Today’s song is another one of the selections from the mix-CD that Sweety and I gave out at “night-night time” to the small group of family and close friends who witnessed our marriage. In a previous post, I talked a little about how Nanci Griffith’s music has meant so much to us in our life together.
The liner notes for our wedding CD say that my sweety, “heard Nanci Griffith on TV, and I found the album in one of those ‘seven-CDs-for-one-cent’ clubs. (Today’s) song has been a favourite for years, not so much for the lyrics – as their meaning can be debatable – but because it made us want to waltz the first time we heard it – and that’s been a tradition ever since. Years ago, near Kenora, we stopped at a rest stop when the song was playing and danced right there, on the gravel overlooking the water.”
While I was still working, Saturdays at our home were days where we would often do our own thing for a few hours and, for me, that would mean at least some of that time was spent with music, chilling out and decompressing from the busy-ness and stress of in-the-fishbowl public service.
My computer, where I usually listen to music and almost always wrote my posts, is in the same relative position it was back then. It used to be in the next room to the kitchen; a sort of spare room, previously set up as a dining area but really too small for an eating area, so our family computer and associated clag was in there. Now, since a 2015 renovation, the computer and speakers are at the far end of an expanded kitchen space that took over that odd room.
Before the reno, on those relaxed Saturdays, I’d invariably find a new song or play and old one that led Sweety and me to meet up in the kitchen for a bit of “stop-what-you’re-doing-and dance.”
Kitchen dances are the best. I am convinced that this figured into Sweety’s selection of our flooring when she was researching for the kitchen renovation. Nowadays in the kitchen she created, if she is in the kitchen and I am at the computer, there’s no wall between us, so meetups are that much easier when a new song is discovered or an old one is found again.
I hope that if you have someone in your life you can dance with, you’re enjoying the occasional kitchen (or wherever) dance these days. If you’re by yourself, just head out onto the floor and enjoy the song with yourself. (If the latter, I also hope that you are taking good care of yourself.)
It is vital for us to reach out to folks for connection in this weird time where, because of COVID-19, physical distance is a survival tactic… it’s just so odd to me when I think about that. And it’s also a constant reminder to me to check in on those whom I know are alone and might be struggling during this time.
Now you know a little about why this is my song of the day for today. Thanks for joining me here, and please enjoy.
Here’s the official video of the song from Nanci Griffith’s VEVO/YouTube channel:
Song of the Day for Today 