A musical celebration of the 50 states. One song each week over the course of the year.
Going to Georgia – The Mountain Goats
Oh Georgia, how can I choose only one song about you? There is such an embarrassment of riches. Starting with “Georgia on My Mind” which is one of the very few official state songs to even be worth considering. Of course, there’s the classic version by Ray Charles. But Louis Armstrong also provides an excellent take, as does Willie Nelson. It kills me not to pick it, but in the end there can be only one.
I’m also gutted to leave off “Midnight Train to Georgia.” When I posed the question about which Georgia song is best a while back on social media, I got some pushback on this one – since it’s really a song about LA. But I’m going to stick up for it’s Georgia-ness, because it’s ultimately a song about figuring out what matters most to you. And for all that Georgia represents giving up on ‘her world’ it also represents the power of love.
But in the end, there could only ever be one choice here. This is my favorite Mountain Goats song, and that’s saying something. It’s so simple, so impossible to resist, so unbearably sad and hopeful and painful and generous all at the same time. And: “The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you, and that you’re standing in the doorway.” Shivers.
p.s. – The Devil Went Down to Georgia! Outkast! Killer Mike! So much great music!
So I requested this when I went to see him in Durham and he won’t play it because I guess someone pointed out to him that it’s a little stalker-y and domestic violence-y. He needs to do a feminist re-write so we can all hear it live again.