of my very favorite albums.
Posted 17 years ago by jobclown    [ Reply ]
Clearly superior in talent to Tweedy, but far less successful post-Tupelo.
Posted 17 years ago by beagen    [ Reply ]
fandad wrote:
"I am trying to break your heart" is about the clash between Jay Bennet and Tweedy--about ten years after the breakdown between Farrar and Tweedy.
I stand corrected, I was thinking of "The Man in the Sand" the doc about the making of Mermaid Ave which shows a lot of the tension surrounding these two band mates.
Posted 18 years ago by go_ski_mully    [ Reply ]
go_ski_mully wrote:
...check out the documentary "I am trying to break you heart" to see the demise of the Tweedy/Farrar team as it goes down!
"I am trying to break your heart" is about the clash between Jay Bennet and Tweedy--about ten years after the breakdown between Farrar and Tweedy.
Posted 18 years ago by fandad    [ Reply ]
Jay is a talent no doubt and has remained a little more rooted in Americana than the rest of his buddies from Uncle Tupelo ...seems as though Jeff Tweedy and Jay were too strong a personalities to be in the same band together and eventually had to separate, or that Jeff needed to go in a different direction creatively and did not want Jay along for the ride ...check out the documentary "I am trying to break you heart" to see the demise of the Tweedy/Farrar team as it goes down! I like what Jay is doing with Son Volt, even though I pine for the good ol Uncle Tupelo daze!
Posted 18 years ago by go_ski_mully    [ Reply ]
Outstanding song, superb album. I gotta admit that RP is hitting all the hit buttons tonight, playing Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, and now Son Volt. Awesome!
Posted 18 years ago by Johnny_Wave    [ Reply ]
Love this. The album Wide Swing Tremolo is just about perfect, one of those that never gets old.
Posted 18 years ago by etwilson    [ Reply ]
I'm hearing Warren Zevon.
Posted 18 years ago by baboo    [ Reply ]
I see below that I am not the only one who thought "Tom Petty" when hearing this. :-)
Posted 18 years ago by sjuttiosju    [ Reply ]
Love the lyrics on this one.
Posted 18 years ago by JBC1975    [ Reply ]
karen wrote:
Ha! I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me... Funny, isn't it? If you don't like the mainstream pablum being force-fed to the masses your musical taste is often labeled as "weird."
Call me extra weird.
Posted 18 years ago by KurtfromLaQuinta    [ Reply ]
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
...I said "It's Son Volt. They're good. I'd much rather see them than John Cougar." She said "You always did like weird music."...
Ha! I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me... Funny, isn't it? If you don't like the mainstream pablum being force-fed to the masses your musical taste is often labeled as "weird."
Posted 18 years ago by karen    [ Reply ]
Saw them about 4 weeks ago and they blew the roof off the place. Great to see Jay Farrar back!
Posted 18 years ago by SCprof    [ Reply ]
sergeant_x wrote:
I remember seeing his old band in KCMO back in 89. Played to about fifteen of us and just tore up the room. Played several Hank Williams song with a vengeance.
I got to see them at KCUV studios in Denver a couple months ago because I work across the hall. There were maybe 5 of us there tops, it was like my own personal Son Volt concert. There's nothing like Jay Farrar walking in the door and giving you a head nod while you work.
Posted 18 years ago by BKardon    [ Reply ]
Less Son Volt, The Jayhawks and Wilco please. Please. Please please please.
Posted 19 years ago by mettle    [ Reply ]
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
My chance to see Son Volt evaporated -- the local radio station was giving away tix to see John Mellencamp in Billings, in their big concrete arena. Son Volt was opening and the station owner offered me the tickets to "John Mellencamp and some other band" I said "It's Son Volt. They're good. I'd much rather see them than John Cougar." She said "You always did like weird music." "F*uck You," I joked. "I'll see if someone who likes John Mellencamp wants to go instead," she said, not joking. Rats.
I saw that concert pairing at Red Rocks Amphitheater. It was pretty good, but Son Volt's part was uninspired and nobody knew who they were so they were pretty much ignored. Sound was turned down really low as well. Farrar looked like he needed to work on his bigger venue audience reaching skills.
Posted 19 years ago by Bocephus    [ Reply ]
namesbenny wrote:
That's too bad, but in my experience, people don't like to be told to f*ck off, even in jest. Next time, try "blow me". Never fails.
Noted.;)
Posted 19 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
I remember seeing his old band in KCMO back in 89. Played to about fifteen of us and just tore up the room. Played several Hank Williams song with a vengeance.
Posted 19 years ago by sergeant_x    [ Reply ]
COME ON , IT'S GORGEOUS DAY IN NEW YORK,,,, WHAT'S WITH THE SLEEPY TUNES??
Posted 19 years ago by KMH    [ Reply ]
Good Times...Oh yeah...
Posted 19 years ago by Norge1    [ Reply ]
< Rats.
*GASP* Yeah, station owners are a tempermental lot.
Posted 19 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
She said "You always did like weird music." "F*uck You," I joked. "I'll see if someone who likes John Mellencamp wants to go instead," she said, not joking. Rats.
That's too bad, but in my experience, people don't like to be told to f*ck off, even in jest. Next time, try "blow me". Never fails.
Posted 19 years ago by namesbenny    [ Reply ]
Jay Farrar. You can always tell its him, his baritone is beautiful. Finally he is singing songs about something else than whiskey and poverty. I would love to know what he thinks about his old bandmate from Uncle Tupelo now; Jeff Tweedy has changed so much. Son Volt is a cool name and this is a cool song.
Posted 19 years ago by miahfost    [ Reply ]
My chance to see Son Volt evaporated -- the local radio station was giving away tix to see John Mellencamp in Billings, in their big concrete arena. Son Volt was opening and the station owner offered me the tickets to "John Mellencamp and some other band" I said "It's Son Volt. They're good. I'd much rather see them than John Cougar." She said "You always did like weird music." "F*uck You," I joked. "I'll see if someone who likes John Mellencamp wants to go instead," she said, not joking. Rats.
Posted 19 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
Hmmm... Iguanas - 9 Son Volt Medicine Hat Heart? ;-) I really like these guys. Always have. Jay's quite unique.
Posted 19 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
suzebee wrote:
I like this singer -- first time I've heard them. Who does he sound like? Someone familiar, like Tom Petty, maybe?
New band to me also...I hear the Petty connection,a little Zevon and a little of the Iguanas,who just played prior.No rating for me yet.
Posted 19 years ago by katzendogs    [ Reply ]
suzebee wrote:
I like this singer -- first time I've heard them. Who does he sound like? Someone familiar, like Tom Petty, maybe?
Jay Farrar - Formerly of Uncle Tupelo, technically formerly of Son Volt. The rest of Uncle Tupelo is now Wilco. Jay has a few solo albums out there. Some really great Americana/Alt. Country stuff.
Posted 20 years ago by bigpomp    [ Reply ]
I like this singer -- first time I've heard them. Who does he sound like? Someone familiar, like Tom Petty, maybe?
Posted 20 years ago by suzebee    [ Reply ]