Sunday Music: Living The Dream (Sturgill Simpson)

Malcolm Gladwell casually dropped a reference to the time he exclusively listened to Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Music during his interview with Rick Rubin. 

You probably already know I’m a big fan of Gladwell and Simpson (click those links if you didn’t). 

I love(d) that record and have been down the rabbit hole of revisiting it. 

The extra country buddhism of “Living The Dream” has been with me all week. Here are the lyrics and two excellent renditions (the first is from the album mentioned above, the second is from his bluegrass albums that came out during COVID. Emphasis added): 

Time and time again, Lord, I’ve been going through the motions

As a means to an end but the ends don’t seem to meet

Walking around just living the dream anytime I take the notion

‘Til the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet

Ain’t no point getting outta bed when you ain’t living the dream

It’s like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain’t got no cream

I don’t need to change my strings ’cause the dirt don’t hurt the way I sing

Oh, I don’t have to do a goddamn thing, sit around and wait to die

Well I been waiting on an angel waitress, come and take my order

Tell me all about the special today

Staring at a puddle of mud in my spoon couldn’t be much boarder

Hoping them circles don’t call back telling me to start today

That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile

Staring down on the chaos he created

He said, “Son, if you ain’t having fun just wait a little while

Momma’s gonna wash it all away, and she thinks mercy’s overrated”

Ain’t no point getting outta bed when you ain’t living the dream

It’s like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain’t got no cream

I don’t need to change my strings ’cause the dirt don’t hurt the way I sing

Oh, I don’t have to do a goddamn thing, sit around and wait to die

Oh, I don’t have to do a goddamn thing, sit around and wait to die