He worked the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico . . .

I much prefer Nanci Griffith's original over all other versions of the song, but the videos at youtube featuring her have poor sound quality. I thought this group, Windfall, performed the song well in a beautifully-produced video.

Gulf Coast Highway has been on my mind for weeks now, but especially so since NBC Nightly News on Wednesday featured an interview with the widow of one of the oil rig workers killed in the explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Their poignant story follows the lyrics.


Gulf Coast Highway
    ~by Nanci Griffith, James Hooker, Danny Flowers

Gulf coast highway, he worked the rails
He worked the rice fields with their cold dark wells
He worked the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
The only thing we've owned is this old house here by the road

And when he dies he says he'll catch some blackbird's wing
And he will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring

She walked through springtime when I was home
The days were sweet, our nights were warm
The seasons changed, the jobs would come
The flowers fade, and this old house felt so alone
When the work took me away

And when she dies she says she'll catch some blackbird's wing
And she will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Highway 90, the jobs are gone
We kept our garden, we set the sun
This is the only place on Earth blue bonnets grow
And once a year they come and go
At this old house here by the road

And when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away to heaven
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Yes when we die we say we'll catch some blackbird's wing
And we will fly away together
Come some sweet blue bonnet spring

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

.