Behind the Meaning of the Country Classic “Clay Pigeons”

Blaze Foley‘s calling card was undoubtedly “Clay Pigeons.” This powerful country standard is a shining testament to his songwriting–which was rooted in his ability to tell a robust story in just a few lines. Revisit the meaning behind this classic track, below.

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Behind the Meaning

Like all of Foley’s songwriting efforts, “Clay Pigeons” features a poignant narrative written in plain, yet deeply moving language. The imagery in this song captures a journey the singer-songwriter took in acute detail.

I’m goin’ down to the Greyhound station
Gonna get a ticket to ride
Gonna find that lady with two or three kids
And sit down by her side

Foley buys his ticket to ride to escape his troubles. Tryin’ to hide my sorrow from the people I meet / And get along with it all, he sings. He heads down where the people say y’all in an effort to find a new beginning–one that doesn’t see him bring his emotional baggage along.

I’d like to stay
But I might have to go to start over again
Might go back down to Texas
Might go to somewhere that I’ve never been

I’m tired of runnin’ ’round
Lookin’ for answers to questions that I already know
I could build me a castle of memories
Just to have somewhere to go

The verses consist of Foley listing off his reasons for leaving. He’s tired of looking for answers, he’s ready to get back in the saddle, and he wants to find his voice, among a myriad of other conclusions. What makes this song so palpable is its relatability.

Starting over is a dream many of us have–at least momentarily. Foley describes that draw succinctly with “Clay Pigeons.” This song’s universal appeal is elucidated in two of its most widely known covers.

John Prine and Michael Cera‘s renditions of this Foley track are arguably the most popular versions of this song. Given that these two artists couldn’t be more different, yet chose to cover the same song, should be evidence enough of this Foley staple’s power.

Count the days and the nights that it takes
To get back in the saddle again
Feed the pigeons some clay, turn the night into day
And start talkin’ again when I know what to say

(Photo by Tom Hill/Getty Images)