“You Mean Everything to Me” expresses romantic love. Mullins wants to be more like his wife and son, who he praises in glowing terms (“Shimmer”). “Lullabye” tries to soothe a woman’s depression, reminding her that “everything’s gonna be alright.” Similarly, “Soul Child” tells a hurting person to “Be strong/Hold on . . . Don’t let’em bring you down . . . Walk proud/Sing out loud.”
Drug references. The artist admits to being “stoned in San Francisco” (“Anchored in You”), speaks of filling the holes in his life with wine and marijuana (“And on a Rainy Night”), drinks beer for breakfast after a night of partying (“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”), and shares booze and a joint with a homeless man (“Twin Rocks, Oregon”). “Ballad of Billy Joe McKay” applauds the actions of a 16-year-old runaway.
Passionate acoustic sentiment flows from this earthy singer, but his reliance on drugs and alcohol is inexcusable.
