The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
 

The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
Jesse Winchester

Oh, my, but you have a pretty face
You favor a girl that I knew
I imagine that she's still in Tennessee
And by God, I should be there, too
I've a sadness too sad to be true

But I left Tennessee in a hurry, dear
In the same way that I'm leaving you
Because love is mainly just memories
And everyone's got him a few
So when I'm gone, I'll be glad to love you

At the brand new Tennessee Waltz
You were literally waltzing on air
At the brand new Tennessee Waltz
There's no telling who will be there

When I leave it'll be like I found you, love
Descending Victorian stairs
I'm feeling like one of your photographs
Trapped while I was putting on airs
And gettin' even by sayin', "who cares?"

At the brand new Tennessee Waltz
You were literally waltzing on air
At the…

Here's Joan Baez singing this song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r2vAr4Aj_Y

And here's Jesse Winchester:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APirVxOpZFk

What do I love about these lyrics? From the get-go, the diction is perfect: "You favor a girl that I knew." But it's the chorus that blows my mind: "You were literally waltzing on air." Well, no, you weren't.
Conclusion: Jesse Winchester deserves to be better known.

Cheers,
John

Update: I just read that Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson play on this album with Jesse.

Thanks, I also never heard of him. The Tennessee Waltz (the "old" one, I suppose, though I don't know which came first) is a great song that has been covered countless times. I enjoy this one very much (as usual, Bonnie Raitt is amazing). I'll have to check out JW when I get a chance.

Hi Roger,

I'm pretty sure the original Tennessee Waltz goes back well past '71 or so when Winchester wrote this. Thanks for the Bonnie Raitt link, she's a great talent.

Cheers,
John

Update: here are details on the original.
Artist: Patti Page
Composer(s): Pee Wee King
Lyricist(s): Redd Stewart
Recorded: December 2, 1947

I can't resist sharing another favorite version of The Tennessee Waltz that's very different from the Raitt/Jones version, but wonderful still: Sam Cooke

It took some buffering, but well worth it: Sam Cooke is the king. When he auditioned for The Soul Stirrers, they said they already had a lead singer. And Sam Cooke said "I can sing him off the stage."
A life tragically cut short by a motel owner with a shotgun, in I think 1964.

Cheers,
John