Song: "Omie Wise"
Artist: Greg Graffin
Album: "Cold As The Clay"
Year: 2006
Place Of Origin: Madison, Wisconsin
Years Active: 1980 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Omie Wise" was written in the 19th century about the real life murder of a girl named Naomi Wise. The first recorded version of the song was performed by G.B. Grayson in 1927. The song tells the story of Omie and her murderer, John Lewis. When Omie became pregnant, Lewis tricked her into running off to get married, but, he instead dragger her to a river and drowned her. Greg Graffin covered this song for his 2006 album "Cold As The Clay".
GREG GRAFFIN DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1997 - American Lesion (Atlantic Records)
2006 - Cold As The Clay (ANTI-Records)
2017 - Millport (ANTI-Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF GREG GRAFFIN:
While Greg Graffin was born in Madison, Wisconsin, make no mistake about it, he's a Los Angeles, California recording artist. Graffin was just 15 years old when he helped to form the legendary punk rock band Bad Religion. As the frontman for one of the most iconic and influential punk bands of all time, he and Bad Religion have gone on to release 16 full length studio album from 1980 to the current day, with their most recent release 2019's "Age Of Unreason". Though Bad Religion is a well oiled machine that doesn't appear to have any end in sight, there have been a few down times where Graffin had the time to write and record for some solo material. In 1997, Graffin released his first solo album, "American Lesion", through Atlantic Records. Much of this album was written during a time when Graffin's marriage was dissolving and the songs reflect that. It wouldn't be until 2006 that Graffin would release his second solo album, "Cold As The Clay". This album was heavily influenced by 18th and 19th century American folk songs and featured some covers of those American standards, including "Omie Wise". This album was produced by fellow Bad Religion bandmate and owner of Epitaph Records, Brett Gurewitz. The album was released through ANTI-Records which is a subsidiary of Epitaph. Graffin's most recent solo release would be 2017's "Millport". This album was produced and co-written by Gurewitz once again and featured members of Social Distortion as backing musicians. As you can see, Bad Religion is most definitely the main focus of Greg Graffin in his almost 40 years in the music industry. But when he's not being the frontman of punk rock's most bad ass band, or getting his PhD in the history of science at Cornell University, or lecturing courses at that very same Cornell University as well as UCLA, or authoring books, then he is going down that folksy, Americana type road for some solo albums. It's been kind of a thing with punk rock frontmen lately, that urge to put down the electric for an acoustic guitar. It's worked for guys like Joey Cape (Lagwagon), Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Tony Sly (No Use For A Name), Dave Hause (The Loved Ones) and Tim Barry (Avail) and damn straight, it works for Greg Graffin as well. Everything this dude does is gold!
TEN GREG GRAFFIN SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Don't Be Afraid To Run
2. Lincoln's Funeral Train
3. Opinion
4. Backroads Of My Mind
5. Talk About Suffering
6. Omie Wise
7. Predicament
8. Cold As The Clay
9. Making Time
10. When I Fail
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