Today’s post was written by Paul.
In the early 2000’s, Dish Network had audio channels that played just black screens with audio, with text showing the name of the artist, song title, and record label floating around the screen. Pap often kept the satellite at his house tuned to the classic country station. They played shuffled music from a pretty wide collection of songs. Of course, they played the standard fare, like Haggard and Williams, etc., but they also played songs from some singers that I hadn’t heard before, like Ernie Ashworth, Henson Cargill, and Wilma Burgess. If you’ve never heard them before, you should check out their music, especially Burgess singing, “Misty Blue” and Cargill’s “Skip a Rope.”
The channel played a song called “I’m a Fool” and “Jody and the Kid.” I often heard the music from another room in the house, and when these songs came on, I tried to recognize the singer. At first, I thought it sounded a little like Eddy Arnold, then I though it sounded like Eddy Arnold combined with Burl Ives.
When I finally happened to be in the room at the same time the songs were playing, I discovered that it was Roy Drusky. He had a very unique voice, and he exercised impressive control over it. The note that he held over many beats in the chorus of “I’m a Fool” is a good example of what I’m talking about. He also did a fantastic job on “All My Friends are Gonna Be Strangers.”
For around 10 years, I thought of “Jody and the Kid” only as Drusky’s song. At some point, someone gave me a CD of Kris Kristofferson (I think it might have been Matt, Tipper’s husband), and I learned that Kristofferson wrote the song. I wasn’t surprised. I knew that Kristofferson is something of a literary genius.
Something about the melody and alliteration of this song feels and sounds just like a dewy morning in the spring or summer… There are several country songs that deal with this same topic: an older boy who only gradually or reluctantly comes to view a younger girl romantically.
The Glaser Brothers had one called, “Big Brother.” In most of the songs, the boy/man realizes it too late, and the girl/woman moves on to an interest in someone else. “Jody and the Kid” is the only one I can think of offhand where they wind up together. However, the ending is still sad.
When the narrator says, “It gets a little lonesome when I hear somebody saying, ‘Looky yonder, there goes Jody and the Kid,” I can’t help but conclude that the wife/mother has died. Perhaps it could be that she simply left the man and abandoned the daughter, but something makes me feel that it’s more likely that she died.
You can let me know in the comments what you think caused the separation. I think the song is better for having not explicitly explained what happened. A little mystery is good in any song.
This song is nothing like the first three in this year’s song series, but I realized that there is at least one connection: someone dies in all four songs. When I thought about 2-3 other songs that I had considered including in this year’s series, I realized that someone dies in all of them too! I don’t think I’m so morbid that I gravitated towards songs with death. I think that death is just naturally a part of most great stories.
I think this video turned out pretty good, considering that Tipper didn’t really know the song, and we were a bit out of tune. The reason we had done it three times before this take is because the Flip Cam failed to record the first few attempts, and we had to switch over to Tipper’s camera. I’m not sure why the Flip Cam failed us. It may have reached the end of its lifespan. I think the audio is actually better with it (when it works) than with Tipper’s camera, though her camera was much more expensive! Don’t tell her I said that. 🙂
Thanks so much for watching this year’s story song series. Please tune in next month for a birthday tribute to the great Ira Louvin. To see the lyrics to “Jody and the Kid” click here.
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
Paul
I’ve listened to this song for years. . .incorrectly. I always thought the narrator was Jody. I could see an adult Jody having a kid follow him around. But then it got confusing. Did he marry her after she grew up? And did another kid start following him later?
Wow. What a difference a little piece of information makes. When I realized “the kid” was the narrator, the song went from slightly creepy to melancholy and nostalgist.
Thanks
Beautifully done. Thank you.
Does sound to me like mama passed. Thanks for another Sunday song Paul and Tipper.
Thanks for an enjoyable song. Paul has a good voice and, Tipper, you and Paul did fine playing the music!
Terrific job on the song! I haven’t heard this one in ages. I love Kris Kristofferson’s singing and the songs he wrote. Most people don’t know he is absolutely brilliant.
What a great voice! Nice job, Tipper!
Oohhh I can’t wait for next month! I’m a big Louvin brothers fan. I’ve never heard of this month’s but I’ll take older music over newer any day. My friends and family often make fun of my taste in music because I like some of all of it. In the days of burning your own cd’s mine were a mix-up of everything. It would go from classic country to rock to bluegrass to current country and even have a few hip-hop/rap songs…if you can call those songs lol.
Paul when I heard it it put me in mind of Bobby Goldsboro not sure why but it was the first thing that hit me. Great song y’all did it fine. Kris K. is a pretty great singer songwriter. But can I say you have a very unique voice, so honest, I’m not saying it well but it just makes you feel the songs you sing. I hope that makes sense. And you and pap together, oh my, just awesome. Thanks for the songs.
Tipper–Today’s post by Paul was a great treat, in no small measure because it features a song with which I was unfamiliar (and I thought I was conversant with pretty much everything “old” in the way of country and bluegrass music). Some index to that is that every other song Paul mentions in the narrative is one with which I’m quite familiar.
It’s no wonder Kris Kristofferson was a Rhodes Scholar. The combined simplicity, subtlety, sweetness, and hints of sorrow in this song attest to his genius. I greatly admire his songwriting but there’s so much more to him. In essence he’s a Renaissance man.
Thank you, Paul, for another great song! The singing was wonderful, and you and Tipper did a fine job. Thank you also for your descriptions and research of these songs. It makes them even more enjoyable. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I will be 80 years old in just a few days and I listened to all these artists that Paul mentioned. Roy Drusky was a favorite of mine in the ‘50’s. Roy was from Georgia. I met Cargill at the Music Mart in Smyrna GA when “Skip A Rope” was a hit. I knew the Glaser brothers in Nashville. Especially Tompall as he and Waylon were buddies. The Glasers had the best harmony I ever heard. I was fortunate enough to get to Nashville when all the old timers were still around and Nashville was like a country store. The Hall of Fame Motor Inn was part of Music Row and everybody hung out at the restaurant and lounge. I often had coffee with people like Chet Atkins, Faron Young or George Jones. Just a bunch of good ole boys. Good job, Paul.
The more I thought about it, I guess it was more in the 90s that I actually paid attention to the meanings of songs. So a lot of the folk type songs, I only remember from the public television telethons. For the last fifteen years, Paul has been wearing me down on my non-interest in folk type songs. I use to cover my ears and run out of the room whenever that type of music came on. But his written descriptions and listening to him and your family sing them, has given me a different view of them. Paul has had a way of convincing me to really listen to music beyond the singers name and genre. Folk songs, Elvis, the Beatles, rap type music …. all have never been my taste – not that I ever think I will hear Paul do any rap music on this channel – : ).
Donna. : )
Paul and Tipper are worked in between tiny plants sitting around! Also, you both sounded terrific this morning and I enjoyed “Jody and the Kid.” It has a light air and is pleasant and easy to listen to so I liked this song a lot. I know a woman from Charlotte whose aunt married Kris Kristofferson. She used to spend some holidays with them in NYC. Her aunt married a Coolidge and if I’m not mistaken she said his name was Dick. She said Rita and Chris are nice people. Oh well, I always kinda liked Chris Kristofferson, but on a scale of 1 to 10, he’s no more than 4 or 5 to me… the hair thing is out of control so there’s that. Lol have an awesome day and I will be in Charlotte on April 7 flying out Midwest. Gee, I adore Charlotte! Wish me luck.
You and Paul were wonderful! As soon as Paul started singing this song, I immediately thought of Kris Kristofferson. Paul sounds so much like him in this video. I don’t know a lot of Kristofferson’s songs, but I do know his voice. I love Johnny Cash, and associate Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings all with Johnny Cash because of The Highwayman album. By the time I was really paying attention to music, the melody and words, it was in the 80s, and it was a mostly country music. Prior to that, music was just sound coming out of the radio that I heard in the background of my life, but was too busy being a kid to really contemplate anything about. I had never heard this song until Friday afternoon when it posted on your channel. You guys sounded great, and I enjoyed Paul’s description he wrote. He always does an excellent job on writing his descriptions.
Donna. : )
Paul,
The tune of this song kind of reminds me of a song written by Kris Kristofferson, “Me and Bobby McGee?”
Not 100% sure if the tunes are similar, but the tune made me think of that particular song.
I listened to the video on youtube a couple of days ago and commented that very same thought. Great minds think alike, ain’t that what they say?
As sad as the song is, it takes you along for all the emotions and is very relatable. Really liked your song and playing today.
I think maybe the cause of parting was left in doubt on purpose so any cause is covered. But the first two verses strongly suggest to me it was not voluntary, the ties were too deep and of too long a duration for that. It could even be that the second “kid” was no longer even a “kid” but that had become a nickname as a tribute to her and her mother as well as her Dad. What parent ever stops thinking of their children in some connections as ‘kids’? Why was it only on Sunday that they walked together down to the river? In that regard, I think it is a great tribute to just want to be with someone, not for any other purpose but just to be together.
First time I’ve heard this song and love it. I think the mother died and he cherishes her memory. Great song and you and Tipper did it justice.
What a good song! Thank you Paul and Tipper! God bless you and yours❤❤
OH MY GOSH, thank Paul for sharing. I had forgotten those days, but they were ‘doozies’ that is for sure. Sometime old old memories are the best. Friday was special. God Bless
You and Tipper did a good job on that song.
Sweet memories and a lovely song. Great post Paul! I’ve never heard that song until now. I like it! Y’all sound so pretty together. Thank y’all for sharing!
I had never heard this song until today. I guess it is not exactly the same, but I enjoy listening to some of the songs by Red Sovine. He has several that tells about little boys that have lost one of their parents. I can not think what it is called, but he talks instead of sings in these songs. I have Direct Tv and it has some audio channels, I like to listen to the oldies songs of the 50 and 60’s that were new songs when I was a teenager. I guess that means I am an oldie too, but maybe not a goody.
You have to crack a nut to get a goody.
Ed, to some I’m a certified nut but still no goody!