Ten Favorite River Songs: Harlem River Blues (#3)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86999)
United States
October 10, 2017 8:10am CST
And just where was I yesterday? I got a cleaning bug up my vacuum cleaner and spent the evening cleaning the bedroom. Yes, it takes that long to do one little 8-by-10 room. I'm not sick this morning (which is one of the reasons it takes so long), and I'm ready to flood you with another song on my list of favorites that have the word "river" in the title. Here's today's song.
#3: Harlem River Blues - Justin Townes Earle
I need to get off my butt and see this guy live. After all, I've seen his dad (Steve Earle) and his aunt (Stacy Earle), so why not him? 
My aunt told me that my cousin, the night before he committed suicide, was calmer and more content than he'd been in a long time. In hindsight, she said, he'd made his decision.
That's what this song is about: a man has decided to commit suicide and is happy with that ("I'm no fool, mama, I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate").
I have depression, and I have felt the feeling of...not wanting to kill myself, but just wanting the pain to end. Thanks to God's intervention, I now look at things more along the lines of Hank Williams' assessment ("I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow 'cause nothin's never gonna be all right no how") than Earle's farewell of "tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend." But I have been there. It's not fun to endure that emotional pain so severe that it hurts physically, so if Earle sounds downright happy ("if you see me walkin' up the FDR just a-singin' and a-clappin' my hands")...well, I don't condone it, but I understand it.
And for you fortunate souls who've never known clinical depression (which is NOT your favorite football team lost last week), the answer is not "just snap out of it."
I don't think suicide's the answer, either.
But dang, this is a great song.
Harlem River Blues
Written by Justin Townes Earle
Recorded by Justin Townes Earle
From Harlem River Blues, 2010
Here's a great live version on Letterman, featuring Jason Isbell on guitar:
My aunt told me that my cousin, the night before he committed suicide, was calmer and more content than he'd been in a long time. In hindsight, she said, he'd made his decision.
That's what this song is about: a man has decided to commit suicide and is happy with that ("I'm no fool, mama, I know the difference between tempting and choosing my fate").
I have depression, and I have felt the feeling of...not wanting to kill myself, but just wanting the pain to end. Thanks to God's intervention, I now look at things more along the lines of Hank Williams' assessment ("I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow 'cause nothin's never gonna be all right no how") than Earle's farewell of "tell my mama I love her, tell my father I tried, give my money to my baby to spend." But I have been there. It's not fun to endure that emotional pain so severe that it hurts physically, so if Earle sounds downright happy ("if you see me walkin' up the FDR just a-singin' and a-clappin' my hands")...well, I don't condone it, but I understand it.
And for you fortunate souls who've never known clinical depression (which is NOT your favorite football team lost last week), the answer is not "just snap out of it."
I don't think suicide's the answer, either.
But dang, this is a great song.
Harlem River Blues
Written by Justin Townes Earle
Recorded by Justin Townes Earle
From Harlem River Blues, 2010
Here's a great live version on Letterman, featuring Jason Isbell on guitar:
http://www.aux.tv/newmusic/music-news/see-justin-townes-earle-make-his-late-night-debut/
4 people like this
2 responses
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Oct 17
Another river I am not familiar with.
3 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43717)
• Denver, Colorado
10 Oct 17
I've been there a few times myself. It's not fun.
Was he named after Townes Van Zandt?
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86999)
• United States
10 Oct 17
Yes. Steve Earle is a huge TVZ fan.
1 person likes this
