Sometimes a songwriter would rather a song not be timely. Such is the case with the Henhouse Prowlers’ single “Lead and Iron” released this week. Jake Howard, the band’s mandolin player, wrote the song at the end of last summer—after Uvalde but before the recent Covenant School shootings. The song is delivered from the perspective of a parent who has lost a child in a school shooting.
The Chicago-based bluegrass band brings their unique blend of harmony to the song, Howard opens the song on mandolin and sings lead. The message is subtle–wondering, while “tak[ing] it slow day by day. . . if they’re up there doing the same.”
What the song doesn’t say is as powerful as what it does. Addressing one parent’s aftermath, Howard sings of “holding hands and first words spoken, tying shoes and playing games with nothing to lose,” evoking images of what young children should be experiencing, a reminder of the simple things lost.
The instrumental breaks on the song echo the tenderness of the song, building in intensity to the final chorus:
Buzzing ears with the lead and iron,
Whispering fire, fire fire!
It’s raining prayers, and it still ain’t helping. . .
The Henhouse Prowlers do not need to make explicit condemnations of the violence. By reminding listeners of the impact on individuals, “Lead and Iron” makes a powerful statement.
