The Red Circle

This is it! In my opinion, the absolute best song of the last decade. Are you ready?

Top Ten of the Decade – #1
Song: Iron & Wine – “Sodom, South Georgia”
Year: 2004
Link: ♫ http://twt.fm/358426
About: Trying to decide on what song would be considered my #1 for the top ten list was like trying to decide on what to name your child. Granted, I’ve never had to do such a thing, but I can imagine it’s a similar experience. The true amount of wisdom that Sam Beam provides with Iron & Wine is mind boggling. His ability to be so utterly descriptive and subtle is as haunting as the stories you hear where some person gained super human strength at the last second to push a car off of the train tracks, right before it was to be destroyed by a freight train. “Sodom, South Georgia” fits that description to the very last detail. Lyrically the song resembles that of a time once known as bittersweet. It garners the fruitful love for one, and tragic loss of another. To add to the musical picture of the south, fallen on hard times, Sam Beam’s deep breathy voice and beautiful guitar playing are top notch.

I really can’t go into too much more detail than I already have. I have a wonderful story behind this song, and how I fell in love with it, but I’d prefer to save it for a time that I might tell you in person. Until then, please sit back and listen to this song. Enjoy the verses, the melodies, the tale of love, and the thought of loss. Hopefully my song selection agrees with your tastes. Cheers.

Papa died smiling
Wide as the ring of a bell
Gone all star white
Small as a wish in a well
And Sodom, South Georgia
Woke like a tree full of bees
Buried in Christmas
Bows and a blanket of weeds

Papa died Sunday and I understood
All dead white boys say, “God is good”
White tongues hang out, “God is good”

Papa died while my
Girl Lady Edith was born
Both heads fell like
Eyes on a crack in the door
And Sodom, South Georgia
Slept on an acre of bones
Slept through Christmas
Slept like a bucket of snow

Papa died Sunday and I understood
All dead white boys say, “God is good”
White tongues hang out, “God is good”

Jamie Dull ends his Song of the Day posts here at The Red Circle today. Please continue to check out his SOTD tweets by following @jamiedull on twitter! Check back for more from Jamie @theredcircle.

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