Vault of lost lyrics, chapter 195

In the late 1990s I saw Sarah Slean at the Sidetrack Cafe, opening for Oh Susanna, aka Suzie Ungerleider. When Oh Susanna took the stage, Ms Slean came back out to accompany her on the piano for this song. It was a staggering performance from both, and the song has always stopped me dead since. It is alt-country at its peak, the recording is gorgeously layered, and this track is meant to be played LOUD. Relish that deep, dooming final note.

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You’ll Always Be (Oh Susanna)

Well, the first time I saw heaven

you stood in my doorway

Scent of gardenia and lily

By your voice I was led into a forest of cherry

When you lay down beside me so softly you did say

You’ll always be my baby, my baby, my baby, yeah

You’ll always be my baby, my baby, my love

Well, you sure got some funny sense of forever

'Always' did end with the summer

I awoke in a bed that’s as wide as the river

And a voice in my head that softly did say

You’ll always be my baby, my baby, my baby, yeah

Now you’ll always be my baby, my baby, my love

Well, six seasons have weathered 

since you stood in my doorway

Now you’re stinking of blood and hard liquor

And you’ve come for a favour

for your sorry sight to cover

And you still got the nerve to softly do say

You owe this to me, my baby, my baby, my baby

You owe this to me, my baby, my baby, my love

Now I don’t need no tailor to sew this suit together

Your yarn is a worn-out old tether

And you better button that collar

for you’re going out to pasture

And I’ll be counting the bounty

when softly I will say

You owe this to me, my baby, my baby, my baby yeah

You owe this to me, my baby, my baby, my love.