When I first got the news of a friend's death a couple years back, I hit the whiskey and listened to McMurtry's "Rachel's Song" and "No More Buffalo" on repeat -- perfect background music for self-pity. Since then I've gotten sober, with a little help from Jason Isbell's words. Listening to Isbell sing this -- he, too, sober -- it's like a snapshot of the person I used to be, but it feels like things have come full circle, too. That's the power of music, if you ask me.
Isbell inspired me to get sober, I found the love of my life who stayed with me. Gave me two beautiful step kids and a daughter this past March. July 5th 2019 is when I put the bottle down.
@@scarfacewannabe101 Hell yeah, man. Hold on like hel to that train and do your best not to fall off. If you do, it’s not a shame, just get back up and jump back on it.
“No More Buffalo”has alway hit home at different points in my life over 20 years to the point I’ve come to realize some change is due when it’s come up and sat with me hard.
One thing I know about Jason Isbell after just starting to get into him a bit is that he's got some damned good taste in who he listens to and pals around with. It's the same group that I listen to and would love to pal around with.
Well in Georgia James opens for Jason...not putting either above the other by any means here. I was elated to hear Jason do this song. Its one of my favorite songs. Long live McMurty and Isbell!
The song is written from the perspective of a man whose wife / mother of his son(Rachel) has committed suicide. And the emotional aftermath of that tragic event. I appreciate him not wanting to bum his audience out, but i find it disrespectful to the song to not tell the true meaning. Or he is simply a fool. He does perform the song very well though. By not telling the real meaning he devalues the lyrics.
Interested to learn where you came across this interpretation. Did you hear McMurtry say this in an interview, or at one of his shows, for instance? Or does that track some part of his (real-world) life? I've long thought this was about a divorce, separation, or even long trip, where his wife - the mother of his boy - has gone off, leaving the narrator with the unfamiliar task of raising his son alone. Yet, contrary to both our takes, this piece suggests an entirely different - and unexpected - one. chelseyheath.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/songwritier-james-mcmurtry-creates-characters-weaves-his-songs-from-their-thoughts/ "McMurtry said writing from a place that isn’t necessarily autobiographical can get him into trouble. Listeners will sometimes assume that each song is sung from his point of view. He is especially bemused at people who try to imagine “Rachel’s Song,” a woman’s story of coming to terms with raising her son alone, from a male point of view."
@@aronroberts It's so funny. I alway thought this song was about the protagonist rachel who was alone raising her kid after her husband left them. I was surprised to hear Jason say it was the man raising the kid. Anyways, either way I don't think it matters much. It's a story of sadness, resignation, hopelessness. And somehow, despite those uncomfortable feelings, it strikes a certain chord and is so satisfying for me to listen to. I don't understand why it does that, but it just does.
@@tomokra I guess that's the nature of songs and all art for that matter. Once you write it or draw it or whatever, and put it out in the world, it's no longer yours in a way and subject to the interpretation of whoever spends time with it.
James said in an interview that " he is especially bemused at people who try to imagine Rachel's Song, a woman's story of coming to terms with raising her son alone, from a male point of view". That's a direct quote from a ten year old interview he had with music journalist, Chelsey Heath. But then, music is art and the listener is free to interpret a song to mean whatever they like. Myself, I always thought it was from a woman's perspective, something he does better than anybody that I've ever heard. He does the same thing in "Lights of Cheyenne". He and Jason are my favorite song writers today and their music is constantly on loop in music I listen to every day. But that suicide interpretation is really a stretch and I can't wrap my head around that at all. But then, I don't have to because it's not in my head.
Isbell and McMurtry. 2 best songwriters. Period.
When I first got the news of a friend's death a couple years back, I hit the whiskey and listened to McMurtry's "Rachel's Song" and "No More Buffalo" on repeat -- perfect background music for self-pity. Since then I've gotten sober, with a little help from Jason Isbell's words. Listening to Isbell sing this -- he, too, sober -- it's like a snapshot of the person I used to be, but it feels like things have come full circle, too. That's the power of music, if you ask me.
Isbell inspired me to get sober, I found the love of my life who stayed with me. Gave me two beautiful step kids and a daughter this past March. July 5th 2019 is when I put the bottle down.
@@scarfacewannabe101 Hell yeah, man. Hold on like hel to that train and do your best not to fall off. If you do, it’s not a shame, just get back up and jump back on it.
“No More Buffalo”has alway hit home at different points in my life over 20 years to the point I’ve come to realize some change is due when it’s come up and sat with me hard.
I love to see great artists covering other great artists songs. It shows respect and give insight into what inspires great musicians.
It's amazing how this kid can bring just about anything to the highest level .. 😊
One thing I know about Jason Isbell after just starting to get into him a bit is that he's got some damned good taste in who he listens to and pals around with. It's the same group that I listen to and would love to pal around with.
Two of my favourite songwriters
Love them both and a great version by Jason
Who says music has nothing to offer
Awesome song
Well in Georgia James opens for Jason...not putting either above the other by any means here. I was elated to hear Jason do this song. Its one of my favorite songs. Long live McMurty and Isbell!
Amazing version. Love them both immensely. True story. I struggle with sobriety also. True story. My first born is Matthew King.
@@kellyking9632 Keep fighting, you can do this, I'm thinking about you. Use Jason's real life story and "Rachel's Song".
Nice version. I like how his voice gives it tones McMurtry doesn't due to less range or lower range...This is really enjoyable
Jason is one of those singers that could sing pages from the phone book and it would sound great.
Love it!
i wrecked the el camino
love.
As much as I love this song, I am glad that Jason quit before it killed him.
The song is written from the perspective of a man whose wife / mother of his son(Rachel) has committed suicide. And the emotional aftermath of that tragic event. I appreciate him not wanting to bum his audience out, but i find it disrespectful to the song to not tell the true meaning. Or he is simply a fool. He does perform the song very well though. By not telling the real meaning he devalues the lyrics.
Interested to learn where you came across this interpretation.
Did you hear McMurtry say this in an interview, or at one of his shows, for instance? Or does that track some part of his (real-world) life?
I've long thought this was about a divorce, separation, or even long trip, where his wife - the mother of his boy - has gone off, leaving the narrator with the unfamiliar task of raising his son alone.
Yet, contrary to both our takes, this piece suggests an entirely different - and unexpected - one.
chelseyheath.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/songwritier-james-mcmurtry-creates-characters-weaves-his-songs-from-their-thoughts/
"McMurtry said writing from a place that isn’t necessarily autobiographical can get him into trouble. Listeners will sometimes assume that each song is sung from his point of view. He is especially bemused at people who try to imagine “Rachel’s Song,” a woman’s story of coming to terms with raising her son alone, from a male point of view."
@@aronroberts It's so funny. I alway thought this song was about the protagonist rachel who was alone raising her kid after her husband left them. I was surprised to hear Jason say it was the man raising the kid. Anyways, either way I don't think it matters much. It's a story of sadness, resignation, hopelessness. And somehow, despite those uncomfortable feelings, it strikes a certain chord and is so satisfying for me to listen to. I don't understand why it does that, but it just does.
@@Paul-nf6ed that's exactly what I thought and I'm puzzled that Jason and everybody else takes it the way they do ...
@@tomokra I guess that's the nature of songs and all art for that matter. Once you write it or draw it or whatever, and put it out in the world, it's no longer yours in a way and subject to the interpretation of whoever spends time with it.
James said in an interview that " he is especially bemused at people who try to imagine Rachel's Song, a woman's story of coming to terms with raising her son alone, from a male point of view". That's a direct quote from a ten year old interview he had with music journalist, Chelsey Heath. But then, music is art and the listener is free to interpret a song to mean whatever they like. Myself, I always thought it was from a woman's perspective, something he does better than anybody that I've ever heard. He does the same thing in "Lights of Cheyenne". He and Jason are my favorite song writers today and their music is constantly on loop in music I listen to every day. But that suicide interpretation is really a stretch and I can't wrap my head around that at all. But then, I don't have to because it's not in my head.