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HICKORY STIX 2007 - SLAUGHTER MOUNTAIN
James Michael Taylor
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I wrote this song with Lisa Aschmann. CAPO @ 3
Video - https://www.facebook.com/100001011201926/videos/1285714588695761/
HICKORY STIX
Dm Am
Billy Mac and Don McCray drive to work each dawn at six
Down the mountain to the factory, makes handles outta hickory stix
Their job is easy labor, hanging handles on the line
That drags them thru the lacquer. Killing more than Time
First batch of handles drying on the dripping drying rack
Another batch of brain cells dying. They’ll never get ‘em back
Flatbed full of handles. Yard high with hickory chips
Eyes, glazed like a pastry. They wipe sweat from their cracking lips.
Dm C G Dm - Ah-ooo
They don’t worry about no G man come close the factory down
They got a cousin’s got an uncle’s got connections back in town
And there’s not a living thing within ten feet of that room
Not a silver fish, not a cockroach, not a seed pod not a bloom…*
The wind once blew a firefly, blinking thru the door
They swore it was a space ship they swatted thru the floor
They don’t smoke tobacco. They don’t take no whiskey fix
At night, deep in their pillows, they dream about HICKORY STIX…*
Modulate to Em
Hearse drives down the mountain, followed by pick-up trucks
The boys are leaving early and they’re going home de luxe.
Teachers say they’re slackers. Boss said, “They’re just hicks,
Somebody’s got to lacquer handles made of hickory stix.”…
Oooooooo Somebody’s gotta lacquer hickory handled hardware.
Em D A Em - Ah-ooo
Em D A Em
Somebody’s gotta Lacquor Hickory Handled Hardware
Em Bm Em
Somebody’s gotta lacquer handles made of hickory stix
Em D A Em - Ah-ooo (2)
(C) 2007 Royal T Music
https://youtu.be/g7oNkVPcQ8w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwbSKx4ul68
James Michael Taylor
said
As I wrote the verses, Lisa would guide me by saying, "No, that one is another song, a song about the depletion of the hickory forest." Like that. When we finished the 4th verse Lisa declared it done and we danced around and hugged each other...but later, I said, "Nothing has happened. We have just set the scene. So I wrote the next verse...and we danced and hugged each other again. On the last verse I was stumped for a meaningful rhyme with "trucks" and she came up with "deluxe." Then I said, "We really need a refrain/chorus. The next morning Lisa sang me three notes. Said that was the chorus. Instead of humming or "oooing" the notes I did the "aaaooo" and we knew that was right, so, we danced again and hugged each other. (Maybe not.)
James Michael Taylor
said
Tim Tandy Hickory Stix has always captivated me. Dang, I gotta start getting out to open mics again. Might even get the chance to sing that high harmony on the "oohs!"
James Michael Taylor
said
Greg West James Michael Taylor , even though his political views were the exact opposite of mine, he played me a few songs on a cd that a guy in Tarrant Co. wrote. He said “this is what it’s all about.” The songs were Help, and Hickory Sticks. So, he occasionally made sense. (John DeFoore)
James Michael Taylor
said
(One of) 2 songs that make me tear up just hearing the song title. JMT’s the most gifted song writer I know! Kathy Holdway
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