This band should be selling records by the milllions. They are more emotional, honest and real than almost any other band in rock or country/rock. Like Steve Earle these guys make music darker than death metal and more relevant and true to life than any of their contemporaries. I love this band, they are a talent that has not gotten nearly the attention they deserve

Uncle Tupelo, Bottle Rockets, Son Volt Wilco, Drive By Truckers....all true Americana bands that spawned so many great talents ( Farrar, Tweedy, Isbell )

Some of the best BDT songs are Isebell's. At the same time, alone and apart, as listeners, we get the best of both worlds!! Saw them both on there last pass thru MKE and..GOTDAMN they were good!

Fun fact: This music's actually based on a true story. About the Lawson-Hill feud in the 1980s. "But I know the caliber in daddy's chest" Deward Cecil "Dude" Lawson was shot dead by Holland Hill because of obscure reasons. It's said that the lawson weren't liked around town by the townfolk and lawmen because of the past of the Lawson Boys, Dude Lawson and two brothers. They did bad things before the song's narrator was born. "And I know what Holland Hill drives." Holland hill drove to the Lawson house with two sons in a green Plymouth sedan. "The state let him go, but I guess it was best" The Hills were trialed for the murder of Dude Lawson. Two eyewitness, including the narrator, James Calvin Lawson, where right beside Dude when he was shot, but were left unharmed. "'Cause nobody needs all us Lawson's alive." They admitted to the murder, but where found not guilty unanimously by the jury. Hence the verse before this. It's said Hill's said in his defence "He needed killin'". "My Daddy got shot right in front of his house" Back to the green plymouth: The Hills parked in front of Lawson's house, pulled shotguns and a rifle and shot Dude Lawson dead. Then drove away. What's more interesting is that Isbell's related to... the Hills. He then wrote this song from the perspective of Calvin Lawson. Truly a masterpiece: www.examiner.com/article/decoration-day-the-true-story-behind-jason-isbell-s-drive-by-truckers-song I wanted to share this because songs like theese are becoming rarer and rarer.

I remember.. about 9 years ago.. for probably 6 months straight I listened to this video every single day. Best version by far.

this band was at its best with shonna tucker and isbell in the lineup

Country churches had decoration days. Entire families showed up to churches/cemeteries where their kin folks were buried to "decorate" the graves (with flowers). Everybody brought food and it was like a big potluck. Nostalgic cause of all the family history that got brought up and meeting extended family members you didn't even know you had.

I was lucky enough to see Jason live 4 times last year and I will tell you that he has been killing this song live. Forgive me, but it is even better than when he did it with the DBT. He sings this with such emotion that he practically spits the words - especially the "brothers in east Tennessee.." part. I've got tickets to see him this Saturday on 5/9/15 in east Tennessee. Bring it on!!!

I love the alliteration on the " till the last Lawson's last living day". Not only is it a great song, but it's also clever on the lingusitic side :)

Love that song cause it's about my cousin, "Dude Lawson"! My dad and I sat down a few months ago and used up 2 90min. tapes just talking about the Lawson and Jones family from East Tennessee! Oh boy what stories there are!!!

He was kinda cute with that mop of hair, even if he was out of it most of the time. I've been there, done that and applaud his sobriety as I value mine

17 years ago these boys had what is probably the finest performance of one of the finest songs ive ever heard in my life.

I see how a drunk kid writes a song this good, I get it. He knew the story and put it to words. It should be that simple but in reality I have no clue what kind of expertise and wisdom and command of language it takes to write this song and the guitar parts at such a young age. It's like John Prine having Sam Stone and Hello in There in his early 20s. Once in a lifetime artist Jason is

I actually had the pleasure of watching him preform this live at my uncle house.. Amazing! My family's name is Lawson an we played this after much uncle passed.. Thank you guys for your awesome performance

Jason = best American songwriter. Just one man's opinion...

First time I saw DBT was 2003 at last Bonnaroo that was actually a jamband/roots/Americana festival. I was hooked.

seriously, I could watch this a dozen times a day every freaking day. SO PERFECT. this version is better than the recorded one. 2:08-2:11 is absolutely amazing. Jason is the shit. period.

wow at that hair! love Jason though. Possibly the most talented songwriter in the business. Guys like him and Justin Townes Earle are saving American music nearly by themselves

And that's what a loaded Jason Isbell looked like.

this song caught my attention when i heard it on a tv show. i liked how slow and melodic it was. i didnt know who sung it but i am definetly happy i found out who the drive-by trucker band is...

I like chubby drunk Jason too. Happy he’s sober and healthy, but this stuff still holds up.

Powerful just powerful , pure raw soul dripping off of every note , from every word . I've been a fan for a long time and I don't think that will ever change .

Definitely the best version of this song on youtube- right amount of drunk, right amount of anguish, right amount of self-loathing

Reminds me of going to decoration days in rural Alabama as a kid. Makes me nostalgic

2024 Still in love with Decoration Day.

Great for 2020 on Memorial Day.

man i could watch this video a dozen times everyday...I love this song..jason isbell is so amazing on the guitar and man can he sing and write...i would kill to see him in concert! LOVE IT!

flat out, one of the best bands to come out in the last decade...and one of the best live shows i've ever seen. finally, a band with passion for their music and heritage, and who doesn't take themselves too seriously. gonna go see 'em at The Fillmore in 3 weeks; can't freakin' wait! long live the DBTs.

just bout the perfect song ever !! so much talent in one band .. guess thats why they cant stay together long ... friggin love that band ....

True emotion!!! True feeling!!! True heart!!! Love it!!

Isbell wrote this song and is credited as the author on DBT albums. That's him singing. He left the Drive By Truckers in 2007.

Seen them Utrecht Holland... Great Southern Gitar Rock, thnx for sharing yours

Jamey Haws 4 years later, this comment looks different. I saw Jason Saturday play his current sold out show. He's finally getting his due.

One of the best southern rock tracks period.

My brothers favorite group. Rest In Peace Bubba!!!

I have the poster for this show hanging on my wall. I wasn't at the show, I bought it at the merch table at a Chicago DBT show a little later, they didn't sell them all in Athens. I bought it because Sept. 6 is my birthday.

by a huge margin the most underappreciated band on the planet...

These folks are the best.

Wicked wicked Song! Pure Talent!

Damn!! This a pretty deep song!! And they tear-it-down!! DANDY!!!

one of the best slide solos i've ever heard

Hands down best version of this song.

This band is proof that great artists don't reach the levels of success that they did in the 50's, 60's, and 70s. The top of the charts in 1967 were full of The Beatles, Rolling stones, & Motown. Now it's Taylor Swift. At least in the 70s, bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd sold millions of albums and played stadiums. It also shows that those of us who are actually real music lovers will always find new bands that shine. American outlaw country, real country iow, should have this feeling that goes back to The Band. It's like a band of Civil War soldiers are sitting around a fire, filthy and beaten and one guy picks up a guitar and starts to sing. The rest join in and someone brings out a commandeered bottle of whiskey. Twenty years ago. Imagine that.

damn they are freaking KILLER!

Happy Decoration day everybody 5/26/14

these guys are the REAL THING

this is as real as it gets

I'm amazed.

That dude playing the V is a BAD BOY.

@degree7 That's really a subjective question, but bands like the Truckers, Black Keys, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket have consistently released music that ranks with even best classic records. The only difference being that they are not nearly as high profile as the Stones were back in their day, and as a result, their songs are generally overlooked by the public at large.

Great band....heartfelt music...nothin else to be said.

I knew that venue looked familiar. Good ole Athens Ga

Actually it is the drive-by truckers, jason isbell wrote this song but it was released on decoration day a dbt album.

every time i listening you guys a grab my guitar and jam with´em

God bless the truckers. Southern music at its best. I'd kill to see Isbell with the truckers in my town.

Awesome!

True story in many places...

Jason showed you back then how good he was jason and dbt what a force

Damn it this band was so great with Jason in it!!!

And his live versions are awesome--both the electric one he does with the 400 Unit and the acoustic version he does at solo shows, which feels almost like a completely different song.

@Frysian1972, Decoration Day is another name for our holiday called Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a holiday to remember the survivors of the war dead. Sort of a complement to Veteran's Day (11th day/11th hour/11th month). Decoration Day in the Southern US is still celebrated as a day to decorate the graves of Confederate War dead. The significance of the song is, as I see it, the protagonist has been dragged into a feud between two families (his own, the Lawsons, and the Hills). My take on it.

Greatest KZfaq of all time... Next to "Zip City Illustrated"

Cooley on the Flying V. There are some things more rock and roll but not many.

Damn, what a song.

FUCK YEAH!!!!!! Gotta get to a show!!!

wicked good one / some one on Neil Young page ask me if I know this way back / now I do I so love this man / cover me up Omg

jason isbell is amazing!!!

Really affecting.

Mike Cooley is the Honey Badger of rock.

Perhaps you missed the Stroker Ace's solo and Patterson with his awesome mustache....this is some vintage Truckers actions

You know Cooley is a total badass when he doesn't need to put his Marlboro out to play haha

DBT is one of the few bands out there with something to say

Dewey Cox! Guitar Solo! @ 5:07 LOLOLOL ROCK ON (:

@TheFrozenLads that was the whiskey talkin...

Mike Cooley is amazing.

The good old days. Many of nites many of shows they would pass around betwenst yes i said betwenst themselves a fifth of Jack at the beginning of the second set and finish it off on by the last song. I love bbt

Yep, me too!

His mom is Angelia Hill Barnett, as seen on CBS SUNDAY MORNING a few years back

I wish Jason took the "free bird" route and have a extended solo at the end by 6 to seven minutes that would have been hot with three guitars locked in together🙂

damn... must love southern rock

thank god sombody saved southern pure rock in roll n blues...........

hell yes.

This is dope. Got always searching for new music. Can my brothers and sisters send me something worthwhile

They just aint the same without Isbell anymore

great tune fine songwriter

you damn right

great song- wow no shonna-- no beard on patterson--old school. I thought Jason and Shonna came in as a package deal..

@TheLalalal25 Care to provide more insight? I'm curious about this story also. Brilliant song.

the most talented american band in the last 20 yrs. just my opinion....

Damn straight.

damn Isbell gets it right every damned time........

@dansquatch What part makes you think the other sons killed? I'm just curious, never heard that interpretation before.

Damn, I'm glad that Mike changed his coiffeur since then XD

Fat Isbell is the GOAT. Shout out to Earl!

them southern boys can play man....

Same here. I got to know this great song from Criminal Minds. :)

You might be right and I have heard plenty of good stuff from Jason solo but I just got back from seeing DBT in Austin. As Im sure you all know they are absolutely amazing live but I missed hearing Jason's songs with them. Maybe it will work for him in the long run but it's a shame for both sides I think.

I'm kinda grossed out that I just found this band by googling the lyrics of a cool tune played in the background at the end of a "Criminal Minds" episode (yuh, I know). No matter tho - stunning lyrics and incredible slide.

WTF dude? How in the Hell am I supposed to write a great song when damn Isbell already wrote em all??

@dansquatch Correction: What makes you think the other sons were killed in that feud, because he mentions them being spread out in a bunch of different places