Byrds – Drug Store Truck Driving Man

This song is on the Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde album by the Byrds. It’s a really good song and the song’s origin is interesting. It was written in response to an on-air argument with Ralph Emery, who was an all-night country DJ on a country radio station at the time. It was written by Roger McGuinn and Gram Parsons. The song was an open letter to Emery.

Before I get into the song which I really like…I want everyone to know I’m not downing Emery because of this. I grew up with Ralph Emery on television in the 1970s. I was never a fan because his show wasn’t in my age group. To be fair to Ralph…he did invite Roger McGuinn on his show in 1985 when Vern Gosdin covered Turn, Turn, Turn and Roger played guitar. He was on there more than once so it was all in the past by that time. Times had changed so much by the 80s…rock and country went together by then but in the 60s Buck Owens touched on it but not many people were doing both…the Byrds with Gram Parsons were pioneers in a way with Sweetheart Of The Rodeo.

In 1968 The Byrds were in Nashville promoting their new country album Sweetheart of the Rodeo and got a cool reception at the Grand Ole Opry. They got into an argument with Emery on air when he said that “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” wasn’t country and then proceeded to call them long-haired hippies and would not play the record. He also didn’t understand what the song meant and Roger told him that Dylan wrote it…well that didn’t help!

Ralph Emery would not budge…It was the 1960s in a very fifties Nashville and Ralph could not get past the hair although they didn’t have excessively long hair. It would open up a bit in the early seventies with Outlaw country music by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings. That movement would soon join traditionalists and the outlaw crowd together. They Byrds helped, in their own way, to make that happen.

The lyrics were about the narrow-mindedness of then certain segments of the country music industry. Lines like “He’s the all-American boy” and “he don’t like the way we play” reflect the hate that McGuinn and Parsons felt from some in Nashville. The title, “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man,” is a dig at Emery, suggesting that he was more of a conventional figure who could not appreciate or understand the Byrds’ approach to country music. But I’m glad it happened because we got a good country-rock song out of it.

Chris Hillman: “There was the funny story with Ralph Emery, the DJ in Nashville, where he had The Gilded Palace Of Sin tacked on the wall outside of his office, and with a big red pen it said, ‘This is not country music.’ Roger and Gram had gone to do an interview with him when we were all still with the Byrds, and Ralph was such a jerk to them then that they wrote that song “Drug Store Truck Driving Man”. A classic! I wish I’d written a part of that. But later, whenever I’d go on his show with the Desert Rose Band, Ralph would ask, “Did you write that song?” Finally, I had to say, “No, but I wish I had!” So when Roger was on later, Ralph would say, “Well, how is Gram doing?” and Roger would answer, “He’s still dead.” McGuinn was pretty darned quick in those situations!” 

I’m adding a live version and a hell of a story by Jason and the Scorchers…on how they played this song and it found a spot on Ralph Emery’s TV show in the early 80s.

Ralph Emery when he invited McGuinn on his show in 1985

Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man

He’s a drug store truck-drivin’ man
He’s the head of the Ku Klux Klan
When summer rolls around
He’ll be lucky if he’s not in town

Well, he’s got him a house on the hill
He plays country records till you’ve had your fill
He’s a fireman’s friend he’s an all-night DJ
But he sure does think different from the records he plays

He’s a drug store truck-drivin’ man
He’s the head of the Ku Klux Klan
When summer rolls around
He’ll be lucky if he’s not in town

Well, he don’t like the young folks I know
He told me one night on his radio show
He’s got him a medal he won in the War
It weighs five-hundred pounds and it sleeps on his floor

He’s a drug store truck drivin’ man
He’s the head of the Ku Klux Klan
When summer rolls around
He’ll be lucky if he’s not in town

He’s been like a father to me
He’s the only DJ you can hear after three
I’m an all-night musician in a rock and roll band
And why he don’t like me I can’t understand

He’s a drug store truck-drivin’ man
He’s the head of the Ku Klux Klan
When summer rolls around
He’ll be lucky if he’s not in town

He’ll be lucky if he’s not in town

This one’s for you, Ralph

Unknown's avatar

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

40 thoughts on “Byrds – Drug Store Truck Driving Man”

    1. Thanks Phil! I love this period of them as well. They really opened the doors for so many artists to go through. We did get a good song out that anyway.

      Like

      Reply

      2. Ralph wasn’t the most liked person even in country circles…. but yea…they were country just not George Jones country…but who is?

        Like

    1. Yea I didn’t want to slam him because it was a different generation but…he was not polite at them at all…and I know people who knew him…he wasn’t Mr Nice. But as I told people…I’m glad he was or we would have never got this song.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. Yes Cavett is my top guy in that (although I did like Carson). I tell people Cavett didn’t interview people…he had conversations with them…there is a difference.
        Now that is a show I would watch…Smith talking to people.

        Like

  6. From adversity we grow- and from the Byrds what a kickass rebuttal to Ralph.

    Always good to hear Jason and the Scorchers put the afterburners on any song.

    I’ll look up Ralph ‘Mister Nice Guy’ Emery and check out if he really was such a tosser/Stetson wearing asshat. Old Country was so insular for far too long.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Great title for a song. Surprised someone hasn’t nicked that for a title in 2024. I remember Emery and is it Crook and Chase? Another show on CMT? When we first got a few more American channels CMT was one of ‘em and occasionally I would watch it and it was the first place I saw Steve Earle right about Copperhead Road and I was like this dude needs be in GNR lol

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Pingback: Byrds – Drug Store Truck Driving Man – MobsterTiger

  15. The interview video is priceless! Talk about some d***-swingin’ going on. LMAO. Rog’ expressions are priceless. Hella good song. Musicians can speak volumes in just a few words. The continuing refrain says it all. This song makes me think of The Byrds music on the soundtrack of, “Easy Rider.” Another gem with Jack Nicholson in it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh I love Easy Rider…it’s weird seeing the Ralph Emery I grew up with talking to who I consider one of my favorite guitar players in Roger McGuinn

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment