dhanners623 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I hope this works. For some reason, when I go to Youtube online and search for this video, nothing comes up. So I'm hoping this URL does the trick. Anyway, it is "The Oxyana Blues," a song about Oceana, a small town in southwestern West Virginia that is the epicenter of that state's epidemic of opioid abuse. In fact, the town has been nicknamed "Oxyana" (and there's even a documentary by that name) and it's all a pretty sad story. The town sits in the Logan Coalfield, so it also has the issue of coal miners being out of work. Wrote the song on the J-35 but for the video, I'm using my Republic 805, a brass-bodied single-cone 12-fret resophonic guitar from Republic Guitars out of Austin, TX. Republic is one of a handful of outfits having resos built in China, then once they get to the U.S., the guitars are cleaned up, finished and set up (I've been told they can be pretty rough when they hit these shores) and they can turn out to be pretty decent guitars for the money. http://youtu.be/wpqv5KUUhgQ Here are the lyrics. For some reason, each of the four verses has 36 words, but the chorus has 33. Not that I'm anal about word counts or anything.... The Oxyana Blues © 2017 by David Hanners Found him by a silver maple behind the motel How long he'd been there no one could not really tell Cops asked around to find what they already knew Just another victim of the Oxyana blues The Logan's been around since the dawn of time Digging coal's hard labor even in your prime The docs give you pills, wash 'em down with booze You're back to work tomorrow with the Oxyana blues Blues twist and bend like the Cook Parkway Two-lane blacktop will not take you away Roadside's filled with junkies and hookers paying dues Trying to hitch a ride on the Oxyana blues Some need the blues to work with their pain Some crave them 'cause each sad day's the same When you're too tired to think and just want to be amused Only prescription is the Oxyana blues Clinics hand 'em out, it's all cash and go Two-hundred bucks a week for 90 pills or so Two-hundred bucks and everything to lose But we feel like we're winning on the Oxyana blues (chorus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I like it. A well constructed tale of misery and addiction. As you and I have discussed before, detail in a lyric is a double edged sword: it certainly lends authenticity to a story, but it can also serve to make a lyric regional and alienate some listeners. The Cook Parkway is an unknown to anyone outside of the area, so the twist and bend image is lost on most listeners...........we just have to take your word that it's a crooked road, while locals understand completely. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, just an observation. Like the sound of the reso on this! As an aside.........I saw your mug on an episode of Forensic Files when you were working out of Dallas. You were younger then, as were we all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 I like it. A well constructed tale of misery and addiction. As you and I have discussed before, detail in a lyric is a double edged sword: it certainly lends authenticity to a story, but it can also serve to make a lyric regional and alienate some listeners. The Cook Parkway is an unknown to anyone outside of the area, so the twist and bend image is lost on most listeners...........we just have to take your word that it's a crooked road, while locals understand completely. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all, just an observation. Like the sound of the reso on this! As an aside.........I saw your mug on an episode of Forensic Files when you were working out of Dallas. You were younger then, as were we all! Yeah, I've been on Forensic Files, Paula Zahn, Nightline, A&E's Biography and I forget what else. Been in a documentary, "Informant," and I'm in an upcoming documentary being directed by Bob Balaban. And of course I make no money off any of this stuff.... I was hoping the "parkway" reference would help the listener. A similar issue in that regard, though, is the reference to the Logan Coalfield in the second verse. I vacillate between sticking the word "Coalfield" in there and leaving it out, hoping the listener will understand it's about coal by the second line's mention of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Interesting lyric. The regional detail is topic for the intro to this song before the performance, maybe. You count words ! I thought I was the only OC that did that - but I count sylables. I can picture this song leaking out of your J-35. Thanks for sharing it. [thumbup] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I like it a lot! To me, the addition of regional details and references give an authentic feel, kind of like a news report set to music. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Nice little tune sir! Very true story with that song, way to many folks are hooked on those little things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I enjoyed the song, you did very well. I agree the addition of of regional detail does bring an authenticity. Good story but sad in so many ways. What forensic files episode were you in I think I have seen most of them. Good job on the song and thanks for sharing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 I enjoyed the song, you did very well. I agree the addition of of regional detail does bring an authenticity. Good story but sad in so many ways. What forensic files episode were you in I think I have seen most of them. Good job on the song and thanks for sharing it. Thanks for the kind words. I think the episode was titled "Man's Best Friend," or something like that. It was about an East Texas couple wrongly convicted of killing their 4-year-old daughter. She was actually killed by a pack of wild dogs. I've been on a few other true-crime shows, but they all seem to run together after awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I like the song and the sound of the guitar. Good lyrics. Sounds like something Johnny Cash would have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 I like it too. Well done. I posted a song a few weeks ago about a heroine overdose to someone close to us... Really tough topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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