He was my Misguided Angel.

Tim's Playlist #10 ----- Cowboy Junkies

This is essay #86.

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Thank you CANADA! 🙏

You have delivered so much great music to the world! The Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Steppenwolf, Rush, and Barenaked Ladies… to name only a few. (I didn’t include Nickelback… sorry. 🙄)

So as our courtship continued in those early days, Tim sent me the Canadian band, Cowboy Junkies. I was floored. When I first heard this song, I was confused, like… is he trying to talk me out of this?

Cause I had no intention of letting him go.

Tim used to tell me I was out of his league. I think this song was his hopeful message that I’d stick around. And I absolutely planned to.

“he's wild and he's bad
And sometimes just plain mad
I need him to keep me satisfied"

This is ‘Misguided Angels’ and Margo Timmons voice is on full display. She is joined by Natalie Merchant, who brings another level to the sound.

It’s just lovely, sweet, and a bit melancholy. Lyrics follow.

I said "Mama, he's crazy and he scares me
But I want him by my side
Though he's wild and he's bad
And sometimes just plain mad
I need him to keep me satisfied"

I said "Papa, don't cry cause it's alright
And I see you in some of his ways
Though he might not give me the life that you wanted
I'll love him the rest of my days"

Misguided angel hangin' over me
Heart like a Gabriel, pure and white as ivory
Soul like a Lucifer, black and cold like a piece of lead
Misguided angel, love you 'til I'm dead

I said "Brother, you speak to me of passion
You said never to settle for nothing less
Well, it's in the way he walks,
It's in the way he talks
His smile, his anger and his kisses"

I said "Sister, don't you understand?
He's all I ever wanted in a man
I'm tired of sittin' around the T.V. every night
Hoping I'm finding a Mr. Right"

Misguided angel hangin' over me
Heart like a Gabriel, pure and white as ivory
Soul like a Lucifer
Black and cold like a piece of lead
Misguided angel, love you 'til I'm dead

He says "Baby, don't listen to what they say
There comes a time when you have to break away"
He says "Baby there are things we all cling to all our life
It's time to let them go and become my wife"

Misguided angel hangin' over me
Heart like a Gabriel, pure and white as ivory
Soul like a Lucifer
Black and cold like a piece of lead
Misguided angel, love you 'til I'm dead

Those are some damned powerful lyrics.

The song can be found their breakthrough album, The Trinity Sessions and was recorded in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Toronto. How they developed their distinctive sound is a whole nuther (and interesting) story. Suffice to say, it works. In fact, this album is listed in the book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The sister and her two brothers, Margo, Michael, and Peter Timmins plus Alan Anton make up Cowboy Junkies. Described as alternative country and folk rock, they’ve sold over 5 million copies of their albums, been inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and had two platinum and three gold albums in Canada. And they’re still touring. Impressive.

One more highly acclaimed song on The Trinity Sessions is their cover of ‘Sweet Jane’, from The Velvet Underground. Oliver Stone included it on the soundtrack of his movie ‘Natural Born Killers’.

Music always speaks when mere words fail.

What songs do that for you? I’d love to hear them.

Tim told me things he couldn’t say by sending me this music… and I’ll never forget him for that.

Misguided angel, love you 'til I'm dead.

PSA: In case you didn’t know, Tim was a talented and respected video editor who passed away at age 59 because he never got a colonoscopy. He left me way too soon. So if you haven’t gotten this lifesaving test, do it, dammit.

And….the discounted yearly rate of $35 for a year of Susan Speaks continues till the end of September… my birthday month! Consider a subscription! ✌️