Last weekend I got to see my favorite songwriter, Josh Ritter, perform his first ever show in my little town. It was a wonderful, outdoor solo show on a perfect autumn night, a needed change of mood from a tough week. Josh plays with such a joy, such a tremendous heart and hope. Today I continue to reflect on that as the week ended again in a way that makes me feel gutted and bleak, and I’m playing more of his music on a long Sunday afternoon.

From his “Girl in the War”:

Because the keys to the kingdom got locked inside the kingdom
And the angels fly around in there, but we can’t see them
And I gotta girl in the war, Paul I know that they can hear me yell
If they can’t find a way to help, they can go to Hell
If they can’t find a way to help her, they can go to Hell

Paul said to Petey “you gotta rock yourself a little harder;
Pretend the dove from above is a dragon and your feet are on fire”
But I gotta girl in the war, Paul her eyes are like champagne
They sparkle, bubble over, in the morning all you got is rain
Sparkle, bubble over, in the morning all you got is rain
They sparkle, bubble over, in the morning all you got is rain