Stay awhile

If you’re a loyal reader of this blog (all 6 of you!), you already know that I love music and that I think there’s nothing better than that perfect lyric that captures the moment, the feeling, the beauty, the sadness. You also probably know that I’m not a huge fan of country music, at least mainstream, radio-played country music. I tend more toward alt-country and and country-influenced musicians than overproduced, pop-ish country that gets played these days. (OK, off that soap box!)

Not long ago, I heard a song on Lightning 100, my favorite radio station in Nashville. Every day they play a few songs by local artists, most of them independent. So there I was, listening to the radio at work when it came time for the local artist showcase. Usually I don’t pay much attention, but the song grabbed my attention and kept me interested. It was called “Ramblin’ Woman” by Patrick Collum and the Law.

Later that week, I learned that my Life Group leader actually worked on the album at his studio and was friends with Patrick. When I told him I liked the song, he brought me a copy of the CD. So I’ve spent much of my afternoon listening to this country-tinged release and falling in love with it.

Ramblin’ Woman is a heartbreaking album. There’s the title song about a woman who “needs to stay awhile” for his sake, a woman who’s “fooling everyone with these wedding bands.” And “A Hard Road Out” which affirms “you’ve got your faith, you’ve got your doubts.” And “New Orleans,” which begins with the phrase “a story of a boy from New Orleans, he likes cheap women, expensive dreams” and makes me think of all those dreams I’ve had that have seemingly cost so much. So much is there, lying just below the surface, words full of emotion and heartbreak, life. I come away feeling like Patrick Collum knows what it is to love someone who doesn’t want you. And he says it with beautiful, simple, thought-provoking lyrics and one of those voices that make me melt a little. Good music, good coffee, good Sunday afternoon. 🙂