Music Review // Edgar Breau "Cornpone the King of Jive"

 

Edgar Breau has a soulful blues sound which comes out during this song.  Distorted at times, the guitars really lead the charge here as this song also tells a story- a story of the man named Cornpone, who is the King of Jive.   You might find that odd, but when you really think about it the only thing odd about it all is the name "Cornpone".  Once you accept that, what this song is about really falls into place.

If you've ever heard anyone say to "quit talking that jive" you have an idea of where this song is headed lyrically.  One of the lyrics within this song that I find to be most important to the overall vibe is: "Card sharkin' in a sharkskin suit, lighting a match on his snakeskin boot"   While this might paint a nice, clear visual for the listener it also just very much describes what you imagine this person being like in real life.

There are different ways to describe what Edgar Breau refers to as the "King of Jive".  You could call him a grifter or a gambler, maybe even a con man.  But the thing about the character in this song is that Cornpone is not just someone out there trying to pull a fast one over on someone else.  He's someone who has this plan but is convinced it will work.  He's the type of person who is in fact swindling people but has become so adapt to it that he starts to begin his own lies.   

Perhaps the true beauty in this song is that this is the type of character we should all be able to relate with on some level.  If you're alive in the United States, you're part of politics and that's what they are mostly made up of.  But maybe you had a boss or knew someone who was trying to sell something to someone you knew was only going to harm them- perhaps bury them in debt- while all along the boss thought they were helping people.  It's important to be aware of these types of people and this song brings that out.