It has been claimed that John Hiatt wrote this song about cancelling the Confederate flag – but that’s plainly bullshit. This is a brutal divorce song, excruciatingly simple.
It’s amazing, anyway. I play it on the guitar, sometimes for hours, late at night. The lyrics work, and that’s why the song works so well, but the music works – brutally – just by itself.
Here’s a sweeter take from Patty Griffin:
And this is my favorite cover, from The Wailin’ Jennys:
We’ve always talked about music here, but I don’t intend for every Unchained Melody to be a tussle with a lying poet. But it’s amazing that anyone could miss the ugly divorce being dissected here.
Take It Down, by John Hiatt
Take everything that we have
Take it and burn it to the ground
Some things were never meant to last
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
I’m still married to it all
That ain’t no place to hang around
My love is 50 feet tall
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
I’ve grown accustomed to the way
You hurled us into space
I’ll never make that trip
Tears all rusted on my face
And I’m just an empty place
Where your love used to fit
South Carolina where are you?
We were once lost and now we’re found
The war is over, the battle’s through
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
Take it down, down, down
Take it down
