“Up and down that road in our worn out shoes,
talkin’ ’bout good things, singin’ the blues.
You went your way, I stayed behind –
We both knew it was just a matter of time.
You’re livin’ a dream, wo, you on top,
My mind is achin’, Lord it won’t stop.
That’s what happens, livin’ life by the drop.”
– Life by the Drop, Doyle Bramhall
The meaning of this song’s lyrics has been much debated since recorded by the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan, with most believing the song concerns an addiction of some type. Whether you interpret the lyrics – written by Stevie friend and accomplished Texas musician Doyle Bramhall, who also penned Stevie’s hit “Change It” – to be about an addiction to alcohol, drugs, or something else (the blues perhaps?), or more representative of the icicles melting from your gutter on days like today, I think most will at least agree that this is a truly great tune.