Two More Songs

The late, great Merle Haggard has a song out that, for me at least, has been one of my steady favorites over the past couple of years. I recently discovered that he released it in 1984; I had thought it was one of his latest, but that is not the case. I think it’s been getting more playing time since he died three years ago, so maybe that’s why it has particularly struck a chord with me. Like so many great country songs, “A Place to Fall Apart” tell the story of a man’s woman leaving him. Of course I hear a slightly different story.

The first verse goes: “I’ll probably never see you eye to eye again, this letter’s meant to be my last farewell. But you need to understand I’m nearly crazy; you need to know my life has gone to hell.”

The chorus: “Looking for a place to fall apart. Trying to find a place that I can leave my heart. I need to be somewhere hiding when I feel the teardrops start, looking for a place to fall apart.”

It continues: “I can’t seem to justify your leaving me. I’m bewildered as to how it all came down. I thought everything was fine until the phone call, the call that turned my world around. Send me word and tell me why it ended; I need some final proof to show my heart. I’ll be somewhere between “I love you” and what you’re feeling now, looking for a place to fall apart.”

(Stolen with all due respect and admiration to Merle Haggard and his family)

The second song that really resonates with me and has for many years (even before Leigh’s death), is called “Heart, We Did All That We Could.” It was written and sung by Jean Shepard and released in 1967. Her version is great, but David Houston’s version fits me better because he, of course, is doing it from the man’s perspective and telling about the woman who left him rather than the original version of the man leaving the woman. In this song, the singer is actually having a one-way conversation with his/her heart.

“Well there she goes, she hardly know the heart she’s breaking; I talked to her, but I don’t think she understood, so just forget about the plans that you were making; heart, we did all that we could.

Don’t blame these lips, these hungry lips were pleading for you. They used all the tender words that they should, and if you break and fall apart I wouldn’t blame you. Heart, we did all that we could.

These misty eyes, these tear-filled eyes were picture taking, printing all the memories that they could. They’re the only thing you’ll have when you’re through breakin’. Heart, we did all that we could.”

(Thanks and please forgive me to Jean Shepard and family)

I hope the music industry or any of the artists don’t come after me for borrowing their lyrics. If they do, they can have every penny I’m making off this blog. This music just means too much to me not to share it. At least I didn’t put any lyrics in my book, “Leavings: Honeycutt to Cooper Ridge” like I originally had planned. If you’re not familiar with either of these songs, google them and listen. Beautiful and moving.