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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit — Honeysuckle Blue
Album: Georgia Blue
Avg rating:
6.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 634









Released: 2021
Length: 5:12
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Feel the southern breezes and the southern wind
Blowing down around the corner bend
D'Agostino's late last night
I saw a boy, fifteen, the road
With nothing in his pockets, his hands to the sky
And nowhere else to go

Can you see it or believe it?
he's never been
So come with me I'll show you
Where the dogwoods bloom, it's true
Lost and found and lost again
To the Honeysuckle Blue

Runnin' through these caverns of gold
Runs a river of death indeed
An old hotel serves as a shelter
For children of the street
Abandoned by the promised land
Set sail on their own
How much longer will the well
Be dry for those who roam?

I got a ticket in my pocket
To send the corner man he's never been
Have you ever seen the Blue Ridge Mountains, boy?
Or the Chattahoochee or the Honeysuckle Blue?

Lost and found and lost again
To the Honeysuckle Blue
Comments (20)add comment
Bill, add Drivin and Cryin to your catalogue! 
 dandueck07 wrote:

On this, my first listen of this song, I had to look at the "info" to see who was performing it.  My first thought was that this song was not likely to become one of my favourite Jason Isbell songs.  (Only a "7" rating on first blush.) 

My second thought, however, was, "Wow!  Does this guy ever have a wide range of genres that he seems willing to explore!  What next - reggae?"  (like Willie Nelson?)

There are a multitude of very talented musicians on this planet (a large percentage that play on this fabulous station), but a much smaller number who are willing to continue to explore new avenues of musical expression.  In my humble opinion, Jason Isbell can be included in this elite group.   




Drivin' and Cryin's Kevin Kinney wrote it and play it every night.  It's sad but funny that Isbell's new lead guitarist is a killer player from Charlotte, Sadler Vaden, who used to be Drivin's lead guitarist. So basically Isbell stole him from Kinney. So that is Sadler playing the scorching double lead on this song with Jason. I actually like the original best. 
These guys are from my neck of the woods, so I'll say it's ok.  But I wish I was listening to the original.  
Hearing the first notes of "Honeysuckle Blue" coming through the speakers was a thrill. I figured Bill had discovered the deep, sustained joy of Drivin N Cryin. But man, Isbell's vocals were a bland disappointment. As to R.E.M. and Michael Stipe's voice being an instrument in a band, the primary one, so is Kevn  Kinney's for Drivin N Cryin. You just can't substitute his substance. But I'm an old woman actually named after my mother now who knew them live , seemingly every night, in the mid-80s as Atlanta's 688 Club's house band. My brother John drove over to Atlanta one day from SC to hear them with me, I'd raved about their shows so damn much. He never did shut up about 'em after that night's show. He came flying from the dark side of the club near the stage into the light, the front of the rapt crowd, it was impossible to hold still at a DNC show and why would you want to, and well... I still see his long blond energized hair flying through the smoky crowded air. We talked about the power of that show pretty much up until the day he died this year, that rare and perfect moment in time. Brother John is gone now. RIP. 

"Come here to the promised land."

 coloradojohn wrote:
Drivin' and Cryin'?! -- Whoah! Thought I was the only one who loved them -- let alone, remembered them, these days! Hell yeah, they're frickin' awesome! I had a ticket to see them, at the height of their sudden ascendancy, Fly Me Courageous tour, 1991 -- and what an album that is! -- but, sadly, the singer lost his voice and couldn't get it back, and the show was cancelled! So, I drove home, cryin'! Seriously! I would LOVE to hear them played on RP. What a voice, and what an amazing band! Another kick-ass, super-jamming band from Georgia!



Remember them? Heck, I still see them live when they play around here (which they do quite often, since I'm not too far from their home base of Atlanta). I've added some DnC songs to the playlist in the past, along with some solo songs by Kevn.
Hmm...I like this overall and I like Jason Isbell overall, but this pales in comparison to DnC's original version. While Kevn's vocals are an acquired taste, it's what I've grown up with while listening to this song for the past thirty years. Still, a good cover, albeit of an amazing original. 
Yes, I've seen the Chattahoochee. Live next to it. Wouldn't really be considered a 'river' in most parts.
 HowieRoll wrote:


Yeah, I remember them from college too and I agree with the assessment.  Interesting that other artists are using their songs now.  Country-Hootie of course has the Straight to Hell cover, which is pretty bland.  This one is not bad.


I went to college in Mississippi in the early 90's. Driving' N Cryin' was big for us back then.  They played on campus one time and put on a good show.  This cover is much better than Country-Hootie's of STH.  I dig the double tracked guitar tone on this one!
 andrew2112 wrote:
Wow.  That was amazing for me on many levels.

1.  To me, Drivin and Cryin is the least known great band of all time.  I was fortunate to have gone to University of Georgia in the late 90s and saw them several times.  They're kind of a lesser known Replacements.  Almost nobody in California knows who they are, and I've never heard them on the radio here.

2.  Jason Isbell is also amazing; however, the original version of this song is better.

3.  Thanks for this amazing set of songs, Bill.  This, followed by a song from an album of blues songs that Zeppelin stole, followed by the Stones covering Not Fade Away, followed by See Fernando, ending with Dancing in the Dark.  Holy Smokes!!!!!!!  Good morning!!!


Yeah, I remember them from college too and I agree with the assessment.  Interesting that other artists are using their songs now.  Country-Hootie of course has the Straight to Hell cover, which is pretty bland.  This one is not bad.
Boy, they played this with a lot more fire and energy live. 
On this, my first listen of this song, I had to look at the "info" to see who was performing it.  My first thought was that this song was not likely to become one of my favourite Jason Isbell songs.  (Only a "7" rating on first blush.) 

My second thought, however, was, "Wow!  Does this guy ever have a wide range of genres that he seems willing to explore!  What next - reggae?"  (like Willie Nelson?)

There are a multitude of very talented musicians on this planet (a large percentage that play on this fabulous station), but a much smaller number who are willing to continue to explore new avenues of musical expression.  In my humble opinion, Jason Isbell can be included in this elite group.   


Sounds like 1976-1977 era rock and roll... in a good way, too.
 andrew2112 wrote:
Wow.  That was amazing for me on many levels.

1.  To me, Drivin and Cryin is the least known great band of all time.  I was fortunate to have gone to University of Georgia in the late 90s and saw them several times.  They're kind of a lesser known Replacements.  Almost nobody in California knows who they are, and I've never heard them on the radio here.

2.  Jason Isbell is also amazing; however, the original version of this song is better.

3.  Thanks for this amazing set of songs, Bill.  This, followed by a song from an album of blues songs that Zeppelin stole, followed by the Stones covering Not Fade Away, followed by See Fernando, ending with Dancing in the Dark.  Holy Smokes!!!!!!!  Good morning!!!
Drivin' and Cryin'?! -- Whoah! Thought I was the only one who loved them -- let alone, remembered them, these days! Hell yeah, they're frickin' awesome! I had a ticket to see them, at the height of their sudden ascendancy, Fly Me Courageous tour, 1991 -- and what an album that is! -- but, sadly, the singer lost his voice and couldn't get it back, and the show was cancelled! So, I drove home, cryin'! Seriously! I would LOVE to hear them played on RP. What a voice, and what an amazing band! Another kick-ass, super-jamming band from Georgia!

I like Isbell for the most part, but this makes me want to hear the D and C original.
Great cover. Jason is a damn fine guitarist.
Wow.  That was amazing for me on many levels.

1.  To me, Drivin and Cryin is the least known great band of all time.  I was fortunate to have gone to University of Georgia in the late 90s and saw them several times.  They're kind of a lesser known Replacements.  Almost nobody in California knows who they are, and I've never heard them on the radio here.

2.  Jason Isbell is also amazing; however, the original version of this song is better.

3.  Thanks for this amazing set of songs, Bill.  This, followed by a song from an album of blues songs that Zeppelin stole, followed by the Stones covering Not Fade Away, followed by See Fernando, ending with Dancing in the Dark.  Holy Smokes!!!!!!!  Good morning!!!
Good tune!
I'm getting luke warm here...just another tree in the forest...
Drivin' N Cryin's way more goodr'. Both versions make me tear up just for different reasons. Only time Isbell doesn't sound like a whinny B is when he covers something with true heart.



I dunno... it's not bad but it just isn't the same without kinney's voice.