.

Song Stories

“Acid Tongue”

Jenny Lewis | 2008

Jenny Lewis dropped LSD just once, and she doesn’t plan on doing it again. But the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman devoted this song to her one odd and scary trip. "I found the psychedelic experience to be totally terrifying,” she said. "I don't need psychedelics. I've lived a good and strange life.” Recorded live with her acoustic guitar and an all-male chorus, "Acid Tongue" is a stripped-down country tune with the warmth of a gospel choir -- a fitting complement to Lewis’ sultry voice.

prev
Song Stories Main Next

blog comments powered by Disqus

Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

More Song Stories entries »