The Delta Jacks hail from the badlands of Sarf Essex even if at times they sound like they think they are from Sarf Tennessee instead. I'm sure I don't remember Essex being as Yea Haw as this when I was growing up there.
Still, from the opening blasts of Got Me On The Run we know they think Rayleigh Weir is the baddest place around and they are on the run from a bad woman who as they sing on the next song may have ended up in a House Of Sin. This, incidentally, is a real hoe-down capable of shaking down the walls of any barns you can find in Wickford.
Alabama is a lonesome plea for salvation, hopefully not found in the bottle in his hand. It's the sort of song Hank Williams would have written if he was stuck on the wrong side of Basildon in a rain storm with no way to get back to his woman. It also sounds like they have tried to do a similar old time western tune and managed to pull it off far more successfully than, say, Petunia & The Vipers did.
Trouble Ahead in the old days would have been about being chased out of Peter Pan's Playground by a bunch of skinheads, but these days it's more about running with the bottle of Jack in your hand from the woman troubles dogging his life. If he's lucky he might find sanctuary in Thundersley, not that they name check that Essex town sadly. Instead there is a real nice harmony bit and some great banjo and harmonica to make fleeing up the A13 far easier.
Now they may sing that the Daemon Girl is in Tennessee but I'm sure they really mean they are in the Circus Tavern on a Friday night when the wrong sort of Essex casual is chatting his girl up and they end up having it in the car park. That can be heard in his yodelling like the screams in the fight as they go on about a whole lot of hate between the Daemon Girl and him. Yes never look at anyone in a Lyle and Scott Diamond jumper again girl. Heed my advice.
Teddy Bear has the "yea ha" of the Rainham Marshes down pat as it cooks along. They are glad of their teddy bear that they imagine they might have won at Disney world if it ever really got built on the Marshes like they planned it. Well it does in my mind, at least. The song, of course, says it in a totally different way and I may have extrapolated a bit. Ahem. Ah, they now see the Moon & Stars over Aveley as they sup the whiskey and avoid the gun pointed at them. Damn it always was a bit hectic out by Belhus Park.
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Blackened Heart Blues could only be about someone who has lost all hope while stuck outside of Stanford Le Hope in Mucking with the South Essex Blues once more. Sweet Misery sees them lost inside Tilbury Fort with no hope for a pardon dreaming of another drink and another good old Hoe down.
Believe in Elvis is preaching for the love of the King and never forget how much they Love Elvis on Canvey Island, surely the Memphis of Essex. This is a stonking good times country rock song. They close with Go Go Go which would sound perfect played full blast in a Ford Escort screaming up the A13 at 4 in the morning doing 90mph - like you could before all the speed cameras. As they sing of rocking and go go going as they chant that they indeed have a woman. I love the guitars on this - just a great way to end a very cool country album.
Then the bonus track kicks in with a bunch of radio interference before they sing about being a real Englishman with a tattoo too and no doubt a council house in Grays and a woman called Mary or some such who wears badly fitting track suits. Oh I've strayed from the actual lyrics again. You need to buy this to hear what they really sing about..
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