It’s hard to know where to start with Townes Van Zandt. His
haunting ballads have been recorded by so many artists. I suppose “Pancho and
Lefty” is the most well-known of his works, but this early recording of Mr. Van
Zandt performing “Waiting Round to Die” in the movie “Heartworn Highways” is
probably my favorite. It reeks of desperation and sorrow.
Performers such as Mr. Van Zandt are seldom fully
appreciated until after their death. That is the case with Mr. Van Zandt. He
wrote some of the best songs; ones which other artists made into hits; but
somehow never had a hit record himself. Sometimes it just works out like that.
He moved to New York in the 1990’s, where his music
influenced artists such as Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Robert Plant, Gillian
Welch, Norah Jones, Steve Earle and even Keith Richards. He passed away there
on January 1, 1997 due to complications from years of substance abuse. In some
ways, you might say, he was just waiting round to die.
“Waiting Round to
Die”
Sometimes I don't know where
This dirty road is taking me
Sometimes I can't
even see the reason why
I guess I keep
a-gamblin'
Lots of booze and
lots of ramblin'
It's easier than
just waitin' around to die
One time, friends, I had a ma
I even had a pa
He beat her with a belt once 'cause she cried
She told him to take care of me
Headed down to Tennessee
It's easier than just waitin' around to die
I came of age and I found a girl
In a Tuscaloosa bar
She cleaned me out and hit in on the sly
I tried to kill the pain, bought some wine
And hopped a train
Seemed easier than just waitin' around to die
A friend said he knew
Where some easy money was
We robbed a man, and brother did we fly
The posse caught up with me
And drug me back to Muskogee
It's two long years I've been waitin' around to die
Now I'm out of prison
I got me a friend at last
He don't drink or steal or cheat or lie
His name's Codeine
He's the nicest thing I've seen
Together we're gonna wait around and die
Together we're gonna wait around and die
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