A perfect, poetic epic from one of our best songwriters, the capstone of the incredible album Time (The Revelator). Welch weaves an emotionally devastating depiction of longing and loss out of classic Americana, snippets of country music history, and Biblical references. Certain verses read as a eulogy for classic, outlaw country culture, others are just abstract imagery.
Connected in my mind with Dylan's epic Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (and Isis), but also with Joni Mitchell's Coyote, maybe because of these two hungover and ruminative diner scenes:
Coyote's in the coffee shop.
He's staring a hole in his scrambled eggs.
He picks up my scent on his fingers.
While he's watching the waitresses' legs.
vs
Sunday morning at the diner
Hollywood trembles on the verge of tears
I watched the waitress for a thousand years
Saw a wheel inside a wheel, heard a call within a call
I dreamed a highway back to you
The actual recording is a miracle, one live 14-minute take with no overdubs, Dave Rawlings (her husband) improv-ing along. The sound itself is perfect.
Time (The Revelator) also has Revelator and Everything Is Free, two other all-time classics of American music. Can't recommend it enough!
