Actually, if I get a second shot . . . I start thinking about Nanci Griffith, who has been one of my favorite singer-songwriters for about thirty years (despite her politics). A fellow Texan.
When she first moved to Nashville, she was startled one Saturday morning by a knock at her door. She found one of the most famous Country/Western songwriters of all time, ancient Harlan Howard, standing there. ("I Fall to Pieces," "Streets of Baltimore" and a few hundred little things like that - the man who one said country music was "three chords and the truth"). Nanci considered herself an unknown.
Harlan looked her up and down and said "I just "I just wanted to meet the girl who had the guts to write a country song about being a streetwalker" ("Working These Corners"). Nanci invited him in, made him some blueberry pancakes and coffee, and they talked as they became friends.
He asked what she was worked on.
She explained that she was writing an album ("Little Love Affairs") where each song was about a different couple and a different aspect of their love. Harlan said he would be proud to write a song for the album.
Nanci didn't know what to say to Nashville's most famous songwriter for the last 40-50 years, but choked out "Mr. Howard? Part of the concept of the album is that it's personal, and I was going to write each song."
Harland laughed and said "Tell you what, little lady. I'm going to write a song about a love relationship that's so unique you won't be able to keep it off the album."
And he did, and he and Nanci became best friends.
The song is called "Never Mind" and is the story of two migrant farm workers who fall in love; she wants the relationship to move to a higher level and perhaps for the two of them to build a family together with her little boy, to leave the life of migrant farm workers if they can. The most poignant line (or funniest line, your choice), is when she explains how she knew he loved her:
"I first saw you picking oranges in Orlando, and all day you kept your ladder close to mine."
Now, if that's not love . . . in migrant farm worker terms . . . I don't know what is. The album's Little Love Affairs by Nanci Griffith. A couple of the other songs, like the Gulf Coast Highway duet, are stone-cold keepers.
What an interesting story. Thanks.
Not being too much of a C/W fan, I shall have to look Nanci and the songs up.
(I do love George and Tammy, though.)
I looked up Nanci on YouTube
and listened to ‘Never Mind’ and ‘lonestar state of mind’
(think that was the title- anyway ‘lonestar’ attracted me
LOL)
She’s good. Talented young lady.