Idaho, oh Idaho

Breaking news! My favorite singer songwriter is coming home to do a show in August. All of his songs seem to have something grounded in his home state of Idaho… but the one I reprinted the lyrics to below really puts it out there. I love Josh Ritter (so do Norah Jones and Joan Baez but what do they know about music?). His lyrics are poetry and resonate soundly and his voice is absolutely beautiful. He is virtually unknown in the States, but cheesy as it sounds he is huge in Ireland. It must have something to do with potatoes. Scott met him once up in Moscow and said that he was a really nice guy, I think both Scott and I wish Josh needed a drummer. Anyway, none of you out there in cyberland may care, but I can't wait to see him live. MJ and I were actually considering going to his concert Seattle. Now I'm glad we waited.

http://www.joshritter.com/

Idaho

All that love all those mistakes
What else can a poor man make?
So 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 oh Idaho

Wolves oh wolves oh can't you see?
Ain't no wolf can sing like me
And if it could then I suppose
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 oh Idaho

Out at sea for seven years
I got your letter in Tangier
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 winds to gravel roads
Idaho oh Idaho