Spinner

Playing 'Chicken' With Joe Pernice


The Pernice Brothers' debut album may be titled 'Overcome by Happiness,' but the band's singer-songwriter, Joe Pernice, works best with tragedy. In his sweet-sounding ballads, cars roll into ditches and love affairs blossom on crashing planes. Of course, in 'Chicken Wire,' Spinner's Most Exquisitely Sad Song in the Whole World, a woman ends her life slowly in her garage by carbon monoxide poisoning.

We asked our reigning sad sack (and, until a couple years ago, long-suffering Red Sox fan), all about his epic tearjerker.


You've written Spinner's Most Exquisitely Sad Song. How are you going to celebrate?
I figured I'd watch 'Cries and Whispers,' 'The Sorrow and the Pity,' followed by the decisive game of the 2003 ALCS [Yankees 6, Red Sox 5].

Explain your fascination with tragedy.

It can be very beautiful, just as happiness can. I'm just not very good at writing explicitly happy songs. I've tried it, believe me. I just haven't yet written a super-happy tune that felt sincere to me. I guess I know my medium. I like a happy melody, though.

Was there an actual event that inspired 'Chicken Wire'?

I wish I could say there was not, but, sadly, the song is inspired by someone I knew.

Do you remember writing it, and how it came to you?

I wrote that tune in the basement of my apartment in Northampton, Massachusetts, in the early fall of 1997. I definitely wrote the tune and melody first, and the words came quickly on their heels.

The verse "Take my hand/Pull me through/There's so much I've left undone/But it's too late now in the garage" is a killer. What's going on here? Is our protagonist having second thoughts?

I think it's me talking to the subject, and at the same time imagining myself in her shoes. Either that, or I f---ed up my pronouns.

I'm not mechanically inclined -- what role does chicken wire play in a garage suicide?

Well, it plays no role in my tune. It's merely there, rolled up like a tarp at the ready. Spring rolls around, the garden is chicken-wired and you're dead.

Tearjerker movies like 'Love Story' and 'Titanic' use music to hammer home the emotion. In 'Chicken Wire,' the climactic horn solo seems to serve the same purpose.

I insisted on that solo at the end. Not everyone involved in the making of the album was pro-horn solo. I love that passage. It's certainly a release, at least to me. I think I hummed a version of that coda melody to [Pernice Brothers pianist/producer] Mike Deming, and he made it beautiful for the horn player. I also recall the horn player really breaking his back to get it right, as it is a deceptively difficult passage.

I know you're a big Smiths fan. Any thoughts on our selection of 'I Know It's Over,' and how does it feel to defeat Morrissey in our sad duel?

That's quite an honor. I think your choice is a good one. I might have picked 'Back to the Old House' or 'Well I Wonder' or 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore,' but what the heck? They're all good. And exquisitely sad.

What's the saddest line you've written since we've last heard from you?

"Ouch! You hit my cyst!"


Listen to 'Chicken Wire'

Buy it on iTunes


Pernice Brothers MP3s, Videos and Happiness

Joe Pernice's Own List of Exquisitely Sad Songs

All the AOL Music info you want to know

50 Cent, Street King: Rapper Visits…

The Boombox

AP Photo/World Food Programme, Rose Ogola NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Rapper 50 Cent…

Grammy Acceptance Speeches: Watch 30…

AOL Music Blog

FilmMagic, Getty, WireImage It's been a busy week for God. Besides helping…

Earl Sweatshirt Returns, Releases New…

The Boombox

YouTube.com Ironically, Earl Sweatshirt was one of the most visible members…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

15 Comments

Filter by:
prismaticaurora

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia Reba Mcentire
Don't Take The Girl Tim McGraw
Alone Again Naturally Gilbert O'Sullivan
Hello Evanescence

All could have been #1 I'm not crying after listening to one they picked.

June 13 2007 at 9:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joey Joe Joe

This list is the biggest failed attempt at anything. I have never seen such horrible piece of writing and song selection in my life. How the hell do you leave out Fire and Rain. IT'S A TRUE STORY! I can think of 25 reasons why not to ever listen to this author about the subject of music. If that is your number one saddest song, you really haven't listened to much music and/or you just really like that band or know someone in it. I'm guessing that anything pre 1980's on the list was gathered information by the form of your parents telling you about it. Here are a couple of other names for your research next time. The Cure, Joy Division, most of the country songs on the planet..., i could really compile a list. How do people like you get published, and for that matter, why am I reading it

May 09 2007 at 4:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrea

The list rally sucked, there were so many other good songs that could have been chosen and on several songs that were chosen better lines could have been picked.

May 06 2007 at 9:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Walt

The saddest two songs ever were just recored and awaiting a lable deal. They are "Kayla's Song" a true story about a teenager hit by a car while getting off the bus in front of her home. She is waiting for her dad to get to her before she dies.It is a country song. The follow up song is "Daddy's Song" it is about him explaining to Kayla that he is sorry he could not reach her in time, it is a blues tune.

May 06 2007 at 2:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jessica

What about Gary Jules' Mad World? "I find it kind of funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams I dying in are the best I've ever had?" Thats my sad song. Not to mention there were several other Radiohead songs that I would chosen over that one. But Oh well.

May 06 2007 at 3:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jessica

What about Gary Jules' Mad World? "I find it kind of funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams I dying in are the best I've ever had?" Thats my sad song. Not to mention there were several other Radiohead songs that I would chosen over that one. But Oh well.

May 06 2007 at 3:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jessica

What about Gary Jules Mad World..."I find it funny I find it kind a sad, The dreams I'm dying in are the best I ever had" That right there, that is sad.

May 06 2007 at 3:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jeff Toczynski

"Cat's in the Cradle" By Harry Chapin, About a father that neglected his son as he grew up. If you listen closely to the lyrics, it will get to you!

Also, "Everything I own" By David Gates & Bread. Talk about a tesr jerker!!! I always thought he was singing about his girlfriend. But it was actually about his father!!!!!

May 06 2007 at 1:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Miranda

What about John Denver's "Sad Song," James Blunt's "Goodbye My Lover," Indigo Girls' "Hope Alone," !!??? There are way sadder songs out there than what you guys picked!!

May 06 2007 at 1:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
miranda

What about James Blunt's "Goodbye My Lover," Indigo Girls' "Hope Alone," John Denver's "Sad Song," !!??? Come on, peeps!

May 06 2007 at 1:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply