… now the water’s wide and deep and brown, she’s crossing muddy waters”

This is a pretty great rendition of the John Hiatt classic you’ve probably never heard.

The song is from the point of view of someone left – with a child – behind by their significant other, with the implication of suicide as the method of exit. It makes me think of my wife’s uncle, who was left behind with a daughter and a son. The entire Corrigan family is success story after success story, except him. The next generation of Corrigans is similarly positioned to be successful in their endeavors… except the daughter who was left behind. Not that their failures, but they mostly seem to be just getting by. And in his case, oscillating between a fight against and a submission to alcoholism.

Here’s John Hiatt singing the song: