Mary Chapin Carpenter - I Am A Town (live)

[markyjzimm]

One of my favorites....a song that puts the imagination into a moment of deep inner thoughts and imaginations. Saw her and John do this live acoustic at the outdoor Ravinia Festival in Chicago many years ago...with one of her golden retriever pups laying peacfully next to her.

[SableSpike747]

Oh God, I saw her live when I was 7 years old, I want to say. I knew every word to this song. All the adults found that hilarious.

It was a good show. This is a good song.

LOVE LOVE LOVE FOR THIS SONG AND THIS ARTIST. I grew up with her music.

[DERedhead65]

love this song, love Marys music... about Life and all its little things... precious. A poet of song, guitar.

[StevieMuso]

You feel like you're looking out the window, as you drive through the town. Reminds me of my stays in the country when I was a kid. Simple true feelings. Mary's wonderful. She leaves all those Nashville glamour pusses for dead.

[mrflashfromthepast]

the original video showed scenes of eastern nc. old towns.. old junked cars. smalltown roads with old men on the front porch. beer cans on the side of the road. churches...in a small town...yes i am a town southbound....

[TrapDaddy65]

Not to minimize ANY other part of the song, but I LOVE the piano!

[Adamfulgence]

She is truly a gifted songwriter!!

[ADonovan43]

I'm the voice that no one hears ,I'm the light that no one sees ,I'm truth.take care ADonovan43

[nicolelynnkucera]

Great song from and even better album...

[wingsfanman]

For you Uncle Bob!

[coolkath55]

A true poet !

[12tonto13]

What a wonderful song. Yes, you feel this one!

[aketheanarchist]

This song is more than a beautiful anthem, but a pointer to what the US could still be.....a loving portrait of "Middle America"....all the stuff which makes your country still the only hope for this world.

The kindness in the heart.....the "good" side of naivety.....the straightforwardness of manner, that the rest of us have moved away from. Thanks to people like Mary, you still have your national "soul", ours is lost.... buried in cynicism. Her sentiments are truly international....Ake

[Farafonov]

Awesome

[30Tmaria]

Her music flows over me , it takes me away, which is why I love her so so much.

[deadontherange]

Anyone have, or know of a video of Mary's "When She's Gone"?

[felicityknickerhead]

oooh yes the texture, the class, the emotion, the humanity....mary chapin brilliant

[timothy32]

reminds me of small town America. I live in a small town & love it here. espically in the fall. she is such a talented singer & song writer. have a few of her albums & love them I can picture everything she is saying small town's she does make pictures with her songs.

[auckland37]

@timothy32 I live in a coastal city in southern England and there are some beautiful cycle routes along country lanes where cars hardly go. I have cycled them many hundreds of times and they are never the same. You can realy think and enjoy the sights. This song puts me in mind of those quiet country lanes.

[extrasouth]

Pabst Blue Ribbon, American, and Southern Serves the South......genius!!!

[cjuntrin]

Where are all these real songwriters hiding?  I can't stand the crap that's passing for any music these days, let alone, country. Mary, we need you! Come back!

[nightshadedesign]

@cjuntrin She's still here, CJ. Still putting out some really good music, too!

[tobagomadman]

this is so great!



[KENZOWAL]

This lady is a national treasure.

[Seasass]

@KENZOWAL She's a national treasure from the nation's capital! (That's for all of those who think NOTHING good ever comes out of Washington, DC.)

[SultryTexan]

One of my favorite MCC songs ever. Such a lyricist!

[Bigbadred23]

MCC is the most talented Female songwriter ever the way she can weave a story with music is just increadible

[071949]

Great song; great live performance from an exceptional singer/songwriter.

[AceEntertainmentInc]

wow...goose bumps.

[padraigpurseal]

I've seen Mary CC on numerous ocasions but I've never do do that live so thanks for the post.

All I need now is John Doe I'm sure its here somewhere

[MaryLouiseG]

So very underrated. She is awesome and I love to hear her voice,

[jlong4u]

Mary!  How can we see the tribute you sang to Christopher Reeves? Jeff

[Vagrarian]

This song is total poetry, evocative and wistful. It manages to both describe the towns in NC but also remind you of small towns everywhere. And it's perfectly arranged and sung...simply gorgeous.

[071949]

@Vagrarian Agreed! MCC paints pictures w/ words, and the arrangement beautifully complements her lyrics and vocal. 

[OldTimeVoice]

Your right Sharon it is a lovely video...Thanks for the send......Very nice singing. You have a lovely voice Mary... It is a very nice video.......Colin.

[hj351]

heartwrenchingly gorgeous.

[Highland804]

Such a great singer/songwriter.

[jakrausemo]

Perfection...

[giffeym]

There is just magic in this song, and it is another of Mary Chapin's songs where she makes the roads and towns of this country come alive. I would love to take a road trip with her! What a talent! Why can't radio play this instead of the pap they tell us is "music"?

[iggy5858]

so wonderful!

[mrflashfromthepast]

this song still makes me cry. i have lived in nc all my life .i wish someone could please put the original video of this song on youtube. they used to show it on tnn when they still showed music videos,and it was a themsong on unc tv in chapel hill nc for one of their sign offs.beleive it may have been filmed down east around chapal hill and greensbro nc

[CarolinasPGApro]

I don't think anyone who grew up in NC can listen to this song without welling up a little bit...i know i can't :')

[genedale232]

This is my favorite song of hers. It reminds of the small towns I grew up in. And the America I once knew and still love.

[gurlsingerfan]

Do take note of the playing on this song, Mark O'Conner's fiddle work was so artistic as to be masterful, and the piano playing was simply stunning in it's artistry.

The song is more an existential poem on the temporality of existances, success, life. The new passed over and become decay, but the beauty of decay, of recollection captured...and a southern anthem in many ways, as at the close we hear the piano play a soft melody, a line from "Dixie". Brilliant, sublime, This is art.

[MrWillFranklin]

I am a Baptist like my Daddy- Jesus knows my name...

I am not your destination- I am clinging to may ways.. I am a town

[dintn2]

I lived in North Carolina for 4 years and I swear she wrote about the small town I lived near north of Greenesboro. I close my eyes and listen and I can still see it all *sigh*

[1gilcoy]

just great !......

[crandyran]

From Boone, NC living in Alabama now, I love it here but this makes me miss NC. Thanks Mary Chapin Carpenter, you paint the picture and capture the feeling of Carolina!

[40ny]

Poetry, art and music rolled into one. Simply wonderful.

[om92555]

This song is one to make you feel mellow. I love Mary Chapin Carpenter. You do get the images when she sings.

[nancypo1]

I saw her do this years ago on the grammys or some other awards show and said "WOW" and was hooked. She only had a cello and that was perfect Amazing song....

[rickcrna]

Looks like Mark O'Connor playing fiddle. MCC is hands down the best singer/songwriter of our generation!

[geoffgw]

I am from Carolina, boy this takes me there like Carolina in my mind, Mary Chapin is the best singer/songwriter since Joni Mitchell

[Lonelypoet62]

"I Am A Town" comes off of her album, "C'mon, C'mon"(1992), and that whole album is awesome, every song! Please get the album, you won't regret it! That album hit way up on the Country charts, but she is also very recognized by Folk Artists. She's a doll!!!

[dulcielynn]

I adore this tune. I am an old school MCC fan. One of my favourites...it will be played at my memorial...love...

[Massivo07]

I' ve never been in America and probably never will but this song takes me there...in dreams. What a wonderfull singer! People with this quality makes that country so special.

[aleadholm76]

Some songs you hear or listen to...others you FEEL, SMELL and TASTE. The incomparable Mary Chapin Carpenter makes I Am A Town one of those songs. Its beauty simply has no rival. Pure magic.

[PMN]

You are so, so right. I can't even find the words to describe this song and I'm almost in tears every time I hear it. It's probably the most sincere, expressive and heartfelt piece of music I've ever heard. Stunningly beautiful.

[ILINGBEAR]

@aleadholm76 what a beautiful way of explaining it,,, I feel this song too, it t akes me back to my trips to Kentucky with my family. I was just a kid. The violin on this song is so beautiful!! what a gift

[poeticjune]

Use to take long rides and listen to Come On Come On....kids loved it too and would fall asleep....She is deffinately a poet,singer, song writer and I wish she would come out with more

[acousticspectrum]

One of the top 10 songs EVER written. She makes the imagery come alive, in every sense. Chapin, Please tour some more and put out more records! The music world sorely needs your talent!

[Highland804]

@acousticspectrum She has a new one coming out very soon. :)

[fruitofspirit]

BEAUTIFUL! Did she write those lyrics, too? Whoever is a true poet. Used to sing this when my older kids were little.

[hj351]

"i am the pines behind the graveyard and the cool beneath their shade" this has got to be the lonesomest highway blues song I have ever heard.

[johntrik]

America it's a great country just because people like Mary Chapin or legends like Bill Monroe or B.B. King or Wes Montgomery or Charlie Parker ,gave us such a great art !!!

[johntrik]

That song goes straight to the heart,it's so peaceful.God Bless you Mary Chapin.....!!!

[BRod313]

Mark O'Connor is playing the violin.

[MoNoHair]

Thanks B, that name rings a bell. Certainly won't forget it anymore now that I've seen him.

Mo.

[MoNoHair]

So beautiful it hurts - we're talking serious goose pimples here! Thnx for posting.

Anyone knwo who's playing the violin? He is superb.

Mo.