From: Joe To: Betsy
Album: Mixtape
By: Jared Mahone
By: Jared Mahone
Duration
4:17
Genres
Description
This song was written as part of a year long songwriting adventure called The Mixtape Project. It's written as if Joe was penning a letter to Betsy, set to music that has the feel of the Appalacian region from which Joe has always called home. If he had words to say about his girl, this is what I imagine they might sound like. The West Virginian state slogan is "Wild and Wonderful". A perfect way to describe the state where they lived and also, a perfect way to describe Betsy.
Lyrics
This river is my Hometown It's the place where I settled down It's all I've ever known From the hollow to the hills Where the whole(hole) of my soul is still You're wild and wonderful It's all within our reach How simple our life could be Vacation at the beach We'll have a boy or maybe three I'll deliver the mail And you run the corner store This river is our Hometown It's the place where we settled down You're all I've every known Seen the hollow and the hills I'm in awe of your beauty still You're wild and wonderful The years appear as boats I watch them as they go And I'm reminded by the winding road That once around that bend I'm turning once again This house is empty now And I eat my daily bread All is calm and yet somehow Your laughter fills my head If only a dream I pray, Lord, don't let me wake This river is my Hometown It's the place where we laid you down But I am not alone Hear the hollow and the hills They echo your laughter still You're wild and wonderful Every word in this song is true. Joe and Betsy lived on the river in Hometown, WV (yup, it's a real place) until Betsy passed away in '09. Joe sits at home now without his Love. We found him once, sitting in front of the TV, eating a loaf of bread for dinner, as if he hasn't made a sandwich in 5 decades (which might be accurate because they were married for 57 years and lived that old school man and wife life). He was a postman and she ran the corner store they own at the end of the block. They saved up for a few years at a time to rent a beach house in Oak Island, NC for family vacation with their 3 sons. They lived a wild and wonderfully simple life filled with love and laughter and great memories. Betsy was buried down the road on the river and Joe will love her until he dies.
