Burgundy Shoes is small song musically by Patty Griffin, that elevates itself with its powerful lyrics. This song is a personal choice for me. I choose this music for I cannot listen to Patty Griffin’s music without thinking of my daughter Kinsey or her daughters Jordyn and Kendyl.  It also reminds me of a young boy, sadly a long time ago,  who also rode the bus home from school.  Without doubt I feel that my life has crossed paths with Patty Griffin’s.  Her music lets forgotten emotions know the warmth of acceptance and gratitude.

We wait for the bus that’s going to Bangor
In my plaid dress and burgundy shoes
In your red lipstick and lilac kerchief
You’re the most pretty lady in the world
Sun

The bus driver smiles, a dime and a nickel
We climb on our seats, the vinyl is cold
“Michelle ma belle”, the song that you loved then
You hold my hand and sing to yourself
Sun sun
Sun sun
Sun sun sun sun

Sun sun sun sun
Sun sun sun sun
Sun

The leaves are green and new like a baby
Tulips are red, now I don’t miss the snow
It’s the first day I don’t wear my big boots
You hold my hand, I’ve got burgundy shoes
Burgundy shoes, burgundy shoes
Sun

Patty Griffin first captured me when I saw a review of her Album 1000 Kisses on CBS’s Sunday Morning way back in 2002.  Until then I had never heard of her.  I bought the album  and have played her music,  and  have appreciated her song writing ever since.

Burgundy Shoes is one among of a number of other Patty Griffin songs that are special.   Some of my other favorites are Florida, Rain, Long Ride Home, Crying Over, Trapeze, and When it Don’t Come Easy.

Here is the studio version of Burgundy Shoes.  The music for this painting begins at 1:16 seconds into the song:

This is the only Live version that I thought was decent enough to present:

Scott Von Holzen

Burgundy Shoes  Technical Notes:

Below is the original first image of Burgundy Shoes.  You can see that the stripping is different from the latest image. What happened, is that I planed, calculated, thought it all through,  and still put the bottom vertical stripping in the wrong place. It could not be removed so I had to repaint the entire burgundy background.

I am lucky that although the lyrics are small they give me a lot of color clues for this artwork.  Of course it is easy to start with ‘burgundy shoes” which you see in the background. But the lyrics also mention “plaid dress,” “red lipstick,” and “lilac kerchief.” In the finish work you will see the influence of all those lyrics.  I am so lucky to have them.

As a note, my studio is down and packed away, for the big move to come.  Although disappointed,  to my delight,  I will soon be back with my music and my art, in a temporary home studio provided by my daughter and her family.

How lucky.

Scott