Ben Stalets — “Chicken Flew the Coop”
Americana Highways brings you this premiere of Ben Stalet’s song “Chicken Flew the Coop” from his forthcoming album Everybody’s Laughing, produced by Bunky Hunt of Whistle Pig Records.
“Chicken Flew The Coop” is Ben Stalets on vocals and guitar; Drew Rochotte on harmonies and piano; Bunky Hunt on harmonies; Will Doremus on bass; Dave Below on drums and Drew Howard on pedal steel. Ben Stalets has harnessed the best of country and roots rock and tamed it into an easy Americana style.
This is one of the few songs, maybe the only on the album, that isn’t autobiographical. I started writing it when my girlfriend was really far away and the only thing that directly correlates is the line about being ‘so stubborn it feels like pulling teeth.’ It’s bouncy, it plays out kind of like a movie, and in the end they make the get away and live happily ever after in sin. I’m not a religious person but by all means this sure does read like a religious song and album.
As I was writing the song, I had just learned the Danny O’Keefe hit, “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” and that riff fit perfectly into this song so I jacked it. I’m sure Danny wouldn’t have minded. I also wanted the song to kind of jump like a pop song but the lyrics were kinda spooky like a Leonard Cohen song. So I was like, what did Cohen’s pop hits sound like? Thankfully, Bunky had a mind to replace synth’s for pedal steel, and put the kibosh on the gated reverb. Sounds much more timeless and dare I say, “Americana” this way. Sadly, I don’t see it being played in any night clubs, though. Please prove me wrong.
Lastly, I was really inspired by my band. I knew we needed something when we played live that Will (Doremus) could play a Disco riff to. You should see us live, he nails it. Every time. — Ben Stalets
Order here: https://whistlepigmusicgroup.com/
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