MOJO - Song of the Day - U.S. 41

[Refugee 7]

Since I think most of us have a copy of MOJO by now, let's discuss the songs.

Let's start today off with U.S. 41 - your thoughts?

U.S. 41

Composer Tom Petty

My daddy came a marchin’

Over the hill at dawn

Had to make that wage man

That’s how we got along

My daddy’s life was workin’

Workin’ all day long

Put food on the table

And the children sang a song

Yes, the children sang a song

My grandad’s name was Pulpwood

Wore a coat of green

Took a wife in ‘31

Drove the big machine

My daddy load the lumber

Put it on the truck

Used to see him walkin’ home on U.S. 41

That’s right, U.S. 41

All my life’s been workin’

Out the door and gone

Got to make that overtime

Keep us movin’ on

Need a drink of water

To get out of the sun

Burnin’ up to make that wage on U.S. 41

That’s right, U.S. 41

The boss man owns the business

Keeps it goin’ strong

Be blowin’ like a hurricane and

Work like nothin’s wrong

We got to keep on movin’

‘til the bell gone ring

Fill her up with kerosene

And let that lady sing

Whoa now, let that lady sing

His given name was Lucky

His wife’s name Annie Brown

Run outside the law

And they chased him right on down

Lucky faced the lawman

The captain drew his gun

They put him with a sling blade

On U.S. 41

That’s right, U.S. 41

[Refugee 7]

I'm not sure what to say about this song. Whenever I first hear the first few notes, I think, "oh no, I don't wanna listen to this", yet, there I am tapping my foot and singing along.

This sound is true to the Mojo and to how I think it should sound in my head. Yet, something isn't right. Not sure what it is.

So...for however confusing this song is to me, it works.

[MJ§LastDance 0]

^ I feel similar.

When I first listened to it, I didn't like it at all, it didn't make sense to me. Now that it's on the album right after "I Should Have Known It" which fits perfectly, I sometimes let it play a little bit and I understand more now why it's on the album.

Still there's something not right as you mentioned or as I say something is missing. It for sure isn't the most harmonic song of the album or a song intended to be for the mainstream, but when I listen to it I'm always waiting for a different chord change, something more harmonic, a bridge for example, but it just doesn't happen which makes it monotone and unsatisfying for me. It doesn't get to the point.

So I probably will never be completely happy with this song.

[Patty Petty 9]

I can't stand this one. It's a definite skip over for me.

[NightDriver 208]

It's not the easiest-accessible song on this album (yes, I know, unless you hit 8 on your remote control LOL), but I also think it fits very well after "I Should Have Known It". It starts off a two-song trip into the deepest south, a very rural, swampy, humid, gator-infested, tobacco-spitting, sweaty America. You can almost feel the vibration of the truck running down the state route and hear cicada chirping.

What I like most about this song is the reference to Pulpwood Petty. I like it a lot when Tom puts his family into the song - that's what I liked most about "Dreamville", too, when his Mom drove him down to Glen Springs pool...

A nice nod to his granddad there.

[Patty Petty 9]

I like when he references his family too, and Dreamville is one of my top favorites of all time by him. Such a beautiful song, lyrics and music. I hit repeat on that one every time.

But, this one? Nah, just don't like it.

[weird monkey 0]

The first time I heard the song was on Buried Treasure. Tom didn't introduce it, and I wasn't really paying close attention, beyond thinking, "I like this one, I wonder who it is". So yeah, it was a bit embarrassing when he announced it was off the album. I think it was because it's probably one of the least Heartbreakers-like songs, with the vocal effect and style.

In the way a train song will emulate a chugging locomotive, this one is in a similar vein. I grew up on a farm and while it was modernized, I was still exposed to some of the old time farming methods, and I think pulping wood in the 30s used similar machinery as crop threshing. I can hear the kerosene fueled steam engine 'sing', the flywheel spinning, and the the pulper doing it's thing. Hot and dirty work.

I wonder what misdemeanor got him along the side of the road cutting grass. Moonshine was involved though, I reckon.

[Sugar 0]

I like mention of Lucky. I think Tom likes that name...(I love him on King of the Hill!).

[DCAHNM 0]

Not a fan of this song. It's too "Big Boss Man" for me....

[Amber 70]

A definite departure from his typical songs. I like the lyrics a lot. I wish he had sung it in a lower key. The high, pitch, whinny sound just doesn't fit this southern blues song.

[topanga cg 0]

I've been listening to Mojo a lot (esp. songs 1-3, 7, and 15) to be psyched for tonight's show, but this is one I find myself skipping most of the time. I love what he does to his voice, the old-timey mic sound, but it just doesn't fit in to this album imo.

[Juliads 0]

first few seconds in i was intrigued and curious, it sounded so unlike other heartbreaker songs. I definitely loved the groove it jumps into at about 38 seconds in. From the start this song to me really harkened back to some of the earlier blues tunes i enjoy, perhaps even the pre-war songs.

I love the lyrics, it's an easy comfortable flow that i enjoy singing along to. I'm not quite sure what i'm hearing in the background, duo harmonica's? whatever it is, to my ears it's delicious. And then there's Mike's solo. How can i explain what that does to me? I'm an absolute sucker for slide guitar.

This one is definitely a favorite for me.

[wild1forever 152]

I despised this song when I first heard it, but it has really grown on me. (I've said that about a few Mojo songs, haven't I? LOL.)

[Marion 1,411]

I loved this song the minute I heard it. The music is wonderful and since I'm from the area, the lyrics really come to life in my head. I love how Tom sings it too. It's so down south.