[Don’t know what this is? See the Story Up My Sleeve background page. Today’s selection also serves as the final weekly Midweek Music Break featuring a “story song,” in keeping with the “May is National Short Story Month” theme.]
I’ve never seen this phenomenon explained anywhere. (I’d like to believe it signifies something artsy and profound like “the powerful universal, cross-genre appeal of story-telling,” but who knows?) Whatever the reason, selecting a country song to feature during this month of story songs felt at first as though it might be almost too easy — so easy that I almost stayed away from country altogether. But today’s selection, “Golden Ring,” just — no pun intended — fit.
It fits, obviously, with the whole “month of stories” theme. George Jones, the male half of the original duet, died just a week or two ago. Its history suggests current events here in the US: as first conceived by the songwriter, Bobby Braddock, it was about the effects of a gun — not a wedding band — on the lives of a series of owners. Heck, the song even came out during the month of May, in 1976. (Wikipedia helpfully notes in a gossipy aside that this was 14 months after Wynette and Jones’s own real-life divorce.)
But it carries a hidden subtext, as well — at least for today, and at least for me. None of the lyrics are relevant for this purpose except the chorus’s last line, the one that suggests the twining of love around that simple bit of jewelry. About that line, I’ll just say: happy anniversary, Baby.
[Lyrics]
Froog says
Well, I hope you and the Mrs enjoyed a fine anniversary celebration!
I have been particularly intrigued by the song contributions you’ve come up with for this month of stories. If I were to attempt something similar, I would – as you might imagine – not get very far beyond Tom Waits: particularly the Blue Valentines album (the first of his I bought, early in my undergraduate days), and most particularly Red Shoes By The Drugstore.
Musing a little further on this theme, I suddenly recalled ’39, an uncommonly pretty, folksy sort of song from Queen’s A Night At The Opera album (do I remember you are not a fan of the band?). A fairly slight ‘story’, but allusive and poignant, it draws upon guitarist Brian May’s academic background as an astrophysicist.
I also love the songs of Michelle Shocked, and have often used her childhood memoir V.F.D. as a catalyst in writing classes.
Mmm, how many others might come to mind…?
Froog says
Ah yes – if by some chance you don’t know it…. from that same Waits album, Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis, which is a miniature masterclass in conjuring a narrative persona.