"I did what I wanted to do," he exclaims. "This was straight up me. Nobody told me to do this record. We pulled in every genre we were feeling at the time. We spent the last ten years trying to make this sound -- Hell Paso is it."
Never compromising, Koe might just be the last real rebel out there. The gold-selling singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer shakes up the status quo, shatters expectations, and sticks to his guns with a sound steeped in country storytelling, yet spiked with grunge grit. He's unapologetic, undeniable, and unlike anyone else you've ever heard. Without anything to prove and nothing to lose, he continues to kick ass on his own terms. Breaking through with a series of independent releases and tallying over 1.3 BILLION streams to date, he has impressively notched three RIAA Gold-certified singles, including "February 28, 2016," "Something To Talk About," and "Drunk Driving." The latter adorned his 2020 Columbia Records debut, Sellout, which arrived to widespread critical acclaim from American Songwriter, Billboard, The Boot, Rolling Stone, and more. At the same time, he has quietly emerged as a powerhouse performer. He graced Pollstar's "Top Worldwide Tours" back-to-back in 2020 and 2021, moving hundreds of thousands of tickets in the process. In addition to headlining his own Koe Wetzel's Incredible Music Festival, he has packed arenas, amphitheaters, and ballparks across North America, attracting a devout audience.
At the top of 2022, Koe and longtime collaborator Taylor Kimball retreated to Sonic Ranch Recording Studio -- a stone's throw away from the Mexican border just outside of El Paso, Texas. Holed up on a pecan farm for a month, they had nothing to do "except eat wonderful Mexican food and fucking play music."
"It was straight-up bliss, man," he says. "I couldn't go to the bar because there isn't one. I just had to make music!"
Fittingly, he set the stage for Hell Paso with "April Showers." Powered by a galloping riff awash in distortion, it culminates on one of his most chantable choruses. "It gives you a taste of the entire record," he adds. "It was a good song for everyone to jump into."
On its heels, the single "Creeps" crawls on grimy guitar towards a sing-song refrain tailormade for stadium-sized crowds -- or karaoke at your favorite old watering hole.
"It was a feel-good song for me," he says. "I'm big into the zombie apocalypse like The Walking Dead, so I wanted an apocalyptic zombie video for this bitch."
Punctuated by nocturnal Spanish guitar and spaghetti western-style whistling, "Cabo" recounts a weekend of endless debauchery in Mexico with no shortage of gory details. "It's a million percent true," he grins. "I've pissed off a lot of girlfriends and wives, but other than that it's wonderful."
Hank Ealy from Turnpike Troubadours lays down tear-drenched pedal steel on "So Low" where Koe confesses, "I'm so low it's fucking awesome. Makes me glad there ain't a cure for insane."
"It was like nothing we've ever done before, so I was like, 'Hell with it, put it on here'," he says.
"Yellabush Road" brings him back home with vulnerable verses and another vital hook, "And I'm way too blessed to bitch today."
"'Yellabush Road' is my community," he goes on. "It used to be a lot bigger. They had a school, a church, and everything out there. Now, there's not even a road sign for it. This is my hometown song though. You get on the road, you get away from everything you know, and you start to miss it. So, the tune puts me back there."
Then there's "Better Without You." Guitar wails in between a punch beat as he promises, "I'm doing better without you being around."
"I bought a house a year ago, and I've probably slept in my bed for maybe like two months out of the last year," he notes. "I had to unpack everything in my garage. One of those boxes had all of my ex-girlfriend's shit in it. It was raining outside. I was in one of those moods where I was like, 'Fuck this, I'm going to sit on the couch and grab a guitar.' You're over it, but you're not really over it."
The ride reaches its emotional highpoint on "Sad Song." He concludes the record with a fiery final word.
"I just got in the booth and sang," he recalls. "It was all in the moment."
In the end, there's nobody like Koe, and we should be really fucking grateful.
"Put out something authentic, it worked. This record is going to get a lot of flack, but it's going to get a lot of love too. I'm not going to stop. Hopefully, I go home at some point, kiss Grandma, and she'll maybe cook me breakfast."
Gravedigger
Koe Wetzel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I started diggin' holes
Now I've been weary for fifty-five years
So I guess that's why I'm alone
And my dreams ain't been right for the past decade
But I still pray my soul to keep
Just stick around 'til the sun goes down
Well, that crow sits on that fence post
Talkin' trash like he always does
And that preacher keeps on preachin'
A coyote howls to the moon above
And I don't have many friends, but the ones I do
Don't really say too much
Because that crow sits on that fence post
Talkin' trash like he always does, hey
In the back left corner by the old pine tree
There's a man I buried for first degree
He told me his cheatin' wife was a whore
And how the electric chair really lit up his world
And all I've got is a shovel and these calloused hands
And I've dug every grave on this piece of land
Hell, I had a love once, but I buried her too
And it's not hard livin', it's just hard on you
The lyrics of Koe Wetzel's song "Gravedigger" tell the story of a man who has faced hardships and struggles in his life. The song starts with him expressing how he dropped out of school and couldn't find a job, leading him to start digging holes. This reflects the lack of opportunity and direction in his life.
The line "Now I've been weary for fifty-five years, so I guess that's why I'm alone" suggests that the man has been worn down by the challenges he has faced over many years. It seems that his difficult circumstances have resulted in him being alone and isolated.
The lyrics also touch on the man's dreams not being fulfilled for the past decade, while he still maintains a sense of faith. He prays for his soul to be kept, perhaps indicating a yearning for spiritual guidance and redemption.
The references to the crow and the preacher symbolize the negative influences and empty words that the man encounters in his life. The crow is depicted as constantly talking trash, representing the negativity and criticism he faces. The preacher who keeps preaching may symbolize the false promises or lack of genuine guidance the man receives.
The mention of the man burying someone who was convicted of first-degree murder adds a darker element to the song. This act of burying someone highlights the man's involvement with death and his connection to the graveyard. He mentions how the man he buried spoke about his cheatin' wife and the impact the electric chair had on him. This may reflect the gravedigger's interactions with those he buries and the stories they share with him before their final moments.
The final lines of the song reveal the gravedigger's own personal heartbreak. He mentions burying a former love, implying that he has experienced loss and emotional pain. The lyric "And it's not hard livin', it's just hard on you" conveys a sense of resilience and acceptance of the difficulties that come with his profession and life circumstances.
Overall, the lyrics of "Gravedigger" speak to the struggles, loneliness, and emotional weight carried by the singer. It paints a picture of a man who has experienced hardship, loss, and isolation, finding solace in his work as a gravedigger while grappling with his own personal demons.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I dropped out of school and I couldn't find a job
I made the decision to quit school and struggled to find employment.
So I started diggin' holes
As a result, I began digging graves for a living.
Now I've been weary for fifty-five years
I have been exhausted and worn out for a long time, enduring hardships.
So I guess that's why I'm alone
Perhaps my weariness and challenging circumstances have contributed to my loneliness.
And my dreams ain't been right for the past decade
My aspirations and hopes have been unfulfilled for the last ten years.
But I still pray my soul to keep
Despite that, I continue to pray for the preservation of my soul.
Just stick around 'til the sun goes down
Stay with me until the day ends and you will understand the struggles I face.
And you'll know just what I mean
You will truly comprehend the depth of my experiences and emotions.
Well, that crow sits on that fence post
An annoying crow perches on a fence and taunts me.
Talkin' trash like he always does
Continuously spewing disrespectful and negative remarks.
And that preacher keeps on preachin'
The preacher persists in delivering his sermons.
A coyote howls to the moon above
Amidst this, a coyote expresses its eerie howl towards the moon in the night sky.
And I don't have many friends, but the ones I do
Although I have a limited number of friends, those I have
Don't really say too much
Are not particularly talkative.
Because that crow sits on that fence post
This is likely due to the irritating presence of the crow
Talkin' trash like he always does, hey
That constantly engages in disrespectful chatter.
In the back left corner by the old pine tree
In a specific location, towards the back left corner, next to an aged pine tree
There's a man I buried for first degree
I buried a man who was convicted of a first-degree crime.
He told me his cheatin' wife was a whore
Before his death, he confessed that his unfaithful wife was promiscuous.
And how the electric chair really lit up his world
He described his experience of execution in the electric chair, emphasizing the intense impact it had on him.
And all I've got is a shovel and these calloused hands
I possess only a shovel and hands hardened from hard labor.
And I've dug every grave on this piece of land
I have personally excavated every burial site within this particular area of land.
Hell, I had a love once, but I buried her too
I was once in a relationship, but I also laid her to rest.
And it's not hard livin', it's just hard on you
Living this way isn't physically demanding, but it takes a toll on one's emotional well-being.
Writer(s): Koe Wetzel
Contributed by Avery J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brandi
on Ragweed
Both the singer and the girl he loves miss Ragweed, a broken up a Red Dirt Country Band. They share this feeling.
The girl's mother has a low opinion of the singer as a person.
Not only the mother, but also the girl's second step-father does not like the singer either.
The girl has a quirky personality and is always silly and playful.
Despite her quirks and her mother's disapproval, the girl and the singer bond over their shared love for Ragweed.
The singer expresses a deep affection towards the girl and wants her to know how much she means to him.
The singer is attracted to the girl's eyes and smile, as well as her suggestive and vulgar language.
The singer believes his friends will not like the girl, but he himself finds it difficult not to love her.
The girl suggests that Oklahoma is better than where they are, but the singer is not interested in discussing it.
The singer and the girl have spent a lot of time drinking and doing drugs together, and the singer is surprised he has fallen in love with her.
The girl's step-father, who is unpleasant, also does not approve of the singer.
Another reiteration of the fact that the girl's step-father is unpleasant and does not like the singer.
Once again, the shared love for Ragweed remains a bonding point between the girl and the singer, despite their other differences and the disapproval of the girl's family members.