dual personalities

There are many aspects of modern life that drive me crazy and some that genuinely alarm me. But there are a few things that are pretty cool.

When daughter #1 was home and we were lunching at our favorite Cafe Osage, we both pricked up our ears when a certain song was playing in the background. “Who is that?” we both said.

We couldn’t pin it down, so daughter #1 got out her phone and opened some new-fangled app and held up her phone for a moment. “Oh,” she said, checking her phone. “It’s Steve Earle and the Del McCoury band!”

A few days later, having ordered it on Amazon, it appeared at my door.

Pretty amazing, n’est-ce pas?

Anyway, it is not a new album (1999), but it is a very good one–great songs including a favorite of mine, “Dixieland”. You gotta love a song that a) is about the 20th Maine and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and b) works the unmelodic name of Chamberlain into it several times:

I am Kilrain of the 20th Maine and I’d march to hell and back again 
For Colonel Joshua Chamberlain – we’re all goin’ down to Dixieland 

The CD also includes the song “Pilgrim”, which I hope someone sings at my funeral–Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, GIllian Welch et al would be nice, but not a deal breaker.

I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys 
This ain’t never been my home 
Sometimes the road was rocky ‘long the way, boys 
But I was never travelin’ alone 
We’ll meet again on some bright highway 
Songs to sing and tales to tell 
But I am just a pilgrim on this road, boys 
Until I see you fare thee well 

Ain’t no need to cry for me, boys 
Somewhere down the road you’ll understand 
‘Cause I expect to touch his hand, boys 
Put a word in for you if I can 

Hats off to Steve Earle and modern technology!