We are happy to present an exclusive look at the video for Allan Dale Sizemore’s new song “God’s Footprints.” We also talked to Allan about his approach to writing, the meaning behind the song, and what’s got him excited about the future of West Virginia music. Check out the new song below.
Interview edited for clarity and brevity.
BB: Hello, Allan. Thanks for taking time to talk to me today. Tell me a little bit about how this song “God’s Footprints” came into existence.
AS: Well, honestly, I wrote this song originally a little over 30 years ago, and it was one that got put on the back burner. I was never completely happy with it and just got stuck into the pile and forgotten about. I was cleaning out my house, I found a whole box of tapes, and it was one of the songs that was on them. When I listened again, I thought, “You know, I could do something with that.” So, I pulled it back out and I changed a few words and the feel of it a little bit and that was pretty much it. I think it’s pretty sad that I wrote it 30 years ago and I could’ve wrote it last week and it’s still as relevant as ever.
BB: Everything is cyclical or it just never changes. I know you probably wouldn’t necessarily remember 30 years ago, I know I don’t, but what is your typical approach to songwriting?
AS: I don’t really have one set approach, but I get asked all the time. I just write songs as they come. Generally, I’d say 95% of the time, the songs come out pretty quickly. I might just have an idea, or I don’t know, there are so many different ways that it happens. I’ve got some songs that kick around in my head for a year or two before I ever put them on paper, but that’s a pretty rare thing. Mostly it comes to me pretty quickly.
BB: When I write a song I typically get a melody or a guitar part and I rip off of that sounds like me sounds like to me. You’re more of a idea guy first and then maybe the song comes out of that.
AS: Generally, yeah, I’ve written off of guitar riffs, but lately when I write, yeah I’m more of a an ideas guy. I like to tell stories.
BB: You wrote a song 30 years ago and it’s come back around to you and it still feels relevant. What is about it that feels relevant and what do you hope people take away from “God’s Footprints?”
AS: Well, I would hope that they take away that we, as people, continue to do the same things over and over and it doesn’t work. We continually work against our best interest and always have. Basically…basically that’s it.
BB: It’s a tale as old as time and it’s something that West Virginia has continued to do over and over again. It’s a sad cycle to watch.
AS: Yeah, this whole album I’m working on is about addiction and West Virginia and that the whole aspect of living here.
BB: Let’s go ahead and talk about that, because l my next question for you with what’s next for you so tell me about this project as a whole.
AS: The album that “God’s Footprints” is on is called “Saint James” and well, my brother passed away about six years ago from a fentanyl and heroin overdose and I was sitting thinking about that a lot. You know the kind of songs about our relationship and about addiction. It’s a long, long line in our family of alcoholics and and things like that.” I realize that spent most of my life right around those kind of things and some of the songs on the album are between 20 and 35 years old. I pulled them back out and combined them with songs that I’ve written since he passed.
I’m not worried about just the State of West Virginia but also the state of West Virginia. Where we are as people, and hopefully people hear that in these songs. I’ve been playing these songs live for a couple years and people really relate to them. A lot of people come up to me at shows and say “That ‘St. James’ song, it really touched me because I lost my son. I lost my brother to heroin and opioids.” and so, it’s touched people. Basically, the albums about certain people that I’ve lost and how West Virginia has a tendency to work and not work. I’ll be honest. There’s not a lot of happiness on the album.
BB: It’s hard sometimes to write from that place. I don’t typically feel like I approach songs from a happy perspective. I think happy songs have a hard time coming out and feeling genuine.
AS: I’ve always kind of written autobiographically. I write about things I know for the most part. I don’t write a whole lotta of happy songs and even the happier ones have some sadness in them. This is what I know.
BB: Well, let’s try to end this on a happier note. I saw your post that you reshared on your socials, from a few years back, where you and Sierra Ferrell were playing together. You were congratulating her on her Grammy wins in that share. I know you have a musical relationship with her. That’s a great thing for her, and she is extremely deserving, but I feel like a lot of artists took that as a win for all of us in West Virginia. I’m curious, beyond that, what’s got you excited in the West Virginia music scene?
AS: What’s got me excited? Well, I guess the most exciting thing for me is that I see a lot of younger people that are actually interested in songwriting and writing their own music and not just singing whatever is on the radio, you know what I mean? Beause, when I started, so many years ago that that wasn’t a thing. People didn’t write their own songs and they certainly didn’t have a band that played all original music that could travel around on their own art.
Charlie Hatcher used to play in one of my bands, Rust Kings as my bassist. I said to him “Man, Sierra, Tyler (Childers) and Charles Wesley Godwin and all of them, what they’re singing about, I already wrote that song.” He said, “Yeah man, you were 20 years ahead of everybody. If you were starting now you’d probably be doing pretty well.” But seeing these younger folks keep that going is very exciting to me.
Seeing these younger acts like Charles and Hello June and bands like that, who are really pushing West Virginia music beyond our boarders. I think people are paying a little bit more attention. That can only be good. And of course what you all are doing. Man, that’s a lot of promotion, good promotion, of the good things about the state, so that’s what we need.
BB: Well, thanks for taking time to talk to me and really appreciate it and good luck on the album and we can’t wait to hear more.
AS: Thank you.
Video recorded and edited by Jason Lockart.
