“Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” by the Drive-By Truckers
Credit: New West Records
The Drive-By Truckers, known for their narrative-driven Southern rock sound, have a penchant for crafting songs that dive directly into the heart of things. One such masterpiece is “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife,” a track that tries to makes sense of the senseless and put words to the unspeakable.
The Harrowing Inspiration
Outside of old age and slow decline, death rarely “makes sense.” We’re often left confused, grasping at nothing where there used to be something. So many people are lost to tragic accidents, unexpected illness or unspeakable acts. The Drive-By Truckers channeled this song from the latter.
“Two Daughters and Beautiful Wife” was inspired by the shocking murders of musician Bryan Harvey, his wife, and their two daughters. The family was found dead on January 1, 2006, in their home in Richmond, Virginia. A friend was making a visit to help plan a New Year’s party and found the home already up in smoke.
Brian Harvey and his family on vacation.
Credit: CBS
First responders found the family in the basement and quickly realized that they had been bound and murdered already. The man convicted of the acts was put to death 10 years later.
“Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife” Is Released
This is the first track on the Drive-By Trucker’s critically-acclaimed 2008 album, “Brighter Than Creations Dark.” Singer, songwriter, and co-founding member of the band, Patterson Hood, said “it was always the first song” for the album.
The song opens with somber guitar chords which are quickly joined by a melancholic piano and then Hood’s gutting lyrics:
When he reached the gates of heavenHe didn’t understandHe knew that folks were coming overOr was it all a dream?Was it all a crazy dream?
Hood sings of the confusion that Harvey may have had after his life was taken. Was it real or was it dream? Or was the whole thing, including what was “real,” also a dream?
The Drive-By Truckers at their Tiny Desk Concert.
Credit: YouTube/NPR
Hood goes on to drop some loving imagery, which serves to amplify the pain of the loss:
Memories replay before himAll the tiny moments of his lifeLaying round in bed on a Saturday morningTwo daughters and a wifeTwo daughters and a beautiful wife
He goes on to sing about shock and horror of the loss, and how “everybody cried and cried.” And then Hood gets philosophical and asks, “Is there a vengeance up in heaven, or are those things left behind?”
It’s a great question. If heaven is real, you would think there would be no vengeance, but at the same time, do you just get to shake off the terrible karma?
Hood ends the song by offering up an answer:
Maybe everyday is Saturday morningTwo daughters and a wifeTwo daughters and a beautiful wife
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Really beautiful to a tragic ending.
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