Music and Life: Morgan County Georgia

Isn't it funny how you never realize you actually like your hometown until you leave it?

At least, that's the way it was for me. I grew up in the small town of Madison, Georgia and went to Morgan County Public schools from K-10. We moved the summer before I entered 11th grade. I hated leaving because I had finally felt like I found where I belonged. I wasn't one of the popular kids but I think I can say that most people liked me ok, and I liked most people. I'm still that way, I get along with pretty much everyone and I've finally realized that if people don't like me, well, that's most likely their problem.

These songs always make me think of growing up in Morgan County. Every time I hear "International Harvester" I see myself in the backseat with my Mom or Dad driving while we waited for the farmer, usually a friend of mine's cousin or uncle, to get from one field to the next so we could have the road back. I always seem to remember my Dad never minded so much. Probably because he worked on a few of the farms around us through the years and he knew what it was like to get honked at and glared at by impatient drivers while he was trying to do his job. To this day, if I get behind a tractor I'm usually pretty content to just wait til they get to where they need to be or pull to the side to let me pass.




This one, "Good Directions", well, to me it's just got Morgan County written all over it! Maybe I'm just sentimental because I'm getting older, but every time I hear this song I think about roadside fruit and vegetable stands, country stores where you could get Brunswick stew and REAL sweet tea (that's rare here in Virginia), and I knew quite a few Bell's (In the version I chose he says Ms. Beth, but in the one you hear on the radio he says Ms Bell). I chose this one cause Luke Bryan is the one who wrote the song, he's from South Georgia, and someone I go to church with says he's her cousin :)



I might be biased, but I think I grew up in a place that's maybe not perfect but, really isn't such a bad place to say you come from. A lot of times I wish my kids were growing up there too. Going to school in the same buildings that I went to school in and being taught by some of the same teachers. Or teachers that were students there when I was. I'm just a small town country girl who dreams of the simple life, I guess. Ah well, bloom where you're planted is what "They" say, right? I'll just do that...

...and maybe make some turnip greens tonight ;o)