I love going to Nashville. The minute I head into airport baggage claim, I see guitars strapped to everybody's backs. Here comes MUSIC.
As a songwriter who, having written my first song at age 47, feels a little late to the party, I have some dreams that are surely within reach, and some that will take a dad-gum miracle to live out. Still, I am delighted to be a part of the club of writers, producers, and performers of original music. This song, "Tennessee Flannel", celebrates my dream to one day sing at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, most likely at Open Mic Night, (as encouraged by my husband in Verse 3).
This song is a part of my 2023 compilation called, “Quilted: a colorful patchwork of original songs and the stories that stitched them”. The subject of this song with its dreams and aspirations (or perspirations) folds nicely into my “Wild Goose Chase” hope chest. *
LYRICS: Tennessee Flannel
Chorus:
Put on your Tennessee flannel
and work out that southern style
There’s no need to hurry
when you got a while, to make it
to the Bluebird Cafe
oh the Bluebird Cafe
Verse 1:
I met a boy of fourteen at the airport
and I asked him what is his brand of guitar?
'Little did he know that his Epiphone
is going the same place that me and my Breedlove are
and we’ll be
Chorus:
Puttin on our Tennessee flannel
and working out our southern style
We’re not in any hurry
‘cause we got a while, to make it
to the Bluebird Cafe
oh the Bluebird Cafe
Verse 2:
My baby says, “We’re going to the Bluebird”
He’s gonna make me stand in a line
He says’ “It’s Open Mic Night and it’s your right
to shine like a star in the Tennessee sky” and I say,
“I’m not good enough! I’m not good enough!
What do you know about music these days?”
(and he says)
Chorus:
"Put on your Tennessee flannel
and work out that southern style
Old woman, you better hurry
‘Said old woman you better hurry
‘cause you ain’t got a while
to make it
to that Bluebird Cafe, no
no no no no no no no”
Verse 3:
So here I am on the stage of the Bluebird
I’m gonna sing you my special song
and I’m feeling as naked as a newborn child
'cause it took a while,
a long long while,
said a long long long while, oh
Outro:
blue blue blue
mmm mmm ooh oooh
I made it to the Blue
Do you see me now Blue yeah yeah
There’s no need to hurry
There’s no need to hurry
I said there’s no need to hurry
off this stage
OK?
Bluebird
Bluebird
blue blue blue blue blue
yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
yeah
Oh I made it to the Bluebird
*What is a "Wild Goose Chase" quilt?
https://www.nps.gov/home/planyourvisit/quilt-discovery-experience.htmNature was an obvious and rich source for quilt patterns. There are numerous patterns named for trees, flowers, animals and birds.
The homesteaders watched the migration of flocks of geese and created quilts with that in mind. Although the triangle shape is used in hundreds of other quilt designs, in this quilt block, triangles represent the geese. Pioneer women expressed their artistic abilities and creativity in the way they arranged the triangles or geese, and in the colors they used. That may be one reason why the Wild Goose Chase pattern has at least 14 variations.
Other patterns that reflect nature include Bear Paw, Dove in the Window, Hen and Chickens, Dogwood and Sunflower.
Quilting was not just a woman's activity. Over the years, men have also been quilters. In fact, when they were boys, at least two presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Dwight D. Eisenhower, helped their mothers piece quilts.
Special thanks to Jon Quinn of Quinn Music for a bang up arrangement of brassy instrumentals, attitude, Blues meistering, and just having so much fun with this.