In the mood for something achingly beautiful?  This is one of my all-time favorites.  John Prine’s live performance is from the Philadelphia Folk Festival, 2004.

I was going to write a story around this song, but it’s too good to mess with.  So, I’ll leave you with the lyrics and original song credits.  I’ll write the story in another post.

…If dreams were lightning and thunder were desire
This old house would have burnt down a long time ago

Make me an angel that flies from Montgom’ry
Make me a poster of an old rodeo
Just give me one thing that I can hold on to
To believe in this living is just a hard way to go

When I was a young girl well, I had me a cowboy
He weren’t much to look at, just a free rambling man
But that was a long time and no matter how I try
The years just flow by like a broken down dam

There’s flies in the kitchen I can hear ’em there buzzing
And I ain’t done nothing since I woke up today
How the hell can a person go to work in the morning
And come home in the evening and have nothing to say

[“Angel from Montgomery,” by John Prine. Original release: John Prine, 1971.]

In case you’re not familiar with this song, Bonnie Raitt does an amazing version as does Emmylou Harris, as well as many others.

Song credits (original):

Gene Chrisman (drums); John Christopher (rhythm guitar); Bobby Emmons (organ); Bishop Heywood (percussion); Mike Leach (bass); Leo LeBlanc (pedal steel guitar); John Prine (vocals and acoustic guitar); Bobby Wood (pianos); Reggie Young (lead guitar).

Arif Mardin (producer and remix engineer); Stan Kesler (recording engineer); Dale Smith (assistant engineer).

Video from youtube user taylor510cel9