Magnolia

Written by J.J. Cale, one of the most underappreciated artists in the music world. This is the definitive version, though. Absolutely perfect.

I heard this song a week ago and it's been haunting me ever since. At this time in a year Magnoliae grandiflorae are blooming all over the city, and it rains a lot, so I've been kinda down for this long, with the song in my head. I can't help feeling that the theme of death hangs over the album (Gram Parsons thing). Although I believe JJ Cale didn't write the song with this in mind, to me it is about an old man, probably in his death bed, remembering what he's lost in early years. It's about someone or something you lost in time, and could only meet them on the other side of life. The line "I'll soon be there." is like "I'll soon be in heaven to see you." Tim's harmony fascinates me. It's like a parallel story, a young man who's just left home and misses his maid. He hasn't gained much experience of life and still dreams big. (So he didn't sing harmony on "you're the best I've ever had.") One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Rusty made it a Comfortably Numb in pedal steel guitar. Oh, how much I love Poco.