In Color

For a city girl, I do like my country music. I’ve never found a country radio station here in New York City, but on the music section of my cable tv, I have a number of country stations, including one that plays bluegrass and good ole country. I have always relied on the awards shows to give me a little hit of country, but lately the music is more pop ( Carrie Underwood) than country ( Charlie Daniels.)

Still, last Wednesday night I watched the CMA awards. I was rooting for Jamey Johnson to pick up an award for his song In Color, which sure has a lot of country in it. And I jumped up, sang and cheered when In Color won the Best Song award. You can see Jamey perform it on this YouTube.

Courtesy of Cowboy Lyrics.com here are the first two lines:

“I said, Grandpa what’s this picture here It’s all black and white and ain’t real clear”

For the rest of the song, Grandpa talks about what was underneath the pictures taken during the Great Depression, in World War 11 and at Grandma and Grandpa’s wedding.

Again, courtesy of Cowboy Lyrics, here is the song’s finale:

“That’s the story of my life

Right there in black and white

And if it looks like we were scared to death

Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other

You should have seen it in color

A picture’s worth a thousand words

But you can’t see what those shades of gray keep covered

You should have seen it in color”

I loved the song the first time I heard it. If it comes on while I am puttering around the house, I will stop and listen with full attention. I sing it constantly. (Yes that was me behind you on line in the market yesterday.)

After all, isn’t that what we writers do? We take the thousand words in shades of gray, we layer in the color and we bring the story to life. At least, that’s the goal.

Terrie