Friday, March 13, 2009

George Jones and Jesus ...


I like country music. You think there's something the matter with that? Get over it. Ride across Iowa with me this week and you'll be listening to six CDs --- two each by George Strait, Alan Jackson and the late great Chris LeDoux.

On the other hand, I like classical and lots of other kinds of music, too. But this has been a country week following up on the discovery that the living room stereo system actually worked and I've been spending a lot of time in the middle of the floor there sifting and shredding. Country radio, too, since I usually listen to CDs and had kind of lost track of what was new out there.

It's been worthwhile. New songs about the economic crisis in addition to the standard pickup trucks, tractors and faded love. Even got to hear an old favorite, "Mama's in the graveyard, Papa's in the pen." Great story line --- Mama's messing around, so Papa fires up the 16-wheeler and crashes it into the motel where the messing's going on.

But my favorite this week is by Lance Miller. Who a ever thought you'd be listening to a country singer named Lance? "George Jones and Jesus." With a title like that you just know it's gonna be good. Here's the first verse:

"George Jones and Jesus are heros of mine,
One is only human but the other one divine.
When I could not find a friend I found out that I had two.
George Jones and Jesus pulled me through."


And my favorite line: "The possum ain't no savior, but he never claimed to be."

You just gotta love it.

2 comments:

Ed said...

Who originally sang that song about Mama in the graveyard and Papa in the pen. I've only heard the version sung by Garth Brooks.

I am reminded of the old joke about what happens when you play a country music song backwards. You get your guitar back, your truck works again and your wife comes back.

Frank D. Myers said...

Looks like Garth co-wrote it with Kim Williams and also was the first to perform it. Golly, it's a great song.