Breaking down Outfit by Jason Isbell/DBT...

Outfit

As many of you may or may not know... I'm very proud of the music that comes out of the Muscle Shoals area... I know many of you are fans of DBT, Jason Isbell, Alabama Shakes, Civil Wars, Doc Dailey, The Bear, Lauderdale, and others....

But to me they mean a lot because a majority of their songs are about my area...

Knowing the details makes these songs cooler to me... so I thought I'd share some insight on some of them starting with Outfit. If y'all wanna hear more about other songs I'll think that's awesome... if not. no big deal...

Outfit was written by Jason Isbell and is meant as a tribute to his father... he actually wrote it for his father as a father's day present. It is meant to convey the lessons his father tried to teach him as far as growing up, becoming a man, and entering into the entertainment/music profession...

It reflects back on his fathers younger years and how he has come to be where he is... and what he wants for his son... which is what all father's want for their kids... something more.


However, everyone knows this... that's most relate to the song and love it... but here's the parts that might help you understand the song a bit better.

The following lyrics refer to a small town / suburb of Florence, Alabama.. St. Florian is on a small stretch of highway that runs between Green Hill (where is Isbell is from) and Florence. There's not really much there, even today it has no red light... but there is an industrial park area that sits between it and Florence that still employs many hard working individuals.

"Five years in a St. Florian foundry
They call Industrial Park
I worked hospital maintenance and Tech School
Just to memorize Frigidaire parts"

The following lines refer to a neighborhood known as Kendale Gardens... it sits right outside of Green Hill (where is Isbell is from) and on the edge of Florence, AL. Now it is still a nice neighborhood... but when I (and Isbell) were younger it was considered a very well to do and wealthy neighborhood... If you tie it in with the rest of the song you realize his father is telling him not to end up where he is... sitting in the rich neighborhood painting the wealthy man's house. And to do something more with his life...

"And don't let me catch you in Kendale
With a bucket of wealthy man's paint'

However, I don't think this song is only about Isbell thanking his father for teaching him how to succeed... It's also about Isbell showing his father he has already succeeded because he knows where he comes from, what hard work is, and how to act, all because of his father instilling it within him.

I know the inside details aren't much or that special... there's more with other songs... but, I just think details like that are cool if you are really into lyrics like I am.