THE DAY JOHN HENRY DIED

In 2004, Drive-By Truckers put out another new album, The Dirty South. It was a record with a theme and had strong songs from all three writers, including 4 from Jason Isbell.

"The Day John Henry Died" is another rock song and it tackles the myth of the steel-driving John Henry. "John Henry was a stell-driving bastard/But John Henry was a bastard just the same" - that about sums up the song. Okay, it's full of good lines and has a sorta-framing sequence to it but it does what it needs to go - has a lyrical through-line and rocks. What else do you need in rock music?