Singled Out: West of Rome's Take a Ride with the Evil One

West of Rome just released their new album "Keep It Fly in the Negative Zone" and to celebrate we asked Kevin Higginbotham to tell us about the song "Take a Ride with the Evil One." Here is the story:

"Take a Ride with the Evil One" was written in a motel in Nanjing, China. After kicking out some John Denver karaoke at local pub, I met a Chinese woman who specialized in procuring Chinese babies for adoption in the USA. I guess you could say we didn't like each other. I wrote the song from the point of view of an unwitting child facing the false promises of a western upbringing sprinkled in with some direct quotes from a crew of Johns Hopkins diplomats-in-training who were certain these children would be better off in the US. I wasn't so sure.

A later run-in with the Chinese secret police added some edge to the lyrics. After objecting to some crude comments, I took a beer coaster to the head whirled from across the room with astonishing accuracy. To save face, I drank some nasty liqueur with these guys all night and nursed a two-day hangover as a result. This song was written in the midst of this painful recovery.

The song debuted at my friend's bar in Shanghai. He was a musician who loved rock and roll, which was actually still somewhat transgressive in China. We had to bribe some dude so they would turn the power on for the amps. The crowd was shouting for "Country Road" because that was a song they thought all Americans knew how to play. I played "Take a Ride with the Evil One" instead to some puzzled looks. I'm not sure they knew what I was singing and that was probably for the better. It was a fun night.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here

Singled Out: West of Rome's Movement in Your Picture

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