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Idaho Lyrics
All that love all those mistakes
What else can a poor man make?
But I gave up a life of crime
I gave it to a friend of mine
Something else was on my mind
The only ghost I'm haunted by
I hear her howling down below
Idaho, Idaho
Wolves oh wolves oh can't you see?
Ain't no wolf can sing like me
And if it could then I suppose
That he belongs in Idaho
Packs of dogs and cigarettes
For those who ain't done packing yet
My clothes are packed and I want to go
Idaho, Idaho
Well, out at sea for seven years
I got your letter in Tangier
I thought that I'd been on a boat
'Til that single word you wrote
That single word it landlocked me
Turned the masts to cedar trees
And the wind to gravel roads
Idaho, Idaho
What else can a poor man make?
But I gave up a life of crime
I gave it to a friend of mine
Something else was on my mind
The only ghost I'm haunted by
I hear her howling down below
Idaho, Idaho
Ain't no wolf can sing like me
And if it could then I suppose
That he belongs in Idaho
Packs of dogs and cigarettes
For those who ain't done packing yet
My clothes are packed and I want to go
Idaho, Idaho
I got your letter in Tangier
I thought that I'd been on a boat
'Til that single word you wrote
That single word it landlocked me
Turned the masts to cedar trees
And the wind to gravel roads
Idaho, Idaho
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This is the wrong song. The actual lyrics are as follows:
All that love all those mistakes What else can a poor man make? But I gave up a life of crime I gave it to a friend of mine Something else was on my mind The only ghost I'm haunted by I hear her howling down below Idaho, Idaho
Wolves oh wolves oh can't you see? Ain't no wolf can sing like me And if it could then I suppose That he belongs in Idaho Packs of dogs and cigarettes For those who ain't done packing yet My clothes are packed and I want to go Idaho, Idaho
Well, out at sea for seven years I got your letter in Tangier I thought that I'd been on a boat 'Til that single word you wrote That single word it landlocked me Turned the masts to cedar trees And the wind to gravel roads Idaho, Idaho
This song is a reference back to Wilco/Billy Bragg's adaptation of Woody Gurthrie's "Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key": "ain't nobody can sing like me."
Being from Idaho, this song is rather poignant. Just like Josh Ritter, I had to leave Idaho to make my way in the world, and this will always be a ghost I'm haunted by- as I'll never be able to live there again due to my career choice.
Yes @flynnisthecoolest - I left the country for the city. I despised the slow dusty ways. And now my yard is too small for a dog. And I pay a VRBO to live for just a week or two a year in Idaho.
Yes @flynnisthecoolest - I left the country for the city. I despised the slow dusty ways. And now my yard is too small for a dog. And I pay a VRBO to live for just a week or two a year in Idaho.
I will comment. I love the simplicity in the music of this song. It makes the lyrics stand out and give it even more meaning that they have as a stand-alone poem.
I love it. I'm from Idaho. When you hear this song you just have to stop and listen. Its really powerful, especially because it describes Idaho so well. I definately agree with what gabbyownsme said.
I love it. I'm from Idaho. When you hear this song you just have to stop and listen. Its really powerful, especially because it describes Idaho so well. I definately agree with what gabbyownsme said.
This song means one of either two things: (i) he left the girl he loves in Idaho and still misses her and her memory; or (ii) he has been away from Idaho for too long and longs to go back to the beauty and simplicity of Idaho.
he leaves the girl he loves, then gets a single word from her (in tangiers) and it reminds him of all he left behind in idaho (replace the masts with cedar trees, winds with gravel roads)
the gorgeous imagery of the lyrics made me stop and listen to the rest of this song, and I'm glad I did because it's stunning
I love the imagery. especially the masts to cedar trees, etc. Beautifullllll. and the soft music. Very powerful and emotional song.