Don't Go Into the Barn

Album: Real Gone (2004)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Like "Murder in the Red Barn" from Waits's 1985 album Rain Dogs, this song is an atmospheric look at a small town in the country with sinister characters and events lurking just under the surface. The song was inspired by a 2003 New York Times story about an old barn used as a rural slave jail.
  • Natchez, mentioned in the song's outro, was an infamous slave market in Mississippi.
  • Much of the lyric is written as dialogue. Toward the end, there's an exchange between two figures that suggests shady dealings. One is interrogating the other, asking if he took all the usual pains to avoid being tracked or traced. "Did you bring your knife?/Yes sir. Did they see your face?/No sir..."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Charlie Daniels

Charlie DanielsSongwriter Interviews

Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all.

Supertramp founder Roger Hodgson

Supertramp founder Roger HodgsonSongwriter Interviews

Roger tells the stories behind some of his biggest hits, including "Give a Little Bit," "Take the Long Way Home" and "The Logical Song."