Isbell then met his now-wife Amanda Shires, who subsequently told him that she would only be with him if he put the bottle down for good.
Jason Isbell with Drive-By Truckers, August 2006. “The days when we raged, we flew off the page, such damage was done,” he sings. Meaning that he was turning to alcohol to run from himself, and feeling that he can’t trust anybody. “Cover Me Up” introduces Jason Isbell’s reckless lifestyle right from the jump, likening his younger self to “A heart on the run”. Eventually he was kicked out of the band for it, and it took him a while to sober up after that. Many know Jason Isbell’s story, having struggled with alcoholism during his early years with the Drive-By Truckers, of which he was a member from 2001 to 2007. The meaning behind “Cover Me Up”, aside from the genuine element of love that shines clearly through, can be connected to Jason Isbell’s getting sober and his appreciation for the role that his wife Amanda Shires played in that. Many of the songs off Southeastern have this feel, which is what makes it such an incredible album, with songs like “Elephant” bringing a similar depth of emotion, although about a much different topic. The song contains powerful emotions that are amplified by Isbell’s vigorous vocal delivery, which gives the feeling that this tale is pulled from his own life. Coming from the songwriter’s 2013 album, Southeastern, the song tells of a midwinter reunion between two lovers who have been apart for far too long. Jason Isbell’s “Cover Me Up” is a song of love and longing for the ages.