I miss the Mississippi... and You.

This album was released back in August 1997 (I was 18 years old) and I just barely added it to my collection last week. The songs on the album are older then my grandma yet pleasantly pleasing to even modern music lovers.

 

The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers - A Tribute

 

Dreaming With Tears In My Eyes - Bono

Any Old Time - Alison Krauss & Union Station

Waiting For A Train - Dickey Betts

Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixon Line - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Miss The Mississippi And You – David Bell

My Blue Eyed Jane – Bob Dylan

Peach Pickin' Time Down In Georgia – Willie Nelson

In The Jailhouse Now – Steve Earle & The V-Roys

Blue Yodel # 9 - Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, David Grisman

Hobo Bill's Last Ride - Iris Dement

Gambling Bar Room Blues - John Mellencamp

Mule Skinner Blues - Van Morrison

Why Should I Be Lonely - Aaron Neville

T For Texas - Dwight Yoakam

 

Did you know that Jimmie Rodgers (1897 - 1933) is considered "The Father of Country Music" and that he was one of the first three people elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame? I didn't know anything about this man until I stumbled upon this album.

I'll admit, the reason I bought this album is because Bono's cover of "Dreaming With Tears in My Eyes" is so hauntingly beautiful and poignant that I had to have it. I had a :38 second clip of it on my computer for years and had forgotten about it until I was cleaning the junk out of iTunes. So I searched out this song.. it was a little difficult because the little file in iTunes was only named "dream" but after looking a bit I found this album...

I almost didn't buy the whole thing because I could just get the one MP3 on Amazon if that was what I wanted... but I was in a buying mood, and I'm sure glad I did.

from what I have read Jimmie is listed as country music, although I would really place the songs on this album in the rhythm and blues category or maybe ragtime. there are songs on this album that remind me very much of the music from "The Princess and the Frog" (the Disney movie that came out recently) but then again, since this came first I guess I have to say that the music from the princess and the frog reminds me of this music. Either way - I love it. It's got that southern feel to it that makes you just want to grab your banjo and join in the fun, or put on your flapper dress and do the Charleston.

Some of my favorites:

"Dreaming With Tears in My Eyes" is my favorite song on this album, not just because Bono sings it, but because it really is just that good. It is the song of lost love and how losing that took his sunshine away. Sweet and sad, and very nice.

"Blue Yodel No. 9" was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

"Somewhere Down Below The Mason Dixon Line" this song is just fun.

"Miss The Mississippi And You" next to Dreaming with tears in my eyes, this is my 2nd favorite song on the album. This is the one that reminds me the most of the princess and the frog – so much so, that I was sure it was in the movie, but it's not, just another song like it. 

"Hobo Bill's Last Ride" This is a sad little song about Hobo bill who died on the train, but he had a smile on his face. I also love the voice of Iris Dement on this song, it's very fitting to the era it was written in.