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Roger McClain

from Optimist Breakfast by Dean Batten

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about

In the spirit of change, Dean felt compelled to take certain gambles with his writing. One of these was to start writing songs with the "horse" rhythm found in old cowboy tunes; another was to try and capture full-color stories in song. The final gamble that influenced the writing of "Roger McClain" was the decision to cast some light on the people he'd grown up around that he was frankly embarrassed of being associated with because he feared he'd be mocked by his so-called peers: the old war vets, rednecks and working folk of his father and grandfather's generations. Dean's grandfather was shredded pretty badly on a riverbank in Cassino, Italy, during WWII. He became an accountant when he got out of the VA hospital and came home, picking up the Purple Heart Association as a client. Dean's father took over the family practice and would often take little-boy Dean to the various meetings the PHA would hold throughout the year. Dean essentially grew up around men who had been physically damaged in tremendous ways - missing eyes, ears, noses, arms, legs, anything someone could be missing. A few of the men who retained their senses of humor would pinch the little boy's nose with their prosthetic hooks.
Dean wrote this song for them, saying, "Our youth are ignorant of what was required to get them here to the realm of existence, what was given up to make their lives possible. Even though I grew up with these guys, I didn't really 'see' what they had been through until much later. We would do very well to remember, feel some gratitude and learn to listen for the wisdom of people who have been made to suffer more deeply than I hope we will ever know. If we don't, we may just be made to find out first-hand."

lyrics

It's a hard way to go out, Ol'
Roger McClain
After Molly died, there wasn't much to do
Dusted her picture on the handmade shelf
That hung above
His Velcro shoes
Watched the sunbeams
Come down like water
Before the rainfalls
Each June afternoon
It made his eyes leak
Though there's no need to speak
He just smiled
And knew night would come soon
Humming "Aye di-die die die do…"

He'd walk the whole neighborhood
From noon until three
Every Sunday, said he liked the heat
Ol' Roger McClean had worms in his brain
That'd been there since 1968
They taught him to fly planes
And how not to complain
Then his family and friends did the same
Now the lawn's overgrown
And the kids never phone
But he walks with a smile on his face
Humming "Aye di-die die die do…"

"Molly, I feel so alone now,
But I think I may finally understand.
It's a wonderful sunset this evening
And I watched it with your wedding band.
Maybe I'll see you tomorrow
There's nothing I'm afraid to leave behind
Don't talk much; me, John and Linda,
But it seems them and the grandkids are fine.
I miss you a bit more each morning
And miss you bit less every night
Wherever you are, I will find you,
Until then, it seems everything
Is mostly alright
I've been humming that old song you sang me
Though I don't know the words or the name
But the company of melody's welcome
And it helps me to steady my aim
"Aye di-die die die do…"

credits

from Optimist Breakfast, released April 29, 2023

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Dean Batten Daytona Beach, Florida

Often genre-bending, thought provoking and emotion stoking, Dean Batten's music is most concretely one thing: captivating.

Moving forward from his previous work, Dean has re-embraced the folk, early rock and country sounds of his childhood with 3 new albums: "Optimist Breakfast", an acoustic album; "Pessimist Lunch", a full band version with the same songs; and "Realist Supper", a live album. ... more

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