JOE'S HEAD

I'll lie and say I waited so long to make my next post because I was preparing to talk about this EPIC Kings of Leon song. EPIC.

But this would be a lie. I've just been incredibly busy. Between pneumonia, school, applying to higher level education, and going to Unity Studio, I've had my hands tied. But I am back and ready to gush about my favorite KOL song, the song that prompted me to find all these Youth and Young Manhood videos: Joe's Head.

Joe's Head is a tale, a journey, and a gnarly bar fight smooshed into one bouncingly energetic song. The bass line at the very beginning intrigues you and pulls you in, and then grooves underneath Caleb's wailing story for the whole song. Upon listening to the drums at the chorus, the listener is considering learning how to ho-down. The guitar lick following it definitely has them convinced, and they are already half way to buying that pair of cowboy boots. And all this is before you realize what Caleb's saying/singing/screaming in his Cartman voice.

This is not a happy song. Though I'm ecstatic every time I listen to it, I wouldn't want to be any of the characters in this song. Just listen to the chorus: "'This is just the way of the world,' Joe said/ 'I had to put a bullet into his head'/ And then lit up a cigarette/ Decided to call his fat friend, Fred/ Well he said 'Fred, I just killed a man/ Caught him layin' with my girlfriend/ And now they're both dead, people can be so cold, when they're dead.'"

Joe is obviously an unlucky fella with some anger issues that he unfortunately hasn't worked out. In his defense, he's been burned by his love and his best friend, and it sounds like whiskey leant his actions a helping hand. Yet he killed two people in cold blood, lit up a cigarette, and called his fat friend (I love that they feel the need to state he's fat) to chat about it. The story is morbidly hilarious when you finally figure out what Caleb, who has the tendency to mutter and mumble, is saying. On the first listen, one might think that a few lines into the song the lyrics go "Rain falls down a freezing/ Ass-kicking like a snow" which makes no sense. What ass-kicks like a snow? Then you have "Ring-a-ling suspicians, streaming in my hair/ Lies all mixed up with a bishop/ Oh welcome home again." The best part of the first few listens isn't even the mistaken lyrics; it's not even having remotely any idea, and just singing along on whatever vowel seems right. When I blasted this in my car shortly after I bought the CD, the chorus probably sounded something like "Ish a shumba wayotta whirl, Joe said, I otta pudding bullet into his head." Which is why it was good that I was driving alone, so no one had to hear my tragic sing-a-long.

I've included the real lyrics down below, and a few more I was mistaken on.

Blistered cracked and bleeding



Cold no one should know


Rain falls down a freezing


And sticking like a snow (Ass kicking like a snow)


Lingering suspicions (Ring-a-ling suspicians)


Screaming in my head (Streaming in my hair)


Lies all mixed up with omissions (Lies all mixed up with a bishop)


Aw welcome home again


It's too late for apologies they're falling at my feet






This is just the way of the world Joe said (I actually had no clue on the chorus-- yeah, I just really couldn't comprehend any words here the first few play-throughs)


I had to put a bullet into his head


Then lit up a cigarette


Decided to call his fat friend Fred


Well he said Fred I just killed a man


Caught him laying with my girlfriend


Now they're both dead, people can be so cold when they're dead






Calling all the neighbors (Calling all the babies)


Time to make amends (Time to make a man)


Whiskey floods the table


Aw good friends 'til the end


They're making silly faces and it's tasting bitter sweet






This is just the way of the world Joe said


I had to put a bullet into his head


Then lit up a cigarette


Decided to call his fat friend Fred


Well he said Fred I just killed a man


Caught him laying with my girlfriend


Now they're both dead, people can be so cold when they're dead

______________________________________________________________________________


Once you are aware of what's being said, the song is just so cool, especially as it progresses. The progression of the song is probably what I love most; the quiet and lazy beginning punches you in the face with the chorus so hard that you think "This can't get anymore exciting!" But you're wrong, because it gets much more exciting, indeed. By the last chorus, Caleb is absolutely shrieking, which only prompts you to do the same (and I do, even though I try to restrain myself every time) especially on the line "And lit up a CIGARETTE!!!" And by this time, you're dancing and doing air-punches and kicking walls and other inanimate objects and wishing you had a fat friend Fred of your own to call up and shriek to. Then the song ends-- at the height of all the hoop-la-- and you're left in awe of the greatness that just slapped you silly. Although you will feel compelled to listen to it three more times in a row, it's not any less awesome. In fact, it may even become your favorite song (says the unbiased critic on this side of the computer screen).

Have a listen and a watch.