2000 Great Songs #1482: The Righteous Path

It's our second visit to the Drive-By Truckers' 2008 LP Brighter Than Creation's Dark, one of my faves in a deep discography, and it's a barnburner. For a band whose populism has always packed an emotional punch, this one is still unusually striking, just a seemingly endless barrage of everyday banality and disappointments, and one man's shaky pledge to try to hold his shit together. And for all this God seems intent on throwing in his way, he's still nervous about what awaits if he makes a misstep.

I got a brand new car that drinks a bunch of gas
I got a house in a neighborhood that's fading fast.
I got a dog and a cat that don't fight too much
I got a few hundred channels to keep me in touch
I got a beautiful wife and three towheaded kids
I got a couple big secrets I'd kill to keep hid
I don't know God but I fear his wrath
I'm trying to keep focused on the righteous path.

Live 2009:

Patterson Hood acoustic.

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