I feel like this is the best version of this song. His voice melts my inner being, like I’m experiencing the entire life and loss of a pet in 5 minutes.
The name she gave was caroline Daughter of a miner Her ways were free It seemed to me That sunshine walked beside her She came from spencer Across the hill She said her pa had sent her 'cause the coal was low And soon the snow Would turn the skies to winter She said she'd come To look for work She was not seeking favors And for a dime a day And a place to stay She'd turn those hands to labor But the times were hard, lord, The jobs were few All through tecumseh valley But she asked around And a job she found Tending bar at gypsy sally's She saved enough to get back home When spring replaced the winter But her dreams were denied Her pa had died The word come down from spencer So she turned to whorin' out on the streets With all the lust inside her And it was many a man Returned again To lay himself beside her They found her down beneath the stairs That led to gypsy sally's In her hand when she died Was a note that cried Fare thee well... Tecumseh valley The name she gave was caroline Daughter of a miner Her ways were free It seemed to me That sunshine walked beside her
Townes Van Zandt stands alone as the greatest troubadour and most genuine poetic songwriter of all time. He never sold out. Genuine. Authentic! The real deal! You are missed, Townes. Thanks for the music you left for us. It makes a difference!!
master storyteller and poet, there is barely 200 words in the song but it creates a landscape that is so real, the tragedy in the song is vivid, almost like the classic tragedies of the Greek poets.
Well said. Great songwriters can do that. Jim Croce's "Operator" does that, too...not many words at all...and Willie Nelson's CRAZY is another. And "Memphis" by Chuck Berry. Also Joey Dugan's songs "Rachel Weeps", "Eddie Doyle Sang Danny Boy" or "I Am Not You"
Townes was a truly great musician in every sense of the word! The proper recognition he so very much deserved, eluded him for most of his life. As a musician I know how unfair it can be. I only got to meet him twice, but im thankful for the memories. Experience in fighting my own demons, and still do now, allowed me to see that behind the facade, he was a sad and troubled man, and I think he died not knowing just how much he really meant to people. Depression has claimed the lives of so many talented people. The torment of it is feeling unable to figure out why and powerless to stop it from beating the hell out of you for your entire life! I think he'd be proud knowing that he actually did achieve the main goal he claimed to have designed himself. Which was that his life would run out long before his music ever would.
19 now and still every time i play townes it just floods me in overwhelming emotion. He was simply an amazing poet and storyteller. Easily my favorite of all time. Rest easy.
It's two lines "She took to whoring" and "They found her underneath the stairs" They shock you. You don't want to believe it...just like when you hear about a real death.
Whilst other songwriters may possess more scope of feeling in their songs, no one can deliver a gentle, beautiful, emphatic dagger to the heart like Townes.
Picked up an album in the "cut-out bin" in college, called The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Never heard of him at the time, but SO GLAD I discovered his music.
First heard this sing covered by Nancy Griffith. I immediately recognized it as written by a songwriter with a very unique gift. Townes was amazing. His songs are heritage like Guthrie's.
Guy Clark wrote a great tune called Stuff That Works. Townes IS stuff that works. Stuff that works, stuff that holds up The kind of stuff you don’t hang on the wall Stuff that’s real, stuff you feel The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall
Astonishing is the right word...that's exactly how I felt the first time I heard it........Like a 19th century painter who becomes fascintated with a prostitute...the sadness and beauty both.
Fare thee well, Tecumseh Valley, emotions pinnacle in this one I think. What a moment. Especially following the preceding “it was many a man that returned again, to lay himself beside her.” Sunlight incarnate attempting to weather an overly cold world at an overly hard time. I always wonder when I hear these songs despite details being changed if Townes or other greats in this form are speaking of specific individuals or stories they’ve known personally..? In the more traditional folk sense where it was the music of folks based on their surroundings or if rather it’s all created fiction. Either way it’s no less stunning but I’m curious who he saw in his mind when he sung the most heartfelt lines of this one.
The cool thing about these lyrics is the timelessness. It sounds like it was written in the 1890s instead of the 1970s. "the daughter of a miner" Why does that ring a bell? "Lived a miner, 49er, and his daughter Clementine" Caroline-Clementine. Early deaths for both..one comic, one startlingly tragic...."The name she gave" rather than "She said her name" You can take it apart piece by piece to see how he made it magic.....
It's weird that I listen to heavy metal grunge etc, but damn if I don't love townes. Just something about the words and the realness of his voice just gets me.
@@joemarshall4226 first off please don't pretend you know just from one comment what I listen to. And I don't need to grow up. Singer song.writers are not a sign of maturity
Same man. I got introduced to Townes by a cover album by a lot sludge, stoner and doom artists. They just do it all in acoustic and give their own spin to it. They made Tecumseh Valley even more heartbreaking than the original in a good way where you really empathize with Caroline more than you do already. Album; Songs of Townes Van Zandt. There's three volumes. Vol 2 has a cover of If I Needed You that warms and pulls at the heart simultaneously.
In those same years Townes visited in Helsinki. Before the gig he was having a drink in the bar. I recognized, but I did not have the guts to go to talk. Shit, I could have started, can I get You a drink. Later On stage, it came as a surpise to him, what a devoted audience he had in Sinking in Hell. 😊mb
"cause the coal was low and soon the snow would turn the skies to winter" Urghhhhh. This is from Live at the Old Quarter, far far better than the album version. Amazing.
@@joemarshall4226 oh marie’s great but yeah it’s destitute and hopeless from square one. Tecumseth is sadder imo because there was beauty, because sunshine walked beside her.
Me encantaría escuchar la versión del banjo, dado q él la escribió para el banjo. Me imagino q se le tocaba con más ritmo. No obstante, q preciosa esa canción.
The loneliness of need it aint that far from here as recognizable as the way she passed is the way she came in , why ever knows. She smiled in the morning despite it all and in spite she struggles on then realizes that home is gone, and is spite she left the way she came in.
i prefer the version where he says she took to walk the streets and many a man came to walk beside her it leaves more hiddden i think although the song is amazing when he just kind of throws the whorin out there it's not as ood i don't think townes is still amazing i just think sometime you can leave it to imagination
The thing about this song is.....you don't know if the incident took place in 1980 or 1880. There is a timeless Western thing going on in the lyrics that makes it archetypal. That's why the word "whorin'" is so powerful...it's such an 1800s word......and the phrase "took to whorin" sounds like something Huckleberry Finn might have said when he got a little older.....good songwriters are never fully satisfied with their lyrics.
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"The sunshine walked beside her." Pure poetry!
it seemed to me
I love that line as well! Truly a deep song (like so many of his) one of my all-time faves!
I’ve heard this song a thousand times and I can never get through it without choking back tears. So much said in so few words. Simply amazing.
Its a perfect story
It gets hard sometimes. And the gentle truth makes us remember
I may be alone now
But the damn story keeps going
I feel like this is the best version of this song. His voice melts my inner being, like I’m experiencing the entire life and loss of a pet in 5 minutes.
I know Townes wrote this song, this is my favorite version of his.
Absolutely. None of the studio albums come close to his live performances
His song Marie can turn you inside out, and leave you quaking for days........
@@joemarshall4226 absolutely
Listen to Charley Crocketts live version, incredible
Townes really had this ability to write songs that'd just beat up your heart and soul, didn't he
Townes is right there with Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and Phil Ochs, as a great American songwriter.
They are my other TOP FAVORITES ...so I MUST SAY SO! & "P.L.U.R"!
Bob agrees. He told Townes that he had all his albums! And don't fgret John Prine.
I agree
yeah, get rid of the rest of your list though
@@joemarshall4226 John Prine is incredible Joe.
This touches me so deeply. Townes had a hard life and it shows in his writing and his voice. Beautiful song by my 8th cousin.
The melancholy runs still deeper seeing how obscure Townes remains.
His legend is growing. He'll be remembered long after some lesser, but more popular, songwriters.
Didn't realize til the end this was live. Damn that a good performance
The name she gave was caroline
Daughter of a miner
Her ways were free
It seemed to me
That sunshine walked beside her
She came from spencer
Across the hill
She said her pa had sent her
'cause the coal was low
And soon the snow
Would turn the skies to winter
She said she'd come
To look for work
She was not seeking favors
And for a dime a day
And a place to stay
She'd turn those hands to labor
But the times were hard, lord,
The jobs were few
All through tecumseh valley
But she asked around
And a job she found
Tending bar at gypsy sally's
She saved enough to get back home
When spring replaced the winter
But her dreams were denied
Her pa had died
The word come down from spencer
So she turned to whorin' out on the streets
With all the lust inside her
And it was many a man
Returned again
To lay himself beside her
They found her down beneath the stairs
That led to gypsy sally's
In her hand when she died
Was a note that cried
Fare thee well... Tecumseh valley
The name she gave was caroline
Daughter of a miner
Her ways were free
It seemed to me
That sunshine walked beside her
Great Post! Such Beautiful and Sad Song!
Townes Van Zandt stands alone as the greatest troubadour and most genuine poetic songwriter of all time. He never sold out. Genuine. Authentic! The real deal!
You are missed, Townes. Thanks for the music you left for us. It makes a difference!!
@@eddeslauriers135 You said that perfectly, Ed! I lift my IPA to you!
master storyteller and poet, there is barely 200 words in the song but it creates a landscape that is so real, the tragedy in the song is vivid, almost like the classic tragedies of the Greek poets.
great comment
Well said. Great songwriters can do that. Jim Croce's "Operator" does that, too...not many words at all...and Willie Nelson's CRAZY is another. And "Memphis" by Chuck Berry. Also Joey Dugan's songs "Rachel Weeps", "Eddie Doyle Sang Danny Boy" or "I Am Not You"
This song is heartbreakingly tender and sad... Fare thee well Tecumseh Valley...
Townes was a truly great musician in every sense of the word! The proper recognition he so very much deserved, eluded him for most of his life. As a musician I know how unfair it can be. I only got to meet him twice, but im thankful for the memories. Experience in fighting my own demons, and still do now, allowed me to see that behind the facade, he was a sad and troubled man, and I think he died not knowing just how much he really meant to people. Depression has claimed the lives of so many talented people.
The torment of it is feeling unable to figure out why and powerless to stop it from beating the hell out of you for your entire life! I think he'd be proud knowing that he actually did achieve the main goal he claimed to have designed himself. Which was that his life would run out long before his music ever would.
Behind what facade? He battled depression and addiction all his life, and made no attempt to hide it.
@@chainmatrix I understand what you mean but when you have depression you’re always hiding it. From yourself. That’s how you get through the day.
What facade
@@chainmatrix I made the exact comment, what facade before I read your s, fair play
It wasn't the depression...it was the drug use.
Man. There will never be another Townes... One of the greatest ever.
19 now and still every time i play townes it just floods me in overwhelming emotion. He was simply an amazing poet and storyteller. Easily my favorite of all time. Rest easy.
Townes gave more of himself in 1 song than most performers do in a lifetime! No wonder we all still love and respect him after all this time.
Townes died some years ago...I still hear his voice, in my head
with you all the way judith------So many years .....so many tears...Godamm I miss him
First I heard this song my heart almost up and died. Fare thee well Townes.
It's two lines "She took to whoring" and "They found her underneath the stairs" They shock you. You don't want to believe it...just like when you hear about a real death.
All of his songs speak of things I may not understand first hand, but feel deeply that I have
one of the greats with all the soul and sadness in his voice is heartfelt. what a legend
The story of one person can be the story of all mankind.
Now that's a poem right there!
This song always brings me tears.
Whilst other songwriters may possess more scope of feeling in their songs, no one can deliver a gentle, beautiful, emphatic dagger to the heart like Townes.
Picked up an album in the "cut-out bin" in college, called The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Never heard of him at the time, but SO GLAD I discovered his music.
I absolutely love how sad this song is
In the late 80's friend said to me this is worth listening. Surely has been ever since... Mb
That friend was my musical guide in the 80's. Fantastic friend. M
He was a great troubadour. Miss him.
Such a beautiful , heartbreaking song.
First heard this sing covered by Nancy Griffith. I immediately recognized it as written by a songwriter with a very unique gift. Townes was amazing. His songs are heritage like Guthrie's.
amazing song. masterpiece. this song hit me like a buick first time I heard it--nanci Griffith version. she introduced me to Townes. so good
beautiful
Guy Clark wrote a great tune called Stuff That Works. Townes IS stuff that works.
Stuff that works, stuff that holds up
The kind of stuff you don’t hang on the wall
Stuff that’s real, stuff you feel
The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall
Jason Isbell is the Townes of this generation
Townes is true Americana, We have fewer and fewer left
Astonishing song. Only discovering this wonderful songwriter now.
Astonishing is the right word...that's exactly how I felt the first time I heard it........Like a 19th century painter who becomes fascintated with a prostitute...the sadness and beauty both.
As a 10th generation Montanan I am proud to boast his early residency in Billings along with Charlie Pride in Helena
eunice was my friend .. you are in my heart forevever.
Steve Earle lived in his van in Townes driveway to learn all he could from Townes.
I love his song. Imma get a dog and call him Townes.
one of Americas greatest poets
a genuine artist
One of my favourites
I wish I had money to pay for this. This music is worth it
Tragically beautiful........
sunshine walked beside her. 💓
i would really love to hear why 3 people gave this a thumbs down... maybe they just can't appreciate music from the bottom of the soul
faithful827 because they have a point of view and opinion that differs from yours
they don't know what real music is
Stupid people. No idea about real music.
faithful827 They’re prob used to a cover & can’t sing along to the original.
It's 25 now. Makes you wonder about people.
Fort Worth's finest!
Awesome in the best sense of the word. This is just one of many of his great songs.
Fare thee well, Tecumseh Valley, emotions pinnacle in this one I think. What a moment. Especially following the preceding “it was many a man that returned again, to lay himself beside her.” Sunlight incarnate attempting to weather an overly cold world at an overly hard time. I always wonder when I hear these songs despite details being changed if Townes or other greats in this form are speaking of specific individuals or stories they’ve known personally..? In the more traditional folk sense where it was the music of folks based on their surroundings or if rather it’s all created fiction. Either way it’s no less stunning but I’m curious who he saw in his mind when he sung the most heartfelt lines of this one.
A legend that the world should know. But don't. RIP Townes!
I have 5 daughters and this song breaks my heart
Perfect.
The coal was low
And soon the snow
Would turn the skies to winter
Greatest songwriter ever
The cool thing about these lyrics is the timelessness. It sounds like it was written in the 1890s instead of the 1970s. "the daughter of a miner" Why does that ring a bell? "Lived a miner, 49er, and his daughter Clementine" Caroline-Clementine. Early deaths for both..one comic, one startlingly tragic...."The name she gave" rather than "She said her name" You can take it apart piece by piece to see how he made it magic.....
It's weird that I listen to heavy metal grunge etc, but damn if I don't love townes. Just something about the words and the realness of his voice just gets me.
Steer away from the metal and toward the singer-songwriters.....you'll do better...it's part of groing up.
@@joemarshall4226 first off please don't pretend you know just from one comment what I listen to. And I don't need to grow up. Singer song.writers are not a sign of maturity
@@stevesnodgrass7434 I was just joking...didn't mean to offend you. You can listen to whatever you like.
Same man. I got introduced to Townes by a cover album by a lot sludge, stoner and doom artists. They just do it all in acoustic and give their own spin to it.
They made Tecumseh Valley even more heartbreaking than the original in a good way where you really empathize with Caroline more than you do already.
Album; Songs of Townes Van Zandt. There's three volumes. Vol 2 has a cover of If I Needed You that warms and pulls at the heart simultaneously.
@@thawedantarctican2171 cool thanks man I will give it a listen. I have been getting into this drummer from Europe Thomas lang.
In those same years Townes visited in Helsinki. Before the gig he was having a drink in the bar. I recognized, but I did not have the guts to go to talk. Shit, I could have started, can I get You a drink. Later On stage, it came as a surpise to him, what a devoted audience he had in Sinking in Hell. 😊mb
That I robbed from Patti Smith😊. M
"cause the coal was low and soon the snow would turn the skies to winter" Urghhhhh. This is from Live at the Old Quarter, far far better than the album version. Amazing.
his songs make me relax
Beautiful
Love his version of Lost Highway. Feels like the story of my life.
Absolutely the saddest song ever written.
Try Marie.
@@kalumwi or this... th-cam.com/video/_INemxKjMZs/w-d-xo.html
I agree, But how do you feel about 16 summers and 15 falls?
@@kalumwi you're a man of culture.
Marie is my pick... but dang Townes really has a way with words
Anyone with an ear for from the soul gets it others should be in awe
heartworn highway is a cool movie with townes, guy clark, steve earle, coe. I like the buzzed version of silent night they all sing at the table
love the picture .. and the music of course
Yes. All Texans are amazing.. Unfortunately there was only one Townes. We still have Willie and Robert Earl Keen though.
you forgot guy clark RIP
Dont forget about Jerry Jeff Walker.
Townes and SRV, this are my biggest Texas favorites
Joe Ely......Christmas With the Family by Robert...what a song!
Such talent
I submit this to friends and lovers when the topic of "saddest ever song" comes up.
@Andrew Becker I'll second that.
@@mik9napkin598 Sorry, but it's second to his song MARIE....but maybe that's too stark to be called sad...it's more...STUNNING
@@joemarshall4226 oh marie’s great but yeah it’s destitute and hopeless from square one. Tecumseth is sadder imo because there was beauty, because sunshine walked beside her.
What a song!
Me encantaría escuchar la versión del banjo, dado q él la escribió para el banjo. Me imagino q se le tocaba con más ritmo. No obstante, q preciosa esa canción.
Beautiful. Finally found the best version again, not the one with Jack Clement's awful production...
Sunshine...walked beside her
The loneliness of need it aint that far from here as recognizable as the way she passed is the way she came in , why ever knows. She smiled in the morning despite it all and in spite she struggles on then realizes that home is gone, and is spite she left the way she came in.
Everyone come visit Gypsy Sally's in Georgetown Washington, DC - them music there cannot be beat!
He needed to meet Charles Bokowski. There were brothers . Poets and real.
help the folks who don"t understand
forgive them, for they know not what they do
This!
This song is so very sad
I don't trust a person who doesn't feel when they hear this song.
the man and his chicken. RIP Townes
Thank you for posting this, eggcetrafarms.
Has anyone heard the version of this song that is in a much faster tempo?....I used to own it....
I've got the faster version. I prefer it.
The only version that compares is Nanci Griffith at the tribute concert.
Yup
Listen to Griffith’s version in Norway.
Live at the old quarter is pretty good
does anyone know where to find the jason isbell and elisabeth Cook cover version of this?
are most texans like this??
Some, yes
Yep everyone of us !!!
Yep
...worth to be rescued!
Soul line 1
Love his version of Rolloin Stone.
Missed a key. Lost highway
Guy Clark and Ray Wylie Hubbard
poet.
Where can one find this version??
I just became very very sad
me too. times is hard
I've been sad for roughly 15 years......Good times... Or something of that nature..
....but with a deep lining of sadness.
Who on 'Mericas green earth thumbs this song down? Like, WTF?
I grew up listening to Townes but just now realizing the part with the note means she killed herself :/ I’m sad now lol
Great Texan, but what about kristofferson
Blame it on The Stones !!
Najsmutniejsza piosenka jaką znam...
I prefer the Nanci Griffith version. It seems to flow better.
Absolutely agree with you.
the coal was low
daughterrrrrrr ova minerrrr
Spotify versions fucking suck compared to this one. Thank you for that
thankful *
no Scott jelly didn't perform it better. imo.
like Tom Waits
i prefer the version where he says she took to walk the streets and many a man came to walk beside her it leaves more hiddden i think although the song is amazing when he just kind of throws the whorin out there it's not as ood i don't think townes is still amazing i just think sometime you can leave it to imagination
The thing about this song is.....you don't know if the incident took place in 1980 or 1880. There is a timeless Western thing going on in the lyrics that makes it archetypal. That's why the word "whorin'" is so powerful...it's such an 1800s word......and the phrase "took to whorin" sounds like something Huckleberry Finn might have said when he got a little older.....good songwriters are never fully satisfied with their lyrics.