Old 97s – Champaign, Illinois

The bottom line’s been snortedThe bottom card’s been dealtNo one knows like you know right nowHow truly bad it felt

Ever since I posted the Canadian band The Blue Shadows I’ve been in an Americana listening mood. I was looking for more alt-country or Americana bands and this one popped up. It’s not one of their singles but as you know…I don’t care about that. I liked its feel and mood right away. 

There was something REALLY familiar with this song but I couldn’t put my finger on it but then I found out. While touring through central Illinois, lead singer Rhett Miller began writing new lyrics to familiar melodies during long drives without his guitar. Inspired by a road sign for Champaign, he penned new words to the Bob Dylan song Desolation Row, resulting in this song Champaign, Illinois.

Initially, the band performed the song live but would not record it due to copyright concerns. However, through their manager’s connection with Dylan’s managing team, they obtained Dylan’s approval to release the song, with Miller and Dylan sharing songwriting credits. The song came out in 2010 on The Grand Theatre, Volume One. 

The band formed in Dallas, Texas, in 1993. They were a big part of the alt-country genre, blending country, rock, and even punk influences. They are still going strong today. They just released an album last year called American Primitive. 

A TRIVIA question. Without searching…can you guess what famous rock band is from Champaign, Illinois? 

Champaign,  Illinois

The bottom line’s been snortedThe bottom card’s been dealtNo one knows like you know right nowHow truly bad it felt

All your life you wastedOn dreamin’ about the day,Worker bees kill off their queenand carry all her eggs away

Oh and if you die fearin’ GodAnd painfully employedYou will not go to heaven,You’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

Up north in ChicagoWhere booze makes no one blushMemories come back to youIn a double bourbon rush

But memories aren’t all badYeah and neither, my friend, are youthere is an argument there must be some heaven leftfor hearts that are half true

Oh and if you spend your whole lifeDriving horses into TroyYou will not go to heavenYou’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

No you will not go to heavenYou’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

Roll on blacktop highwayIn circles towards the sunSpringfield’s in the distance,and that’s the last big one

After that comes judgment,Yeah and judgment will be swiftYou will be eliminated,But here’s a parting gift:

Oh and if you die fearing GodAnd painfully employedNo you will not go to heavenYou’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

No you will not go to heavenYou’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

No you will not go to heavenYou’ll go to Champaign, Illinois

…

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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.

34 thoughts on “Old 97s – Champaign, Illinois”

  2. Pingback: Old 97s – Champaign, Illinois – MobsterTiger

  3. I have heard of this band as I am sure I heard them on The Outlaw Sirius XM channel. This is a good tune and interesting story on the melody! As to your Trivia question I have no clue but I will make a guess anyway – Wilco?

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  4. I’m scrolling past the comments to put my trivia answer in. Let’s see, I know Cheap Trick is from Illinois, but I think they’re from Rockford, so I’m going to say REO Speedwagon. The only album of theirs I have is Too Far To Care, and I only bought it after I heard them on a sampler or something. Need to check them out again.

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  6. Going to guess REO Speedwagon as the famous band from Champaign. Surprised Dylan gave them permission to record it using his composition, but good for him. I’ve heard of the Old 97s for a long time but may not have ever heard them before, promising start! Unless of course you lived in Champaign…

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    2. Yes! My first concert…
      Yea I liked these guys right away…next weekend I have a post in a similiar band but you…I know you have heard of them…I’m guessing Dylan liked their version a lot.

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    1. This is the band I was talking about…I thought you probably knew them since you knew Whiskytown… so many great bands in the 90s with that alt country connection.

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      1. Like I said, I was sitting on these guys for a while before sending. I didnt latch onto them first time around. I was a little late to the party but the main thing is I got there. Lots of good tunes. Same page fella.

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      2. Since I’ve been listening to Americana for a while…this band popped up and yea…I love the vibes. Yea I’m super late to most of these bands…but getting here is the main thing. I appreciate it.

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  9. a couple of things pop into mind…a real hardcore band Jesus Lizard, I remember interviewing them and being oddly surprised to find they were originally from Texas before relocating to Chicago…..and that term Americana…I like it, but wonder does it mean something different to all parts of America?..I immediately think of the Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons…but I remember seeing a group from southern Texas playing folk songs from that region of the United States and wondered, was what they played Mexican folk songs, or Americana….I cannot remember the name of the trio…and that brings another memory of the Edmonton Folk Fest and an open stage that was one of the ages, a alt flamigo guitar player, Oscar Lopex, a band from I think Ghana, playing traditional tunes, a singer from India that was amazing, and this trio…all jamming together, a Sunday morning that brought actual tears to my eyes (it may have been the green onion cakes with hot sauce, maybe)…

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    1. I’m with you on this comment. I never know if I should put Americana or Alt-Country…they seem to be the same. It’s the same with Power Pop…which the father of it seemed to be Buddy Holly and The Beatles but they are not listed as power pop bands.

      I’ve heard of Jesus Lizard but never listened to them. Are they alt rock or Punk rock? I just listened to Oscar Lopex…oh he is talented! Cool that you got to interview them!
      Man you made me spit my tea out when I read “brought actual tears to my eyes (it may have been the green onion cakes with hot sauce, maybe)…”

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  10. Champaign, IL sounds terrific. I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up it’s Dylan’s “Desolation Row,” but once you know it is obvious. However, to me it doesn’t take away anything from the Old 97s. I like what Rhett Miller did here.

    Miller’s approach reminds me of Wolfgang Niedecken, founder of my longtime favorite German(-singing) rock band BAP, who have been known as Niedeckens BAP for a number of years. Anyway, over his long career, Niedecken has used a bunch of Dylan melodies/songs and put German (in Koelsch dialect) lyrics to them.

    Here’s BAP’s 1982 version of “Like a Rolling Stone” (“Wie ‘Ne Stein). Listening to it now, it kind of sounds a bit funny! I think it’s fair to say today’s Niedeckens BAP have a much more mature sound! 🙂

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    1. That song is so cool that way…I don’t know the language of course but…as a listener you could sing a long with it using Dylans’ lyrics! It’s pretty cool.
      I think it’s possible to write that way…you could have a melody of any song and write new lyrics to it…and then go back and use the lyrics for your own melody…I’ve done something like that before with While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
      Yea I love the sound of this band.

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    1. I thought you might like this one obbverse. I do like the lyrics. Funny about the melody…I didn’t place it but I knew I heard it before…now I hear it.

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