Wild Earp’s ‘Livin’ the Life‘ is in a long line of humorous songs that have a serious point or two to make along the way. It’s the same root as Hank Williams singing about ‘Window Shopping‘ or “being a Batchelor until I die.” In Wild Earp’s case though the theme is the vagaries of the itinerant musical life. It’s not all glamour, as he points out “this glamorous life is a little light on the glamour” with low pay, and no pay, the real story. So it’s funny when the Doc’ tells you to “slow down this train take it easy on the drinking and absolutely no cocaine” – and what can one say except “Doc’ even if you’d support it ain’t no way I could afford it, but I appreciate you thinkin’ I’m connected all the same.”
Wild Earp told us about the song and the new album of the same title: “I had the seed and a few of the lyrics in my mind for a while, but it took a road trip out west to solidify it. When we played it together with the full band for the first time, it clicked immediately. Most of the material for the album was songs we had been playing for a couple years before going in to record, but this one was brand new, and everyone latched onto the vibe from the start. The song touches on similar themes of ‘Ain’t It a Shame (When Your Horse Goes Lame)’, but with underlying resolve that I’m going to keep making music regardless of the level of success achieved. I really like what Jed’s Tex-Mexy guitar solo does to the track. Also featured is Sean Hughes (Ponyboy) on piano. We had him record on both an upright and a tacked piano to give his solo that saloony/carousel sound.”
