if you listen to jerry jeff walker’s a man must carry on record, right before he plays “sea cruise,” he yells to his band “turn me loose, i’ll never be the same.” and as soon as i heard it i knew the same was true of myself. i am still totally certain of it. for better or worse, bragging or complaining, it is what is.

but what if it isn’t what it is? at first this was going to be for a girl in chattanooga but she was too young for me. so i changed it, it was the right thing to do. trust me, I’m a reverend. i started over by calling jerry jeff and asking him why he yelled that. he said it was something rodeo cowboys yelled when they were ready. when I think a song is ready it’s because it feels like it has a rock I can put my foot on when I sing. so i yelled put your foot on the rock, asked the cosmos to hook me up, and the next thing you know ol’ jed’s a millionaire. -todd snider