“One Day at a Time” is what I call a Texas two-step tune, which I enjoy writing and playing. (For fans who might know much of my music, I consider “A Fool for Love,” “A Stop Along the Road” and “Never Been to Austin” as two-steppers. Only the first one has been recorded and that as a demo.)
A two-stepper is the first cousin of Texas swing, which is basically that great state’s marriage of the Big Band sound and country. And as such reveals the relationship between the blues and swing.
step, one-two, step, one-two
“The Edge of America” producer Thomm Jutz was channeling those connections when he said he could hear Lyle Lovett doing “One Day at a Time.”
I wish.
Lyle Lovett is a Texan who is as comfortable writing and singing the blues as he is a Texas two-stepper or a big band swing number (hence his Grammy award winning album: “Lyle Lovett and his Large Band,” which had it all).
If this is confusing, think of Louis Armstrong. He played it all: big band, swing, blues and jazz. In fact, those who claim to know the most about music (and I’m certainly not among them) would say jazz is the big umbrella under which reside swing, blues, R&B, bebop and to a large degree, as an offshoot of the blues, rock and roll. All created and invented on this side of the edge of America.
One Day at a Time is a bluesy, two-stepping tune that turns on its head the “One day at a time” slogan from the recovery program, AA.
This song turns it into a phrase describing the singer’s descent into misery as in:
feels like I’m wasting away one day at a time
I like how many of the lines also keep turning things upside down with the unexpected:
she told me I was the love of her life
even when she was saying goodbye
- and
the morning looks like it did last night
just one more day to stay out of sight
- and
my wants are always a matter of life and death
if the drinking don’t kill me, it’ll be the cigarettes
In the end, I consider this a fun song, even though its theme is loss. And that is the ironic thing about the blues/jazz/swing: singing the blues always feels good. It’s as if by naming the pain, it lessens it.
Or maybe it’s as simple as what Townes Van Zandt said: “There’s only two kinds of music: the blues and zippity do da.”
To read the Story behind “Atlanta’s Burning,” click here.
If you are interested in receiving email alerts about new postings on this site, please sign up below.
/Users/thomasoliver/Downloads/signature.png
as usual I have to go listen to the song again after I read your explanation ’cause my knowledge about music is severly limited – I find your info interesting –