Chattanooga's Roger Alan Wade creates 'Jackass Forever' music

Staff photo / Roger Alan Wade performs at the Man Xpo on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga.
Staff photo / Roger Alan Wade performs at the Man Xpo on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga.
photo Staff photo / Roger Alan Wade performs at the Man Xpo on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga.

Sometimes, being put on the spot is the best way to write a song, and that seems to have worked again for local singer/songwriter Roger Alan Wade.

The author of such memorable numbers as "Party in My Pants," "Chicken Song" and the unofficial "Jackass" theme song, "If You're Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough," Wade said in a telephone interview that his latest song, "I Don't Like Being Told What to Do," was recorded on his phone just a few minutes after his cousin, Johnny Knoxville, called looking for new material for his movie "Jackass Forever."

Wade, who co-hosts a weekly show on Sirius XM with Knoxville, said he was at home with his new bride, Andrea, when his cousin called.

"I said, 'Let me see what I can come up with,' and it made the movie, which was No. 1 in the country last week," Wade said.

He said he recorded it on the spot in about 10 minutes and sent it to Knoxville, who played it for director Jeff Tremaine.

"Knox wrote right back and said, 'Jeff loves it, don't change a thing,'" Wade said. "It's just me and the guitar, and you know how bad I play. Thank God for nepotism. I asked my lovely wife Andrea to fix me a cocktail and get them dogs quiet for a minute."

Wade laughed at the idea the title had anything to do with Knoxville's sudden request and said it was based on what was happening at home at the time.

"We had a possum in the doghouse, and she wanted me to go get it out," he said. "She doesn't ask me to do much of anything, but we were out there, and she was trying to hit the possum and hit me instead.

"I don't know if it's any good, but it's true. It's not Shakespeare, but it's true."

I don’t like being told what to doI don’t know much but this much is trueI ain’t your monkey and this ain’t no zooI don’t like being told what to doTime will take care of us allbut tell time I ain’t taking no callsI’m staying here till I finish my beerI don’t like being told what to doWater is wet and goes downhilllike tears on a yellow daffodill…They’s a possum in a doghouse outsidecouldn’t get him out but La Lawd we I triedgot whacked with a broom by my brideI don’t like being told what to dowhen I was a baby my momma told me son,that’s just the outlaw in you…I never liked being told what to doooo

In addition to the new song, the "Jackass Forever" soundtrack includes two versions of "If You're Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough." Performing it for the movie are D.J. Paul and Yelawolf and another version by Star Crawler. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs has also done a version of it in the past.

"It's been in all of the movies," Wade said.

Wade said he is finishing a new album with local musicians Lew Card and Ivan Garcia and is leaving this week for some shows in Florida before he does a songwriter's cruise with Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell and Lucinda Williams. Playing with him will be his grandson, Roland Nixon; Noah Boling; and Huxley Kuhlmann.

He will perform at Songbirds on April 2, and Mike Dougher said via text he booked the show because it is the "perfect venue" for Wade and his songs. Dougher books for Songbirds and other venues.

"Well, I got to thinking the other day how accomplished Roger is, yet seems to fly a bit under radar in Chattanooga," Dougher said. "Roger is one of the best songwriters to ever come out of this city. Along with that, he has a Sirius radio show, has songs in a hit movie and is wonderful to see live. Songbirds is the perfect venue for an artist who weaves stories within his songs."

He will be doing a benefit for FACES: The National Craniofacial Association, in June.

Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.

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