Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Georgia

Listen while you read:  Guess where I am?

Georgia, I swear I've never seen such a smile
Gorgeous enough to make an angel's heart run wild
Your lazy eyes and small town lies have got me in your spell
Your drive-in boys and backseat noises, oh, you learned so well
Oh, oh, oh, so how was I to know?
You got me, you got me . . . by now

Georgia, your daddy was high the night he dreamed of you
Georgia, the stars were flying the night that you came through
Christmas in your eyes, oh what a nice surprise
Oh, oh, oh, and now I miss you so
But, baby, I'm coming back to you

Georgia, we will be together, dear, if they ever let me out of here
They will say that it's not true, but I did it all for you
Georgia, won't you tell them for me, dear

Georgia, girl, I never lived through a night like that
Sure enough, got your loving where I like it at
Moonlight through the pines
Oh, oh, oh, but how were we to know
That wasn't moonlight, they were searchlights
Oh, no

Georgia, we will be together, dear . . . 

~  Boz Scaggs

Well, I am in the state of Georgia, and you might be surprised how many songs are about the state of Georgia. So why did I select a song about a girl named Georgia? Because it's Boz Scaggs! "Georgia" is one of the songs on the incredible album, Silk Degrees, released in 1976. This was back in the day when an album got its cred for ALL the songs on it, not just the one chart-topper. Silk Degrees is home to "Harbor Lights," "Lowdown," "Lido Shuffle," and "What Do You Want the Girl to Do?" A great album.

As for the lyrics of the song, obviously, they tell a love story. Whether that love is unrequited or not is debatable. And although it appears that the protagonist of the story is confined to a jail or something, it is not clear what his crime was. I did it all for you. What? What did he do? His confidence in being with his love again seems idealistic, and alas, the story becomes a tragedy. 

My current situation would be the opposite of tragedy. I am again on a mountaintop in northern Georgia at the home of Jon and Michelle, Ed's brother and sister-in-law. I am looking at the same landscape that was the scene in August of the total eclipse, but now offers a different kind of beauty. We are enjoying more peak autumn foliage on a stunningly beautiful day. The combination of deciduous trees and Georgia pines offers a crazy quilt of nature. The air is crisp, but the sun is warm, and the day was made for outdoor adventure.

And that adventure took us to the waterfall in Tallulah Gorge, the top of Black Rock Mountain (altitude: 3,640'), and a tiny abandoned cabin tucked in the woods on our hosts' property. Tonight's bonfire will close out our visit to Clayton, and tomorrow we continue south to Hilton Head Island.

At Black Rock Mountain, Rabun County GA




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