HammerAndNail

What's that pounding that I hear?
like blood rushing in my ears
What's that blow that puts me down?
and makes that metal on metal sound?
It's the price the poor man pays
making a living in these days,
by our jobs we're all impaled.
Hammer and nail.

You overload me like a mule
manhandle and use me like a tool
you disregard the way I feel
keep my nose to the grinding wheel
You say it's all supply demand
you're taking everything you can
The working class is up for sale
hammer and nail

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
hammer and nail
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
hammer and nail

Everywhere you look
to all you cling
there is a trademark on everything
symbols and signs and logos too
they've made a consumer out of you
you sell your soul to the company
for their limited warranty
oh, the devils in the fine details
hammer and nail

What's that you're making? What's it do?
Make life easier for you?
The simple things seem bittersweet
you work three jobs just to make ends meet
You've learned to keep up
with the Joneses to prevail
If you don't they'll crucify you
hammer and nail

Now the longer you work the more you age
It's hard to save on a minimum wage
You pay your dues
You pay your fees
They spend your social security
You try to put a bit away to no avail
cause there's a hole in the bottom of the pail
hammer and nail

Our lives are cluttered with debris
we've lived without for centuries
too many choices and progress
when you're drowning in excess
You can't afford the simple things
that working your ass of never brings
another bill came in the mail
hammer and nail

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
hammer and nail
Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock
hammer and nail
.

This song was written at Witchwood during July of 2006 while Peggy and Doc were at work. I get a lot of writing done during the day. It's a nice creative space. Lately, I've been averaging one new song everytime I come down to Witchwood.

Now, It wasn't until I came back down for some additional recording sessions in November that we decided to add it to the new CD and we both worked on it for about an hour and then recorded it.

This was a real 50/50 song. The words were shared, the arrangement was shared, the singing was shared.
There was no real lead vocal, we even shared the same microphone.

Hammer And Nail started out as a purely political song. Just thinking on how conservative politicians of the day tended to shift burdens off of the rich and onto the backs of the middle-class and the poor.

Amazingly they still keep getting voted in. I do believe that it occured to me that Tom Delay's nickname up on Capital Hill was 'The Hammer'

With this song I really felt like we were pushing the boundaries as to how we co-authored songs. It went so fast. Everything just fell into place. I even got to use the twelve-string guitar that I bought in a pawn shop in Newport, TN..

'

Doc's notes.

Other than our recording sessions I don't get to perform live with Mark andywher these days. This song reminded me of what it felt like. It was recorded as a straight live performance with one microphone between us. We just leaned in a little bit closer when we sang our own verses. At one point, somewhere in the middle of the song I was having so much fun I strted to do a Bob Dylan impersonation, but I rescued myself in time.
Hey, I even got to play a piece of metal!

This was a great time! It reminded me of what Mark and I used to do in our younger days. I was especially taken by how good the lyrics flowed. It is a strong piece of writing over a wonderful melody, great stuff!!