This Machine

During he week leading up to the election I'd been listening to Woody Guthrie's Dust Bowl Ballads in the car. The girls are almost always with me, so they were listening too. I love this album. What Woody Guthrie was singing about is just as relevant today as when it was recorded. Today Cora started singing part of "Blowin' Down this Road."

Your two dollar shoe hurts my feet.
Your two dollar shoe hurts my feet.
Your two dollar shoe hurts my feet
(Lord, Lord)
And I ain't gon' be treated this-a way. 

I love the track, "Pretty Boy Floyd." The story builds and builds until the conclusion pulls it all together.

[...] as through this world I've wandered
And as through your life you travel,
I've seen lots of funny men;
Some will rob you with a six-gun,
And some with a fountain pen [...]
And as through your life you travel,
Yes, as through your life you roam,
You won't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home.

Something stirred inside when I heard Cora sing songs that tell the story of people just like you and me who were uprooted from everything they knew, kicked out of their homes and driven from their land. They wanted what I want for my children for their children. They wanted full bellies and cozy homes. They were trying to make it happen, but nearly every circumstance was against them. And here my little four-year-old is telling stories of strong-will and heartache and love and loss through the songs so many were never able to sing.

Woody Guthrie has an awesome children's album. I'll leave you with two of my favorites from it. The first was the inspiration for Magnolia's first Halloween costume (she was a lil' sack of sugar), and the second was one of the first Woody Guthrie songs I've heard.




PS: Tonight we ate at Taj to celebrate Diwali. And now my voice is gone. The voice thing and Taj are unrelated, but both relevant to this day.

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