WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.540 Welcome back to another deep dive. Usually we're 00:00:03.540 --> 00:00:07.120 taking a pretty wide angle lens to a massive 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.320 topic, you know, like. The history of a whole 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:12.519 civilization. Right. Or a massive breakthrough 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:14.740 in AI, things like that. That's the picture stuff. 00:00:15.019 --> 00:00:17.480 Exactly. But today I'll do the exact opposite. 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:19.960 I really want to zoom in like microscope style. 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:23.399 Okay. Yeah. We are looking at one specific artifact 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:27.280 from the year 2001. You know, sometimes the smallest 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:29.600 artifacts tell the absolute biggest stories. 00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:34.179 They really do. It's kind of like finding a single 00:00:34.179 --> 00:00:37.439 piece of pottery that somehow explains an entire 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.259 ancient trade route. That is a perfect analogy. 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.060 So what's on the slide today? What are we looking 00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:44.740 at? It's a song. A song called Don't Be Sad by 00:00:44.740 --> 00:00:47.280 the alternative country band, Whiskey Town. Okay, 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:50.060 Whiskey Town. Yeah. And now before you, the listener, 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:52.200 tune out thinking this is just some retro music 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:55.109 review. I have to share the specific reason we're 00:00:55.109 --> 00:00:56.850 looking at this track today. It's not just a 00:00:56.850 --> 00:00:59.070 review then? Yeah. No, definitely not. I mean, 00:00:59.070 --> 00:01:01.210 it's not just because it's a great song, which 00:01:01.210 --> 00:01:05.609 for the record it is, but because of this warning 00:01:05.609 --> 00:01:07.689 label I found when I started researching it. 00:01:07.769 --> 00:01:09.769 A warning label? Like what? Like explicit lyrics? 00:01:09.890 --> 00:01:12.510 No, much, much drier than that. I pulled up the 00:01:12.510 --> 00:01:15.629 Wikipedia page for this specific song and right 00:01:15.629 --> 00:01:17.650 at the top of the page there was this massive 00:01:17.650 --> 00:01:19.870 banner. Oh, I know those banners. Right. And 00:01:19.870 --> 00:01:22.829 it said, quote, The topic of this article may 00:01:22.829 --> 00:01:26.049 not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:30.469 music. Ouch. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. That is basically 00:01:30.469 --> 00:01:33.129 the digital equivalent of being told, you know, 00:01:33.129 --> 00:01:35.469 sit down. You're not important. Exactly. It's 00:01:35.469 --> 00:01:38.010 the algorithm literally saying move along. Nothing 00:01:38.010 --> 00:01:40.409 to see here. Nothing notable anyway. Right. And. 00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:43.299 Naturally, that triggered my contrarian streak. 00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:45.439 Of course, dude. I took that as a personal challenge. 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:49.620 So our mission for this deep dive today is to 00:01:49.620 --> 00:01:52.840 essentially put this song on trial. I love this. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:55.140 We are going to prove that the algorithm is completely 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:57.799 wrong. So we're basically the defense attorneys 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:01.219 for a 20 -year -old country rock ballad. We are. 00:02:01.340 --> 00:02:04.620 And honestly, I think we have a incredibly strong 00:02:04.620 --> 00:02:07.719 case here. I'm ready. Let's build the case. Because 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:10.819 when you actually look at... The liner notes, 00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:13.340 the production context, and just the sheer emotional 00:02:13.340 --> 00:02:15.919 weight of this track. It's not just a song. No, 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:17.900 it's a lot more than that. It's a time capsule. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.659 It captures this very specific moment where entire 00:02:20.659 --> 00:02:22.860 genres were colliding, where a band was completely 00:02:22.860 --> 00:02:25.039 falling apart, and where the songwriting reached 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:29.199 this peak of... Beautiful denial. Yes. Beautiful 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:31.219 denial is a perfect way to frame it. Well, frankly, 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:33.500 looking at the materials you sent over for us 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:36.759 to review... The personnel list alone should 00:02:36.759 --> 00:02:39.340 instantly disqualify it from ever being called 00:02:39.340 --> 00:02:42.500 non -notable. It's insane. It is. This is one 00:02:42.500 --> 00:02:44.039 of those scenarios where you look at the credits 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:47.020 and realize, wait, all of these people were in 00:02:47.020 --> 00:02:50.080 the same room at the same time. It really is 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:51.919 a hidden supergroup. And we'll get to the names 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.039 in a minute because there are some absolute heavy 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.500 hitters from the 90s rock scene involved here. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:00.360 Oh, yeah. I want to start with that concept of 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:02.319 denial that you just mentioned. Okay, let's start 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.500 there. Because the song is literally titled, 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.639 Don't Be Sad. Right. On the surface, if you just 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:10.759 glance at the track list on the back of the CD, 00:03:11.020 --> 00:03:13.479 it looks like a pep talk. It sounds like a command, 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:18.039 really. Chin up, it'll get better. Exactly. But 00:03:18.039 --> 00:03:20.680 that is the trap. Yeah, it's a total misdirection. 00:03:20.900 --> 00:03:22.819 Because if you actually listen to the harmonic 00:03:22.819 --> 00:03:25.139 structure, and more importantly, if you really 00:03:25.139 --> 00:03:28.020 dig into the lyrics, you realize, don't be sad. 00:03:28.509 --> 00:03:31.569 isn't an instruction at all no it's a plea that 00:03:31.569 --> 00:03:33.750 has already failed it reminds me of when someone 00:03:33.750 --> 00:03:35.969 is in a really bad spot and they just keep repeating 00:03:35.969 --> 00:03:39.310 i'm fine i'm fine i'm fine right the repetition 00:03:39.310 --> 00:03:42.590 itself proves they are definitely not fine exactly 00:03:42.590 --> 00:03:45.030 and we actually have the primary songwriter ryan 00:03:45.030 --> 00:03:47.669 adams confirming this he talked about this specific 00:03:47.669 --> 00:03:50.129 track he did i found a quote from him discussing 00:03:50.129 --> 00:03:52.830 don't be sad that sort of unlocks the whole puzzle 00:03:52.830 --> 00:03:55.560 for us yeah i read that in the prep notes That 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:57.719 quote is devastating. Let me read it for you. 00:03:57.819 --> 00:04:00.699 He said, I think there's a duality in that song. 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:04.400 I think on one hand it's saying, hang on, we'll 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:06.580 get through this. But deep down, we know we're 00:04:06.580 --> 00:04:08.060 not going to get through it at all. It's that 00:04:08.060 --> 00:04:10.580 second half that just gets you. Deep down, we 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:12.300 know we're not going to get through it at all. 00:04:12.419 --> 00:04:14.960 Right. That takes the song from being a standard 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:18.500 radio ballad and turns it into a tragedy. It 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:21.079 really does. And he finishes the thought by saying. 00:04:21.579 --> 00:04:23.819 Damn, that song just kind of says it all, doesn't 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:26.579 it? It does say it all. It perfectly deals with 00:04:26.579 --> 00:04:28.779 that cognitive dissonance that we all experience 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:32.399 during a crisis. How do you mean? Well, you have 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.980 the surface level optimism running parallel to 00:04:35.980 --> 00:04:38.819 this subterranean knowledge that the relationship 00:04:38.819 --> 00:04:41.379 or the band or whatever the situation is, is 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:43.600 totally doomed. You're putting on a brave face 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:45.600 while the ship is sinking. Exactly. Don't be 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.300 sad, but we're sinking. And what's fascinating 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:51.560 is how that duality plays out. In the actual 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:54.720 music itself. Yes, the music. It's not just the 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.100 lyrics doing the heavy lifting. The sound of 00:04:57.100 --> 00:04:59.879 the song is doing that exact same push and pull. 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:02.959 And that sound definitely didn't happen by accident. 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:05.819 Not at all. Which brings us to the hidden supergroup 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:08.259 aspect of our defense. The personnel file. Right. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.800 I think a lot of people associate Whiskey Town 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.199 solely with Ryan Adams or maybe Caitlin Carey. 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.329 They were the faces of the band, sure. But the 00:05:16.329 --> 00:05:18.990 writing credits on this specific track are pretty 00:05:18.990 --> 00:05:21.930 unexpected. To say the least. I mean, you have 00:05:21.930 --> 00:05:24.050 Ryan Adams, obviously. You have Mike Daly, who 00:05:24.050 --> 00:05:26.430 is a core member. But then you have James Iha. 00:05:26.649 --> 00:05:29.290 James Iha, the guitarist from the Smashing Pumpkins. 00:05:29.550 --> 00:05:32.209 Exactly. And for any of you listening who might 00:05:32.209 --> 00:05:36.129 not be deep into 90s alternative rock lore, the 00:05:36.129 --> 00:05:39.860 Smashing Pumpkins were absolute... Titans. Massive. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.379 They were known for this huge, fuzzy, dreamlike 00:05:43.379 --> 00:05:46.660 guitar distortion. So having James Iha co -writing 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:49.779 a track for an old country band in 2001 is a 00:05:49.779 --> 00:05:53.319 wildly significant crossover. It really contextualizes 00:05:53.319 --> 00:05:56.120 the era, doesn't it? It does. In 2001, the walls 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:58.600 between grunge and country were becoming really 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:00.839 porous. Very porous. You had this old country 00:06:00.839 --> 00:06:03.819 movement where punk rockers and grunge guys were 00:06:03.819 --> 00:06:06.680 suddenly picking up acoustic guitars. And James 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:09.310 Iha brings a very very specific sensibility to 00:06:09.310 --> 00:06:11.970 this track he's not just a guest star coming 00:06:11.970 --> 00:06:13.930 in to play a quick guitar solo right he has a 00:06:13.930 --> 00:06:17.470 writing credit he's a co -writer that suggests 00:06:17.470 --> 00:06:20.829 he fundamentally helped shape the melody and 00:06:20.829 --> 00:06:22.550 the structure of the song and you can hear it 00:06:22.550 --> 00:06:26.550 right you absolutely can the song has a pop sensibility 00:06:27.149 --> 00:06:31.470 It has a melodic smoothness that feels very distinct 00:06:31.470 --> 00:06:34.990 from the rougher, more jagged country stuff Whiskey 00:06:34.990 --> 00:06:37.430 Town was doing back in the mid -90s. It's smoother. 00:06:37.589 --> 00:06:40.800 It's definitely dreamier. It is. But IHOP isn't 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.600 the only rock refugee on the track. Oh, no. When 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.639 I looked at the performance credits, I literally 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:48.100 did a double take at the name Tommy Stinson. 00:06:48.259 --> 00:06:50.899 Another absolute legend in the room. Tommy Stinson 00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:53.339 from The Replacements. Yes. And again, just for 00:06:53.339 --> 00:06:55.379 some context for you listening, The Replacements 00:06:55.379 --> 00:06:59.600 were the ultimate chaotic, messy, brilliant punk 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:02.500 and post -punk band of the 80s. They were the 00:07:02.500 --> 00:07:04.639 poster children for beautiful chaos. They were. 00:07:04.699 --> 00:07:06.680 So you have the guitarist from The Smashing Pumpkins 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:08.980 and the bassist from The Replacements on a country 00:07:08.980 --> 00:07:11.660 ballad. It's a crazy lineup. But look at what 00:07:11.660 --> 00:07:13.740 Stinson is actually playing. Right. He isn't 00:07:13.740 --> 00:07:16.399 playing a driving distorted bass line like you'd 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:18.500 expect from a punk guy. No, he's credited with 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:21.439 guitar and dobro. A dobro. Yeah. Resonator guitar. 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:24.560 Yeah. That is the most quintessentially front 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:27.319 porch, high lonesome country instrument you can 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:30.100 possibly find. It really is. It has that distinct 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:33.019 metallic sliding whine to it. There's something 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:35.680 so cool about that mental image. What's that? 00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:38.720 You have this punk rock icon sitting in a studio 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.459 playing a dobro with likely a lot of delicacy. 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:44.839 Yeah, that is a great image. It creates a texture 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.120 you just don't get from a standard Nashville 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.459 session musician. Precisely. Because the session 00:07:50.459 --> 00:07:52.959 musician would play the dobro perfectly. Right. 00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:55.300 They would hit all the standard, technically 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:59.180 correct licks. But Stinson plays it like a guy 00:07:59.180 --> 00:08:02.019 from a rock band trying to evoke a raw feeling. 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:04.899 It adds so much character. It really does. But 00:08:04.899 --> 00:08:07.899 even with those big names, Iha and Stinson, I'd 00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:10.279 argue the real sonic weight of this track comes 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:13.000 from somewhere else. The multi -instrumentalists. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.920 Exactly. The reason it sounds so thick and rich. 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:18.680 Oh, absolutely. I was reading the credits for 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:21.939 Mike Daly and Ethan Johns, and it reads like... 00:08:22.269 --> 00:08:25.189 They basically raided a music store. They played 00:08:25.189 --> 00:08:27.170 everything. It's not just guitar and drums. Let's 00:08:27.170 --> 00:08:28.889 look at Mike Daly first. Okay, let's break down 00:08:28.889 --> 00:08:33.210 Daly. So Daly is credited with playing guitars, 00:08:33.769 --> 00:08:37.669 pedal steel, lap steel, dulcimer, mandocello, 00:08:37.909 --> 00:08:40.549 mandolin, and keyboards. Just think about the 00:08:40.549 --> 00:08:42.409 frequency range happening there. It's massive. 00:08:42.649 --> 00:08:45.470 You have the high chiming sound of the mandolin 00:08:45.470 --> 00:08:49.110 up top. You have the sweeping crying sound of 00:08:49.110 --> 00:08:51.759 the pedal steel cutting through the middle. Then 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:53.879 you have the dulcimer and the mandocello. I wanted 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:56.039 to ask you about the mandocello, actually, because 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:58.799 I know what a mandolin is. Right. And I definitely 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.779 know what a cello is. I assume this is basically 00:09:01.779 --> 00:09:04.419 the love child of the two. That's actually a 00:09:04.419 --> 00:09:06.620 really good way to put it. Really? Yeah. It's 00:09:06.620 --> 00:09:08.639 an instrument in the mandolin family, meaning 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:11.700 it has paired strings that you pluck, but it's 00:09:11.700 --> 00:09:14.639 tuned much lower. Like a cello. Exactly like 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:17.860 a cello. So it has this deep, woody, really resonant 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.740 growl to it. It occupies the lower mid -range 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:22.779 of the audio spectrum. Which is usually where 00:09:22.779 --> 00:09:25.759 a standard rhythm acoustic guitar would sit in 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.259 a mix like this. Right. But by using a manda 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:30.559 cello instead, you get a totally different texture. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:33.340 It feels more organic. More organic, more ancient 00:09:33.340 --> 00:09:35.740 in a way. Wow. And what's crazy is that Mike 00:09:35.740 --> 00:09:37.559 Daly isn't even the only one playing it on this 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:40.559 track. That's right. Ethan Johns, the producer, 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:43.320 is also credited with manda cello. Two manda 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:45.360 cellos. Ethan Johns really seems to be the MVP 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:47.700 of this entire session. Without a doubt. I mean, 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:49.600 usually you picture a producer sitting behind 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.759 the glass in a comfy chair saying, you know, 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.320 do it again, but with more feeling. The traditional 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:57.019 producer role, yeah. But Johns is credited with 00:09:57.019 --> 00:10:01.059 drums, bass, mandolin, manda cello, keyboards, 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:04.779 percussion, and guitars. That is a critical detail 00:10:04.779 --> 00:10:07.529 for us to look at. Why is that? Notice that there 00:10:07.529 --> 00:10:09.809 isn't a dedicated drummer or a dedicated bass 00:10:09.809 --> 00:10:13.610 player listed for the core band in this specific 00:10:13.610 --> 00:10:16.070 lineup. Oh, you're right! The producer is the 00:10:16.070 --> 00:10:18.639 rhythm section. That implies a very specific 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:20.840 type of recording session, doesn't it? Highly 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:23.019 specific. This was not a band standing in a circle 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:25.720 in a live room, making eye contact and playing 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:28.539 a song together in one take. No, not with the 00:10:28.539 --> 00:10:30.600 producer playing seven instruments. Right. This 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:33.200 was likely a massive construction project. A 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.480 wall of sound. Exactly. They were building a 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:37.980 wall of sound, brick by brick. They would lay 00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:40.580 down an acoustic track, then Johns would jump 00:10:40.580 --> 00:10:43.139 on the drum kit to lay down a beat. Then they'd 00:10:43.139 --> 00:10:46.519 layer Amanda Cello over that. Then a dulcimer. 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:49.980 I'm a layer. Which perfectly explains why the 00:10:49.980 --> 00:10:52.840 song sounds so lush and so controlled. It's a 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:56.120 pure studio creation. It's atmospheric. And that 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:58.779 atmosphere is absolutely crucial to that duality 00:10:58.779 --> 00:11:00.639 we talked about earlier. The emotional dissonance. 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:03.480 Yes. Because there is one specific instrument 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.980 listed that I think perfectly captures the lie 00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:08.559 of don't be sad. I know exactly which one you're 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.419 going to say. The Celeste. Yes. Played by James 00:11:12.419 --> 00:11:15.759 Jumbo -Owenye. So for you listening, if you don't 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.940 know what a Celeste is by name, you definitely 00:11:17.940 --> 00:11:20.179 know its sound. Everyone knows the sound. It's 00:11:20.179 --> 00:11:22.480 that keyboard instrument that sounds like magical 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.919 bells. It's the dance of the sugarplum fairy 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:27.620 sound from the Nutcracker. Exactly. It's inherently 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:31.059 innocent. It sounds like a lullaby or a little 00:11:31.059 --> 00:11:33.340 wind -up music box. Which is such a brilliant, 00:11:33.379 --> 00:11:36.519 deliberate production choice. It really is. Because 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.019 think about the contrast. You have Ryan Adams 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:41.179 singing about how they aren't going to make it, 00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:44.539 singing about the... inevitable painful end of 00:11:44.539 --> 00:11:47.120 things the tragedy right and underneath that 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:51.480 tragedy you have this glittering fairy tale sound 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:55.559 of the celeste just sprinkling magic dust over 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:58.440 the track it's almost manipulative it is manipulative 00:11:58.440 --> 00:12:01.120 the music is actively trying to soothe you while 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.220 the lyrics are systematically breaking your heart 00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:05.500 that is the literal definition of bittersweet 00:12:05.769 --> 00:12:07.990 It really is. If the song was just an acoustic 00:12:07.990 --> 00:12:09.929 guitar and a gravelly voice, it would just be 00:12:09.929 --> 00:12:11.730 a standard dirge. It would be a bummer. Yeah. 00:12:11.889 --> 00:12:14.190 But with the Celeste and the Mandacello and those 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:16.750 incredibly smooth backing vocals from James Aya 00:12:16.750 --> 00:12:19.769 and Caitlin Carey. It becomes beautiful. It seduces 00:12:19.769 --> 00:12:23.190 you right into the sadness. And we really can't 00:12:23.190 --> 00:12:25.789 forget Caitlin Carey's contribution here. Absolutely 00:12:25.789 --> 00:12:28.590 not. With all these alternative rock guys and 00:12:28.590 --> 00:12:31.590 studio wizards piling onto the track, her role 00:12:31.590 --> 00:12:35.009 seems pivotal in keeping the band's actual identity. 00:12:35.049 --> 00:12:37.490 identity intact she is the anchor of whiskey 00:12:37.490 --> 00:12:40.470 town yeah her fiddle playing and her vocal harmonies 00:12:40.470 --> 00:12:43.669 are the central thread that ties this whole massive 00:12:43.669 --> 00:12:46.429 production back to the country in alt country 00:12:46.429 --> 00:12:48.490 that makes total sense without her grounding 00:12:48.490 --> 00:12:50.389 it this might just sound like a smashing pumpkins 00:12:50.389 --> 00:12:53.389 b -side or just another solo ryan adams track 00:12:53.389 --> 00:12:55.830 right she's the one who reminds you no this is 00:12:55.830 --> 00:12:58.629 whiskey town this is roots music at its core 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:01.399 So we've established that the sound is incredibly 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:04.960 complex and the personnel is essentially a who's 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:07.440 who of the era. The defense is looking very strong. 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.419 It is. But to really understand why that specific 00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:13.179 lyric, deep down we know we're not going to get 00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:15.779 through it, why that hits with such force, we 00:13:15.779 --> 00:13:18.159 have to look at the historical timeline. The 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:20.980 context of the release. Because the band Whiskeytown, 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.039 well, they were actually living that lyric. They 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.120 absolutely were. Let's talk about the album this 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.220 track lives on. The album is called Pneumonia. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.620 Right. And it was officially released in 2001 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:33.139 by Lost Highway Records. But here is the massive 00:13:33.139 --> 00:13:35.259 kicker for this whole story. What's that? When 00:13:35.259 --> 00:13:38.019 this album finally came out in 2001, Whiskey 00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:40.419 Town didn't really exist anymore. It was essentially 00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:43.539 a posthumous release for the band. Effectively, 00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:45.659 yes. Yeah. The band had completely dissolved. 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:49.200 Wow. They had a famously tumultuous run. They 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:52.759 released Faithless Street in 1995 and then Stranger's 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:55.929 Almanac in 1997. And both of those are considered 00:13:55.929 --> 00:14:00.409 absolute classics of the alt country genre. Unquestionably. 00:14:00.450 --> 00:14:02.789 Yeah. But after that, they entered this massive 00:14:02.789 --> 00:14:06.529 black hole of record label mergers and intense 00:14:06.529 --> 00:14:09.370 creative infighting. Yeah, I saw the list of 00:14:09.370 --> 00:14:11.230 unreleased projects in the source notes. It's 00:14:11.230 --> 00:14:13.570 on the long list. It really is. Those weren't 00:14:13.570 --> 00:14:15.789 the days, the Freight Whaler sessions, Forever 00:14:15.789 --> 00:14:18.110 Valentine. It was album after album. It seems 00:14:18.110 --> 00:14:20.710 like they were recording constantly, but absolutely 00:14:20.710 --> 00:14:22.750 nothing was sticking or getting released. It 00:14:22.750 --> 00:14:25.110 was a period of intense creative output, but 00:14:25.110 --> 00:14:28.110 paired with massive crippling instability. That 00:14:28.110 --> 00:14:31.720 sounds exhausting. Imagine the frustration. You 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.600 are writing and recording entire brilliant albums 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:38.460 that just get shelved by corporate label politics. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:41.100 Right. All while you are dealing with the immense 00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:44.299 pressure of being labeled the next big thing 00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:47.080 by the music press. So by the time they actually 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:49.360 got to these pneumonia sessions, the structural 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:52.059 integrity of the band was already failing. It 00:14:52.059 --> 00:14:54.480 was crumbling. So when Ryan Adams sings, deep 00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.360 down we know we're not going to get through it 00:14:56.360 --> 00:15:00.480 at all. He might be singing about a girl or a 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:03.850 fictional relationship on the surface. But knowing 00:15:03.850 --> 00:15:06.549 the history, it's impossible not to hear him 00:15:06.549 --> 00:15:09.110 singing directly about the band itself. It's 00:15:09.110 --> 00:15:11.230 almost certainly both. Yeah. That's the hallmark 00:15:11.230 --> 00:15:13.230 of truly great songwriting, right? The hyper 00:15:13.230 --> 00:15:15.649 -personal becomes universal. Exactly. But in 00:15:15.649 --> 00:15:18.570 this specific historical context, it absolutely 00:15:18.570 --> 00:15:21.230 sounds like a eulogy for Whiskey Town. A eulogy. 00:15:21.269 --> 00:15:24.190 Think about it. They are in the studio layering 00:15:24.190 --> 00:15:26.509 these beautiful, intricate instruments. Yeah. 00:15:26.509 --> 00:15:28.750 Bringing in their famous friends like James Ihan 00:15:28.750 --> 00:15:31.269 to help out. Building the wall of sound. Right. 00:15:31.370 --> 00:15:34.149 But everyone. in the room knows the machinery 00:15:34.149 --> 00:15:36.950 is permanently broken. It adds such a profound 00:15:36.950 --> 00:15:39.789 layer of poignancy to the whole thing. It does. 00:15:39.970 --> 00:15:43.549 They are creating this lush, technically perfect 00:15:43.549 --> 00:15:46.490 thing. I mean, it was recorded at Dreamland Studios 00:15:46.490 --> 00:15:49.289 and House of Blues and mastered at the legendary 00:15:49.289 --> 00:15:52.350 mastering lab in Hollywood. Top tier facility. 00:15:52.649 --> 00:15:55.750 Top tier. They are polishing this diamond all 00:15:55.750 --> 00:15:58.929 while standing on a sinking ship. And that reality 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:02.029 creates a tension that you can palpably feel. 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.299 in the final recording you really can it doesn't 00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:07.039 sound like a young band at the beginning of their 00:16:07.039 --> 00:16:10.080 journey full of raw energy and grit and hope 00:16:10.080 --> 00:16:12.620 no it sounds like a band at the very end of the 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:16.809 road It sounds refined, deeply reflective, and 00:16:16.809 --> 00:16:19.429 ultimately resigned. Resigned. That is exactly 00:16:19.429 --> 00:16:21.110 the word for it. It's a beautifully polished 00:16:21.110 --> 00:16:23.350 resignation. Which brings us all the way back 00:16:23.350 --> 00:16:25.490 to our notability trial. The Wikipedia warning. 00:16:25.669 --> 00:16:27.490 Right. Let's look at the evidence. We have a 00:16:27.490 --> 00:16:30.450 song that serves as the literal tombstone for 00:16:30.450 --> 00:16:32.309 one of the most critically influential bands 00:16:32.309 --> 00:16:34.730 of an entire genre. Check. We have a totally 00:16:34.730 --> 00:16:37.870 unique collision of grunge, punk, and country 00:16:37.870 --> 00:16:40.720 personnel in one room. And we have a masterful 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:44.500 production that utilizes incredibly rare instrumentation, 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:47.159 like the Celeste and the Mandicello, to create 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:49.580 this incredibly complex emotional landscape. 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:52.879 I think the defense finally rests. I think we 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:54.899 won the case. The idea that this track is somehow 00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:58.220 not notable is honestly laughable. It's completely 00:16:58.220 --> 00:17:01.620 absurd. This track is a masterclass in how to 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:03.799 construct a song. It really is. It perfectly 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:06.220 shows how you can take a painfully simple sentiment, 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:09.680 just... Don't be sad and completely weaponize 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:12.299 it using arrangement, texture and historical 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:15.019 context. It also serves as a perfectly preserved 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:20.059 snapshot of the year 2001 in music. How so? Well, 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.980 if you ever wanted to explain to someone what 00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:24.660 alt -country actually was at its absolute peak, 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:27.259 that brief moment before it just morphed into 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:29.640 what we now call indie folk or Americana, you 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:31.480 just sit them down and play them this song. That's 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:33.519 a great point. It has the studio polish, it has 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:35.799 the alternative star power, but it still has 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:38.240 the fiddle and the genuine heartache. Exactly. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.880 It's a pivot point in modern music history. It's 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:44.619 the exact moment where the ragged flannel edges 00:17:44.619 --> 00:17:47.640 of the 90s were being smoothed out into the more 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:50.740 produced sound of the 2000s. You know, stepping 00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:53.579 back, it really makes you wonder about the nature 00:17:53.579 --> 00:17:56.559 of these cultural artifacts we dig up. What do 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.500 you mean? Well, we started this whole episode 00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:00.839 by laughing at a Wikipedia warning label. Right. 00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:03.960 But it points to a much bigger issue in how we 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:06.559 generally consume history, especially music history. 00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:10.000 We are so often conditioned to only look for 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:12.440 the massive hits. The chart toppers. Exactly. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.380 We look for the billboard number ones, the stadium 00:18:15.380 --> 00:18:17.579 anthems. We look for the loud moments. Why? We 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:21.259 want the obvious success stories. But very often, 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:24.200 the most profound artistry is actually found 00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:26.759 in the quiet failures. The quiet failures. I 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:29.400 like that. Think about it. This song was a failure 00:18:29.400 --> 00:18:31.779 in the practical sense that it didn't save the 00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:33.839 band. Right. They still broke up. And it certainly 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.960 didn't top the mainstream pop charts. No. But 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:40.480 artistically, as a piece of recorded human emotion, 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:43.160 it's an absolute triumph. That's a really powerful 00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:46.000 distinction to make. A commercial failure, but 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.599 a total artistic triumph. And honestly, that's 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:51.240 exactly why we do these deep dives. It is. To 00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:53.680 brush the digital dust off these forgotten things, 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.720 hold them up to the light and say, no, wait, 00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:59.259 look closer. This actually matters. Well said. 00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:02.519 Before we wrap up today, I want to leave you, 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:05.400 the listener, with one final thought to chew 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:08.440 on. Give it to us. We've talked a lot today about... 00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:10.900 the sadness of the track and the breakup of the 00:19:10.900 --> 00:19:13.539 band. The tragedy of it all. Right. We talked 00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:16.220 about how the song openly admits that the subject 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:18.299 isn't going to survive the storm. We're not going 00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:20.460 to get through it. The harsh reality of the ending. 00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:22.900 Exactly. The relationship ended. The band broke 00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:25.539 up. The moment passed. Gone. But the record itself, 00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:28.079 the actual audio file we can still listen to 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:30.400 today. The artifact. It's incredibly beautiful. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.559 It shimmers with that celeste. It's warm and 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.660 woody with that mandichello. It is gorgeous. 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:37.660 So here's the question for you to think about. 00:19:38.410 --> 00:19:41.109 If the reality of a situation is deeply tragic, 00:19:41.210 --> 00:19:44.970 but the art created from that tragedy is undeniably 00:19:44.970 --> 00:19:48.509 beautiful, does the beauty somehow redeem the 00:19:48.509 --> 00:19:51.369 tragedy? Oh, wow. Is the sadness actually the 00:19:51.369 --> 00:19:53.630 point? That is the eternal question of ours, 00:19:53.730 --> 00:19:56.049 isn't it? It really is. Is the beautiful song 00:19:56.049 --> 00:19:59.450 just the pearl that eventually comes from the 00:19:59.450 --> 00:20:02.329 painful irritation of the oyster? Maybe the title 00:20:02.329 --> 00:20:05.779 Don't Be Sad. isn't a failed command to the singer 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:08.140 themselves. Who is it for them? Maybe it's a 00:20:08.140 --> 00:20:11.700 direct message to us, the listeners, 25 years 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:14.319 later. The band is gone, the pain is over, but 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:17.059 the music is still spinning. Don't be sad because 00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:19.819 the song remains. Exactly. I really like that 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:21.440 interpretation. It's just something for you to 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.460 mull over next time you see a warning label telling 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:25.680 you something isn't important. Look a little 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:28.380 closer. Always look closer. Thanks for diving 00:20:28.380 --> 00:20:30.859 in with us today. Always a pleasure to dig into 00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:32.519 the crates with you. We'll see you on the next 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:32.720 one.