There are many approaches to songwriting. Some authors write from personal experience or about the experiences of others. A third approach, as with other forms of writing, is just to make something up! Fictional song compositions are similar to short story writing. The author must introduce characters and get through a story line in a brief amount of time. In today's installment of Sun Studio Sessions our friends in Backyard Tire Fire talk about and perform one of their fiction-based songs.

According Ed Anderson, the band's primary songwriter, "Jimmy and Bob and Jack" started off as a song riff with no lyrics.  Ed says the story evolved because the instrumental progression sounded like some sort of "chase" to him.  He says that inspired him to move away from his normal songwriting style of drawing on personal experiences to create the story of three childhood friends that try to rob a liquor store.  The song tells what happens as their plan begins to unravel.  

Even though the song lyrics didn't formulate the way most of their songs do, "Jimmy and Bob and Jack" is very representative of the band's hard driving musical style.  In addition to telling the story of the three amigos, Ed flashes some serious lead guitar riffs in this one as well. Currently on tour with the Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville Pussy, Backyard Tire Fire are a great live band worth checking out when they come to a city near you. Meanwhile, check out their performance of "Jimmy and Bob and Jack" below: