"The White Trash Song" by Shooter Jennings is a country rock song that tells the story of a person living in a rural, impoverished area. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of their everyday life, struggles, and feelings of loneliness. The song begins with the protagonist waking up early in the morning, hearing a rooster crowing, and feeling isolated. They notice the beauty of nature outside their window, with honeysuckle and sparkling dew, but also feel a sense of solitude as little squirrels bark loudly, as if they were fierce mountain lions. The lyrics then reveal that the protagonist often thinks about their past, reflecting on the times they have returned to this place. They were born and raised in this rural environment, and it seems that they will eventually die there, feeling as lonely as the wind. The song goes on to mention the protagonist's broken-down cars lying in their front yard. They acknowledge that they should fix them, but the daunting task overwhelms them. A man comes around wanting to paint their barn with the words "See it Rock City," referring to a popular tourist attraction along US Highway 41. The song then transitions to a different character, Mr. Scott H Biram, who confesses his experiences with love and loss. He mentions having a church-going woman who was beautiful, but she left him for Jimmy Swaggart, a controversial televangelist based in Nashville, Tennessee. To cope with his heartbreak, Mr. Biram turns to heavy drinking and refers to himself as a midnight country-rambler with nothing to lose. The song returns to the original protagonist waking up in jail and having a headache. The sheriff approaches and asks them how it feels not to be free. The protagonist defiantly responds that being locked up in jail in hell would be preferable to being a fat-bellied cop. The repeated line about the man wanting to paint the barn with "See it Rock City, US Highway 41" reinforces the theme of the protagonist feeling trapped and longing for something greater. Overall, "The White Trash Song" paints a gritty picture of rural life, poverty, and the emotional struggle of the characters involved.
