by Alex Wilson
Album
Appalachian Confessions
Year
2025
Genre
Country Rap/Bluegrass/Pop Country/Appalachian Folk
Duration
3:47
Description
A foot-stomping fusion of bluegrass, country rap, and pop sensibilities. 'Moonshine and Church Bells' explores the age-old conflict between Saturday night sin and Sunday morning redemption in the Appalachian mountains. Rapid-fire verses paint vivid pictures of backwoods revelry, while a soaring, hook-laden chorus delivers a potent message of faith, forgiveness, and the complicated relationship between the sacred and the profane.
Lyrics
The jar gets passed 'round a hickory fire, Singin' off-key with a backwoods choir. That white lightnin' hits you, clears out the doubt, Makes a fella feel what the preachin's all about. We're hollerin' stories the pines have all heard, Slurrin' every syllable of every other word, And the moon hangs above us like a holy host, Givin' its blessin' to the sinners who drink the most. Then the sun comes crawlin' up the eastern ridge, My head's still poundin' on a rickety bridge. Got the taste of charcoal still stuck on my tongue, Feel a hundred years older than when the night was young. That's when I hear it, from the valley down below, A sound that's meant to save you, but it rings so slow… First Baptist sendin' out its Sunday sound, While we're still tryin' to bury the evidence in the ground. (Chorus) It's moonshine and church bells, a holy kind of beat, One saves your soul, the other saves your feet… from the cold. It's Saturday's fire and Sunday's golden rule, Makin' a good-timin', hymn-singin', Appalachian fool. Lord have mercy, I know just where I stand— With a foot in the creek bed and one in the promised land. I see ol' man Hemphill, who bought a quart last night, Hidin' in the back pew, lookin' for the light. His wife is fannin' furious, singin' *Rock of Ages*, While he's sweatin' out the devil from last night's rages. The preacher's talkin' brimstone, talkin' 'bout the fall, And I reckon half the congregation can't remember it at all, 'Cause we were all there howlin', united in our sin, Now we're all here prayin' they might just let us in. I ain't makin' fun, I'm just tellin' what is true, The good Lord made the corn grow, and the yeast to help it through. He made the fiddle scream and the organ whisper low, Maybe one's for gettin' ready and the other's for the show. It’s a complicated rhythm for a simple man. (Chorus) It's moonshine and church bells, a holy kind of beat, One saves your soul, the other saves your feet… from the cold. It's Saturday's fire and Sunday's golden rule, Makin' a good-timin', hymn-singin', Appalachian fool. Lord have mercy, I know just where I stand— With a foot in the creek bed and one in the promised land. (Bridge) Now the banjo's pickin', and the choir's in full swing, Tryna drown out the memories the morning light will bring. But the spirit's movin', and I can't deny, This ain't just redemption, it's a reason to fly. (Chorus) It's moonshine and church bells, a holy kind of beat, One saves your soul, the other saves your feet… from the cold. It's Saturday's fire and Sunday's golden rule, Makin' a good-timin', hymn-singin', Appalachian fool. Lord have mercy, I know just where I stand— With a foot in the creek bed and one in the promised land. Yeah, the promised land... Ringing in my ears now... Don't know which is which.
Notes
Instrumentation: Acoustic guitar (Travis picking during verses, strumming during chorus), banjo (driving bluegrass rhythm, with some clawhammer style fills), upright bass (walking bassline), mandolin (countermelodies and fills), drums (minimal kit, focused on snare and kick drum with light brushwork), optional fiddle (soaring solos and fills). Backing vocals (male harmonies in the chorus). Key of G Major. The verses should be delivered with a rapid-fire, almost spoken-word style, influenced by country rap. The chorus should be sung with a more melodic, pop-influenced approach. The bridge builds in intensity, leading into a final, powerful chorus. Tempo is upbeat and energetic, but with a slightly gritty, unpolished feel. Consider adding some subtle sound effects, like the clinking of glasses or the crackling of a fire, during the intro and verses to enhance the atmosphere. Emphasize the contrast between the raw energy of the verses and the more polished sound of the chorus to highlight the song's thematic tension.