Still An Occasional Resource

As our daughters have gotten older, they rely less and less on their dad. All three are strong,  independent women, two are married, but every now and then though, I’ll get a call to be the patient ear and/or to offer reassurance and if I’m lucky, asked how to make a simple repair on something around the house.

The other day at work, I rceived a text message from our middle daughter, asking for the name of a song. I didn’t see it for a few hours, asked for more information and also inquired how she was feeling as she had had a bit of a head cold.

The second set of hints…the wife with long black hair, made it easy.

The song is  “A Simple Life”, first performed and recorded by Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder  was released on the “Live at The Charleston Music Hall”  album in March of 2003.  That recording can be heard here.   I recall reading an article in which Skaggs said the song, written by a friend, was presented to him and the band only a day or two before playing it for the first time in front of an audience in Charleston and that he was reading the lyrics from a piece of paper on a music stand.

I liked this song from the very first time and yes, it has been one of my favorites.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could sing this song about our own lives and mean it?

Below is a video of Skaggs performing the song, apparently in 2011 (he had memorized the words by then) and the lyrics are printed below.

Tell me you can listen to this song and not smile… or maybe wish that your life was this “simple”  I dare you.

Thanks for the reminder, Elissa.

Lyrics

I live a simple life
I work all day I sleep all night
A couple kids that need a nap
Big dog and a little cat
Wife that barks but rarely bites
So I live the simple life

I live a simple life
A good coat when the cold winds bite
Leather boots for my bare feet
Now and then a steak to eat
I pick with the boys on Friday night
So I live a simple life

My favorite book was wrote about a man that died to save my soul
And my favorite thing to hear is Daddy, I m so glad you home
And my favorite woman is 5 3 with long black hair and green eyes
Still I live a simple life

Instrumental

I live a simple life
Couple of friends I really like
A little house outside of town
An old car that gets me around
Complications may arise
But I live a simple life

And I live a simple life
Cell phone when my old car dies
The Internet to show me where
GPS to get me there
Everywhere there s satellites
Oh I live a simple life