Singalong! Birmingham by Amanda Marshall

As a curly-haired teenage girl in the 90s, I found an obvious soul sister in Amanda Marshall. I also had a weird draw to stories of women escaping abusive partners. I had zero life experience to connect me to this in a real way, I think they just appealed to that deep well of swirling feelings in my gut that I didn't know what to do with.

BIRMINGHAM

by Amanda Marshall

Virgil Spencer's got a nineteen inch Hitachi and many demons lingering.

Friday night he pulled a gun to change the channel,

something that he picked up from the king.

His wife remembers well the man she knew.

Seems the dreams she had have all turned black and blue,

She's wasted years.

No time for tears

'cause there's another chance, and someday soon

shining like the Alabama moon.

She's looking for the promised land out beyond the lights of Birmingham.

It's three a.m. and Virgil's passed out on the sofa,

a fifth of Jim Beam on the floor.

She's packed a bag.

She slips the keys out of his pocket.

She's careful not to slam the door.

And as she drives, she rubs her rosary.

She's never been so all alone. She's never felt so free.

She got miles to go, blind faith and hope

'cause there's an other chance, and someday soon

shining like the Alabama moon.

She's looking for the promised land out beyond the lights of Birmingham.

As the rain falls down upon the interstate,

any doubts she had are all but washed away.

One long look back at Birmingham

'cause there's another chance, and someday soon,

shining like the Alabama moon,

She's looking for the promised land out beyond the lights of Birmingham.

Another chance, and someday soon,

shining like the Alabama moon,

She's looking for the promised land out beyond the lights of Birmingham.

Source: Flickr Allen McGregor

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