Carson McHone Shares “(Lying Here With) Linda on My Mind” from ODES Covers EP

June 16, 2024

Today, Carson McHone shares “(Lying Here With) Linda on My Mind,” the second single from ODES, her forthcoming covers EP. The track serves as further proof that McHone is a master interpreter of songs as she transforms Conway Twitty’s tearjerker into a Ramones-tinged honkytonk barnburner and finds new emotional depth in the process. Listen to “(Lying Here With) Linda on My Mind” wherever you stream music.

Carson McHone on “(Lying Here With) Linda on My Mind”:

The idea to re-interpret this tune originally came from my old friend and bass player, and all ’round poet-rascal, Mitchell, who many years ago on a tour put the idea into my head of a punk rock version of Conway’s “Linda.” It took me long enough, but it’s fitting that it came to be after falling in with some rock’n’rollers who grew up punks and at one point used to perform country music (to a T, if I do say so myself, and I’d like to think Mr. Twitty would agree…)—that would be Daniel Romano’s Outfit, of course. So Daniel and Ian and Tommy and I donned our leather jackets and channeled the Ramones and cut this punky version of Conway’s killer classic country tune “(Lying Here With) Linda on My Mind” at our studio, Camera Varda. It is mere coincidence that we did a “Ramones-esque” cover of a song about a woman named Linda…or is it? We had fun—I hope you do, too!

That change of tone and pace works a peculiar magic, as the narrative of Twitty’s forlorn ballad of the soon-to-be-divorced remains, but it’s the future relationship with Linda that’s at the forefront, and that relationship sounds like a hell of a good time.

ODES releases in full digitally and as a self-released 7-inch on July 19, available from Carson herself online or on tour. There are even more opportunities to see her live in the offing, as in addition to her headlining dates prior to Merge 35, a new run of US dates supporting Daniel Romano’s Outfit and Uni Boys has been added, as well as a fall duo tour of the UK and EU with Daniel Romano; tickets are on sale now.

Carson McHone on tour:
Jul 13 Chatham, ON – Skinny’s Bar*
Jul 19 Saskatoon, SK – Ness Creek Music Festival
Jul 23 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
Jul 24 Richmond, VA – Get Tight Lounge
Jul 25 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (Merge 35)
Aug 16 Rochester, NY – Skylark Lounge*%
Aug 17 Boston, MA – Sonia at Middle East*%
Aug 18 Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom*%
Aug 19 Washington, DC – DC9*%
Aug 20 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s*%
Sep 01 Bristol, UK – The Louisiana^
Sep 04 Winchester, UK – The Railway Inn^
Sep 05 Hassocks, UK – Mid Sussex Music Hall^
Sep 07 Colchester, UK – Little Rabbit Barn^
Sep 08 London, UK – The Green Note^
Sep 12 Donegal, IE – Balor Arts Centre^
Sep 13 Clonmel, IE – Moynihan’s Bar^
Sep 14 Kilkenny, IE – Cleere’s Bar^
Sep 15 Dublin, IE – Cobblestone^
Sep 29 Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg CLUB NINE^
Oct 01 Leiden, NL – Bus Club^
Oct 02 Groningen, NL – SPOT/Der Aa-Theater