Tag Archives: Emil Anheluk The Edge

My First Song For Outlaw Sippin, “Take Your Chicken And Your Thing”

Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

In my previous post I wrote that the Outlaw Sippin Band is my fifth most favorite person in Dickinson, North Dakota.  Besides stating that from here on, Emil Anheluk will now be known as “The Edge” for his accordion playing, I wrote that they would all be more famous if they wrote about the bad things in western North Dakota.  It is so easy to write about the everyday struggles here in North Dakota, it is something that I feel strongly about, it is something that everybody here shares and has in common, and anybody here ought to be able to sing about it with conviction

The origin of my first song that I submit to Outlaw Sipping is as follows:  On Sunday in Watford City I was in the Tractor Supply, and there was this attractive girl about 26 years with long dark hair wearing jeans and a baseball cap that walked past me friendly, and about six feet behind her was her boyfriend about 38 years that passed me friendly, not glaring at me for looking at his girlfriend.  They seemed like an ordinary Watford City couple.

When I got home to my apartment in Watford City, I met this same girl on the stairs, she said that she had lived upstairs for about a month now.  I didn’t know.  She recognized my truck and knew I lived there.  Later that night, I was talking to my neighbor lady who is my age, mid forties, and she did not approve of this couple, saying it was sick and disgusting, the age difference.  To me, nothing could seem more normal.  An experienced male worker who could get a job anywhere, with money and a nice truck, having a nice looking younger girlfriend who wanted to be safe and protected.  They are looking out for each other.

I wrote this song about this couple on Sunday, what they were thinking as they were driving around Watford City, and shopping at Tractor Supply, getting home, and she says, “Take your chicken and your thing.”

This is the first rough draft that I didn’t like too much:

Male vocals:

We’re getting further behind on the pipeline,                                                                                        don’t know how we’re going to pick it up.

I’ve got payroll to do, and payroll to meet,                                                                                           don’t know how we’re going to pick it up.

You’re here with me and you’re all that I see,                                                                                          and I’ll never give you up.

Here living with me is all that matters to me,                                                                                        and I’ll never give you up.

Female vocals:

It’s a warm summer day and I’m glad to be out,                                                                                    but I wish I were home.

I’m so far away from my family and friends,                                                                                          that I wish I were home.

We’re so far behind on the pipeline,                                                                                                         don’t know when we’ll be done.

I’m glad that I’m here with you,                                                                                                                 can’t stand being alone.

Male and Female vocals together:

It’s a warm summer day and I’m glad to be out,                                                                                    but I wish I were home.

I’m so far away from my family and friends,                                                                                          that I wish I were home.

Being with you is what matters to me,                                                                                                      can’t stand it when you’re gone.

I couldn’t find the right rhythm in that.  I started thinking about the Lynyrd Skynyrd song:

Tuesday’s goooooone                                                                                                                                     With the wiiiiiiiiind

My baby’s gooone                                                                                                                                               With the wiiiiiind

Tuesday you seeee                                                                                                                                              She had to be freee

Take your chickennnnn                                                                                                                                    And your thiiiiiiinngg

So I re-wrote my song to fit the rhythm and melody of “Tuesday’s Gone”:

Male vocals:

Further behiiiiind                                                                                                                                                    On the pipeliiiiine

You’re here with meeeeeee                                                                                                                        You’re all that I seeeeeeee

Having you heeeere                                                                                                                                               Is all I neeeeed

Female vocals:

It’s a warm summer daaaaay                                                                                                                         Wish I were hooooome

So far awaaaay                                                                                                                                                     From my family and friennnds

So far behiiiiind                                                                                                                                                     On the pipeliiiine

Don’t know wheeennnn                                                                                                                                  We’ll be dooonnnne

Male and Female vocals together:

Looordaaaaay aaannd

Take your chickeeeennnnn!                                                                                                                          And your thiiiinngg!

Take your chickeeeennn!                                                                                                                                And your thiiiiinnggg!

This thing you bought from Tractor Supply!                                                                                        Right here baby!

Now that, is a good song!

 

Outlaw Sippin Band, My Fifth Most Favorite Person In Dickinson, North Dakota

Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

The Outlaw Sippin Band is my fifth most favorite person/people in Dickinson, North Dakota.  I am mostly talking about the long time members Brady Paulson, Beni Paulson, and Emil Anheluk.  Brady, Beni, and Emil formed the band in 2008.  Brady sings and plays guitar.  Beni sings and plays bass guitar.  Emil plays fiddle, mandolin, keyboard, and accordion.

The Outlaw Sippin Band plays Rock, Country, and Pop.  They play at many venues and occasions in Dickinson, Belfield, Killdeer, and elsewhere.  As a separate business, they provide and operate sound equipment, speakers, and amplifiers for other bands that are touring and perform in western North Dakota.  Whether they are performing, or operating sound equipment for other performers, they always have a positive attitude and are friendly and pleasant.  That’s their problem.

Brady, Beni, and Emil could have been as well known as U2 if they just would have been angrier and wrote angry music about North Dakota.  Vocally and instrumentally they are just as talented, and probably even more talented than U2.  I am using the U2 analogy, because from here on, Emil will now be known as “The Edge”, for his accordion playing.  Unfortunately, being from North Dakota, the members of Outlaw Sippin behave like North Dakotans, they suppress and do not express their feelings, they do not get out-of-control, they do not rant, they do not go on tirades.

Why can’t you guys have more anger, hatred, and rage?  Because I like you, I want to tell you this.  Yes, people here locally like you, they like how you sound, they like your performance, you are friendly and easy to get along with, you are a “nice” band.  I know that you have talent, and I think that you can finish your careers being much more famous, even without leaving Dickinson, by writing just a few songs that really express how you feel, whether it’s angry like Metallica, melancholy like Johnny Cash, sad like Willie Nelson, or shitty like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

You don’t have to be nice all the time.  There are plenty of things around here that are bad, ugly, tragic, unfair, unjust, and wrong that you can write about.  You can even write about everyday things, everyday things that happen around here:  Lynyrd Skynyrd:  “In walked a man with a gun in his hand looking for you know who… he turned and screamed at Linda Lou, that’s the break I was looking for, you could hear me scream a mile away as I was headed out for the door…”    Jimmy Buffet:  “Some say you are the Stump Queen, honey I don’t think that’s true, so why don’t we get drunk and screw…”. Willie Nelson: “Good morning America how are you, don’t you know me, I’m your native son, I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans…”  Everyday things, that have meaning, that are common experiences, that are expressed in a way that make people feel it.

I already recommended to Jessie Veeder that she start writing about the bad things in western North Dakota.  Now that Jessie Veeder is in your band, I hope that you all can collaborate to find something you all experience that you feel strongly about even if it’s bad, angry, ugly, and mean.  I want you to write some songs that people will remember and make you famous.