Honestly, I'm surprised there haven't been more Justin Townes Earle songs on this list. Part of the problem is that I just don't make that many updates. I've been considering trying to get a post started early in the morning, with the title, list, and all the content that is used on all the posts in this series. Then at work, I could write out the rest of the content. We'll see. There really are songs or melodies in my head every day. I'm missing the point of the series a bit.
Maybe I could come up with a new format of the series to keep it alive. Perhaps I could write down all the songs throughout the week and make one post on Saturday or Sunday with all the songs.
Black Eyed Suzy
Black Eyed Suzy
Justin Townes Earle – "Black Eyed Suzy"
She works the corner
Out on the block where she was raised
And I don't know how but
She finds some comfort
Up amongst the rubble
And the Queen Ann's Lace
But nobody seemed to notice
Her beauty wither away
Oh Black Eyed Suzy girl
How much more can you take
This song seems like it's about a woman, but it also seems like it's about a flower. Let me try that again. It seems like he's giving human traits to a flower. This was lost on me the first dozen or so times I heard the song, probably. It's a fun song.
I've been listening to all of Justin Townes Earle's albums a lot lately. I have a playlist of them I listen to nearly every day. He's been one of my favorite songwriters to listen to lately. Sadly, he passed away in August of last year. Something about singers with troubled souls passing away makes their music almost more interesting to me. I know that's a morbid thing to say. It's true, though.
Black Eyed Suzy is on Justin Townes Earle's second studio album, Midnight at the Movies. The overall feel of that album was old-school country. The musicians backing Earle up on the album play tastefully and skillfully. There's steel guitar, dobro, fiddle, vibraphone, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, piano, and even whistling. Some songs would sound better with only acoustic guitar and vocal, but there are renditions done that way all over YouTube.
Perhaps someday, there will be "deluxe" editions of some of these albums with demo or solo recordings of the songs. I'd love to hear them, if they exist. Only time will tell, I suppose.
Black Eyed Suzy is upbeat and fun with a classic feel. Not all of Justin Townes Earle's songs were. The lyrics to this one seem mostly playful and not drawn from his own life or experiences like some of his other songs are.
"I think that it's the job of the artist to be in transition and constantly learn more."
— Justin Townes Earle
This post is part of an ongoing series in which I document the songs which are in my head immediately upon waking. I've been making them for a long time now.
Do you wake up with songs in your head regularly? What song was in your head this morning? Comment below, I'd love to hear from you!
The list so far
| # | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auli'i Cravalho | How Far I'll Go |
| 2 | Huey Lewis and the News | The Power of Love |
| 3 | Metallica | Sad But True |
| 4 | Metallica | Nothing Else Matters |
| 5 | Metallica | Wherever I May Roam |
| 6 | the pAper chAse | I Did a Terrible Thing |
| 7 | Metallica | Sad But True (Repeat) |
| 8 | Limbeck | Honk + Wave |
| 9 | AC/DC | Back in Black |
| 10 | Patsy Cline | Back in Baby's Arms |
| 11 | The Heligoats | Florida Panther |
| 12 | Patsy Cline | Walkin' After Midnight |
| 13 | Lord Huron | Until the Night Turns |
| 14 | Richard Edwards | Gene |
| 15 | Built to Spill | You Were Right |
| 16 | Richard Edwards | Olive Oyl |
| 17 | Frank Ocean | Sierra Leon |
| 18 | The Thermals | Back to Gray |
| 19 | Pedro The Lion | When They Really Get to Know You, They Will Run |
| 20 | Limbeck | Trouble |
| 21 | All Them Witches | Internet |
| 22 | Pedro The Lion | Keep Swinging |
| 22 | Father John Misty | Please Don't Die |
| 23 | Black Sabbath | Fairies Wear Boots |
| 24 | Father John Misty | Total Entertainment Forever |
| 25 | Cardi B | Best Life |
| 26 | All Them Witches | Call Me Star |
| 27 | Black Sabbath | Sabbath Bloody Sabbath |
| 28 | The Doors | Light My Fire |
| 29 | Al Green | Can't Get Next To You |
| 30 | Guns n' Roses | Civil War |
| 31 | Atlanta Rhythm Section | Spooky |
| 32 | Against Me! | Sink Florida Sink |
| 33 | Paula Abdul | Straight Up |
| 34 | Seals and Croft | Get Closer |
| 35 | Black Mountain | Mothers of the Sun |
| 36 | Hum | The Scientists |
| 37 | The Black Angels | Currency |
| 38 | Spiritualized | Here It Comes (The Road) Let's Go |
| 39 | Guns n' Roses | November Rain |
| 40 | Chris Staples | Times Square |
| 41 | The Get Up Kids | Ten Minutes |
| 42 | Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats | Death's Door |
| 43 | The Roots featuring Erykah Badu | You Got Me |
| 44 | Daryl Hall & John Oates | Rich Girl |
| 45 | The Lemonheads | It's All True |
| 46 | The Snake The Cross The Crown | The Great American Smokeout |
| 47 | Every Time I Die | Map Change |
| 48 | Iron Maiden | The Number of the Beast |
| 49 | Kevin DeVine | Heaven Bound and Glory Be |
| 50 | Wilco | Random Name Generator |
| 51 | Kanye West | All of the Lights |
| 52 | Terrence and Phillip (South Park) | Uncle Fucker |
| 53 | Alice in Chains | Angry Chair |
| 54 | Sturgill Simpson | Keep It Between The Lines |
| 55 | The War on Drugs | Holding On |
| 56 | Nine Inch Nails | Head Like a Hole |
| 57 | Jawbox | Empire of One |
| 58 | Alice in Chains | Rain When I Die |
| 59 | The Snake The Cross The Crown | Cotton Teeth |
| 60 | Crumb | Locket |
| 61 | Chad VanGaalen | Monster |
| 62 | Pedro The Lion | Clean up |
| 63 | The Mars Volta | The Widow |
| 64 | Magnolia Electric Company | Montgomery |
| 65 | The National | Runaway |
| 66 | Mac Miller | Circles |
| 67 | Bright Eyes | Make War |
| 68 | Mac Miller | Good News |
| 69 | Ryan Adams | Chains of Love |
| 70 | Oasis | Don't Look Back in Anger |
| 71 | R. Kelly | Ignition (Remix) |
| 72 | Ryan Adams | Rocks |
| 73 | Mount Eerie | Real Death |
| 74 | Better Living Community Center | Service Road |
| 75 | Lucy Dacus | Strange Torpedo |
| 76 | Wilco | Wishful Thinking |
| 77 | Limbeck | Making the Rounds |
| 78 | The Get Up Kids | Second Place |
| 79 | Shiner | Spinning |
| 80 | Shiner | Glass Jaw Test |
| 81 | Bright Eyes | Hot Knives |
| 82 | Satan (South Park) | I Want to Live Up There |
| 83 | R.E.M. | It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) |
| 84 | Owen | I'm Not Going Anywhere Tonight |
| 85 | The Posies | Solar Sister |
| 86 | The Gloria Record | Good Morning, Providence |
| 87 | Pulp | Pencil Skirt |
| 88 | Phoebe Bridgers | Kyoto |
| 89 | Baroness | Kerosene |
| 90 | Okkervil River | No Key, No Plan |
| 91 | Johnny Cash | Give My Love to Rose |
| 92 | Sierra Ferrell | In Dreams |
| 93 | Clem Snide | Exercise |
| 94 | Townes Van Zandt | Tecumseh Valley |
| 95 | The Flying Burrito Brothers | Sin City |
| 96 | Colter Wall | Caroline |
| 97 | Paul Cauthen | Cocaine Country Dancing |
| 98 | Justin Townes Earle | Black Eyed Suzy |
Posted from my blog with Exxp : https://sharkthelion.com/i-woke-up-with-black-eyed-suzy-in-my-head-today/