Album Review: Wayne Scott, ‘Wayne’s Pain’
In 2005, Wayne Scott released his debut album, This Weary Way, when he was 71. Although Scott had spent his entire life with pen in hand, jotting down song ideas and amassing a collection of hundreds of songs, he had never performed or recorded his own songs until his son, Darrell, encouraged and convinced him to go into the studio to record this first album. This Weary Way drew praise, elevating Scott to the songwriting and singing pantheon of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Lefty Frizzell. A short six years later, Scott was killed in a car accident, dashing any hopes of a follow up album.
Now, 14 years later, thanks to Darrell Scott, we have a new album, Wayne’s Pain, from Wayne Scott. Selecting songs from the sessions that produced This Weary Way, Scott has gathered a collection that illuminates his father’s unaffected, straight-to-the-heart-of-the-matter songwriting that deals with the dark shadows haunting life.
The album opens with the jaunty guitar rag “Doctor,” a sparkling up tempo rambler on which each musician stretches out on the instrumental bridge. It’s a nod-and-a-wink take on a conversation between the singer and a doctor about mortality. Echoing guitar strums float beneath Scott’s vocals on the spacious ode to loneliness, “I Know What It’s Like to Be Alone,” while “Call of the Wild” rollicks along the rockabilly highway as it describes a man disappointed but not devastated when his woman leaves him. The spare “I’m Here Alone” paints a vivid portrait of a man sitting alone in a bar shuffling through his memories only to be reminded that they simply shield him from his being alone. Using “Amazing Grace” as a musical setting, swaying gospel piano chords introduce and flow beneath the mournful paean to loss and the comfort of drinking “I’m Gonna Be Gone for a While,” while “If the Bottle Don’t Kill You” is a aching country anthem to the painful desolation of drinking and loneliness—“If the bottle don’t kill you/The loneliness will.” Scott conveys the dark resignation and yearning of hope on his stark version of “Wayfaring Pilgrim,” while Scott’s spacious take on “When God Comes to Gather His Jewels”—including a poignant recitation—shines with a melancholy radiance. The album closes with an a cappella version of “I Still Miss Someone,” a tribute to their father by Wayne Scott’s five sons—Denny, Dale, Darrell, Don and David.
Set to release on Father’s Day, Wayne’s Pain is both a memorable gift from Darrell Scott to his late father and a touching tribute to Wayne Scott. It’s a real treat to hear a new collection of Wayne’s songs—and his voice—once again.
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Wayne’s Pain is available HERE.
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