Note, that this song is a cover, the original version is by singer/songwriter Tim Hardin. William of Okkervil River says about the circumstances this song was written in:
"I already loved Hardin's music but I didn't know much about his life, so I started flipping through the liner notes for the box set and I learned that Hardin had written "Black Sheep Boy" while visiting his family back in his hometown of Eugene, OR. During the visit, an old friend offered heroin to Hardin, an ex-junkie who had been clean for several years. Hardin started using again and, as I understand it, didn't really stop until 1980, when he died of an overdose."
To put things into perspective I recommend reading:
http://www.jound.com/okkervil/blacksheepboystory.html
or even more:
http://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/said_the_guests_will.php
Note, that this song is a cover, the original version is by singer/songwriter Tim Hardin. William of Okkervil River says about the circumstances this song was written in: "I already loved Hardin's music but I didn't know much about his life, so I started flipping through the liner notes for the box set and I learned that Hardin had written "Black Sheep Boy" while visiting his family back in his hometown of Eugene, OR. During the visit, an old friend offered heroin to Hardin, an ex-junkie who had been clean for several years. Hardin started using again and, as I understand it, didn't really stop until 1980, when he died of an overdose." To put things into perspective I recommend reading: http://www.jound.com/okkervil/blacksheepboystory.html or even more: http://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/said_the_guests_will.php