GOSHEN, Ind. – Each week, a Globe-pal (AKA a DJ at 91.1 the Globe) takes a song of their choosing, and dishes out a healthy review to be sent out and posted on globeradio.org/music.
The Globe Track of the Week is an excellent way to keep up with the new tunes presented weekly on 91.1 the Globe, the best college radio station in Indiana.
Originally found in Nanci Griffith’s 1988 album “Little Love Affairs,” Emmylou Harris brings new life to “Love Wore A Halo (Back Before The War).” Released as a part of the album “More Than A Whisper: Celebrating The Music Of Nanci Griffith,” Harris’ cover is a captivating and soulful tribute to her late friend.
The first verse starts with only a few instruments, highlighting Harris’ vocals, and setting up the lyrical narrative. As the bass line picks up with the second verse, I find myself captivated by the folky instrumentation, especially as the fiddle is brought forward during and after the chorus.
Griffith uses the story of the woman who owned a hotel to illustrate a deeper meaning reflected in the chorus. When I listen to the chorus, I hear the message of love as a grounding and hopeful force.
Possibly my favorite part of the song is the last verse. Harris strips the instrumentals back again and has a more spoken, storyteller quality to her voice. It comes across as more personal, which sits well with the lyrics as the perspective shifts to be about the artist performing the song. Now the artist owns the hotel and is watching the sailors, as the original woman and her husband retire to the Florida Keys.
The lyrics bring the story into the moment and provide a wonderful conclusion to the underlying narrative. As the instruments come back in for the final chorus, there is a sense of finality and satisfaction after a well-told story.
– Mackenzie
