Expecting Rain

I think he considers it a very important song, hence his repeated opening with it these last few years.

I think it represents a giving-up upon the world. When he was young and idealistic and 'used to care', he probably thought his songs might help to improve some things in the world. 'Things Have Changed'. Now, he seems to think that there's no hope for the world, 'all hell is about to break loose', if it hasn't already.

I must be the only one who finds it dismal. Not sure I'd even replace anything on Love & Theft with it.

I nominate 'Cross the Green Mountain' for this honour, but THC is a killer track, no doubt about it. It's obvious an inversion of 'The Times They Are a Changin',' but more than holds its own even if have no interest in the self-reference. It also *sounds* really great - an early fruit of Bob's late-career interest in production.

I used to love it, and still do, but was kind of disappointed when I found out he basically copied it (the tune at least) from that Marty Stuart song. I listened to it for years thinking it was a total original. I'm usually not surprised when I find out that he stole this or that from another song but for some reason on this one, I was.

whaaaaaa?! what´s the name of that song, please?

Observations Of A Crow

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dTVXPXZBbOU

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C-N2lVdjvws

Why didn't Marty Stuart sue him?

Unlike Bob, and I assume a lot of people, I don't think Stuart's that kind of guy. Plus there's this...

https://americansongwriter.com/2014/09/ ... ions-crow/

http://michaelgrayouttakes.blogspot.ca/ ... anged.html

Sorry, shouldn't have said "unlike Bob"...not sure if he's actually sued anyone for something like this before. I'm thinking he probably would but who knows, maybe he wouldn't give a rats ass. I think it would all depend on the circumstances, relationship of the musicians involved, and how much was actually taken and all that.

But where did Marty Stuart 'steal' the song from?

(I find that people tend to forget to ask that question when it comes to these plagiarism debates. The assumption is always that there is a single originator. I tend to doubt this).

Well it had to start somewhere I guess...unless it just fell from the sky. Could have been Stuart, could have been someone else, not sure.

Here's a terrific rendition of the 'old' version of this one from 2008.
I think the Freeman combo was so underrated and listen to this one as proof.
Donnie's fiddle playing here is exemplary and they really got very playful
and interactive before Charlie returned and changed the sound...
Bob sounds awesome with his ravaged gruff voice from this period....

Toulouse France
June 20 2008
http://www.mediafire.com/file/u9hmo1y7k ... hanged.mp3

Harmonica Albert... I would suspect that the line "no one in front of me, nothing behind" would mean being in the present moment, the future and past non exisant and hence not contradictory of the following line at all.