The mystery of what’s next, the unexpected journeys of our lives and our relationships, expressed through music, for your enjoyment.
“The River & The Thread” (Album) — Rosanne Cash, 2013
Johnny Cash’s daughter took a trip down through the Deep South to help restore her father’s childhood home. During the journey, she immersed herself in her family’s roots and learned more about herself in the process. The musical results take us down the twists and turns of the backcountry below the Mason-Dixon Line. Delivering a smooth mix of folk, blues and old-time country, the songs trace her lineage. “When the Master Calls the Roll” takes the listener back to the Civil War, during which Cash’s ancestors fought on both sides of the battlefield. “The Sunken Lands” is her way of sharing the experience of growing up in Arkansas, her father’s boyhood home. The gems on this album are strung along like the small towns that grace the Mississippi. Give The River & The Thread a listen and be transported.
“There’s a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret)” (Single) — Nanci Griffith, There’s a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret), 1978
The debut album from Nanci Caroline Griffith, a kindergarten teacher turned folk singer-songwriter, contains this title track named for her best friend. It weaves a somewhat auto-biographical story of two best friends planning for adventure and determined to see the world outside their small town. In reality, Griffith was the one who stayed home and settled down while Margaret went to NYC to live out the wild fantasies they dreamed of when they were young. Eventually, Griffith becomes the adventurous traveler, singing and playing clubs and living out the life she always imagined. This song catapulted Griffith from small-town Texas teacher to award-winning country artist whose career has spanned more than 30 years.
“Life Is An Adventure” (Single) — Violent Femmes, Viva Wisconsin, 1999
This obscure gem really never saw the light of day until it was tossed on to the Rock!!! album, comprised of throw-away tracks from past releases. The track, which enjoyed new life on the live album Viva Wisconsin is an autobiographical depiction of this Milwaukee alternative post-punk band and their “we are just going to go on this path and not look back” attitude. The message is simple: If you believe in yourself and are willing to live without fear of what is ahead, then life will always be an adventure. Just do what you want to do, live for the here and now, and don’t look back. Rock!
