Perhaps my favourite Tom Waits album is Mule Variations (1999). This simple song really stuck with me: for the honesty of its question. We all live different lives, and have different struggles: and, I think, sometimes all feel a longing for the kind of God who would watch over us in our hardest moments.
Cold was the night, hard was the ground
They found her in a small grove of trees
Lonesome was the place where Georgia was found
She’s too young to be out
On the street.
Why wasn’t God watching?
Why wasn’t God listening?
Why wasn’t God there for
Georgia Lee?
Ida said she couldn’t keep Georgia
From dropping out of school
I was doing the best that I could
But she kept runnin away from this world
These children are so hard to raise good
Why wasn’t God watching?
Why wasn’t God listening?
Why wasn’t God there for
Georgia Lee?
Close your eyes and count to ten
I will got and hide but then
Be sure to find me. I want you to find me
And we’ll play all over
We will play all over again
There’s a toad in the witch grass
There’s a crow in the corn
Wild flowers on a cross by the road
And somewhere a baby is crying
For her mom
As the hills turn from green back
To gold
Why wasn’t God watching?
Why wasn’t God listening?
Why wasn’t God there for
Georgia Lee?
At first I thought, hey look at Tom Waits … he looks like Andy. :) Nice job, Andy. Very soul-bluesy.
Awesome. Thanks !!!
My internet connection was too slow to listen to this properly when you first posted.
Very nicely done, Andy.