Are You Leaving for the Country?

    The rural farmland is so beautiful and calming. While I was admiring the land from the passengers side window of the car, I had a craving to hear one song. A song both cheerful and sad, and wistful and comforting that makes for the perfect farmland anthem: Are You Leaving for the Country by Karen Dalton.

   When ever I hear this song, I immediately start longing for the country. Like Karen says, sometimes the city can bring you down. Sometimes, you need to leave the unreality of the city behind to be moved by the spirit again. Karen Dalton is very wise. 

  Karen Dalton's wikipedia page ends with this quote "Karen Dalton eventually lost her two children, became a street person, and contracted AIDS. She died in upstate New York, under the care of her old friend Peter Walker." This is such a blunt, almost unforgiving way to sum up the tragic end of someone's life. She was so gifted and full of soul, it is sad to think of the things she never created because of her ending.  Karen Dalton's voice is filled with such sadness, it is like she knew her life would be full of tragedy before it even happened. Here is a really interesting article about Karen Dalton from The Gaurdian: The Best Singer You've Never Heard of By Laura Barton.