Iowa (Traveling III) – Dar Williams
Dar Williams can capture a specific feeling better than just about anyone, and this song is one of her finest examples. The feeling of repression that you learn to cultivate, the things that are not discussed, or even acknowledged. The terror of setting yourself free, the fear that knots your heart, the possibility of an endless road in front of you.
And the way you can’t help but turn away from all of that, to look back and lament what you’ve lost.
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
One sidenote: it does feel a little bit ironic that the greatest ever song about Iowa is built around the idea that ‘the hills of Iowa’ make her think of the curves of a beautiful body. I mean, I know Iowa partisans will point out that it’s not quite as flat as you might think, but still…
Really, it isn’t as flat as you think (well, half of it isn’t). Thanks for the song.
She did this song when JCT and I saw her perform!