It was coming down to the wire for writing another couple of songs for the cd in about January. "Down in the Valley" kept bugging me. I just wasn't happy with it. The idea was there - the frustration of a relationship - communication between people - it was clear in my mind - but it wasn't clear in the song. I knew it wasn't clear and I couldn't get it out more plain and I didn't feel like the ditv part was powerful, it seemed too plain, not enough emotion. I had been working on the darn song too long. I don't like them anymore after I have to struggle with them. I was thinking about renting a cabin up in the mountains near here and just writing. I felt like my environment was stale - I needed some stimulation - new surroundings. Then I checked myself - brought up my firm belief that a writer should be able to write anywhere, no matter what. I started making myself look around. I happened to have been sitting on the couch in my living room and I spotted the rocking chair with the dolls in it. I had stacked all my rag dolls in the chair to keep people from sitting in it. The chair was real fragile. It is truly beautiful. It is painted red and accented in black with scratches and chips that show through to the wood. There's a carving in the top center that could be the wind. The song just came in about two takes. I remember not being able to stop crying as I wrote it. And I called Bud and I was singing the first two verses over the phone before I'd written the bridge. Trying to sing and stop crying over the phone. I still have the original cassette of me recording the stupid song sobbing. I should have pressed that take. I doubt if anyone gets this song the way I do. Bud loves it because I think it was the first song I let him in on the creation of. I like to keep them secret until I'm proud of them - until they say something. This one was done before I stopped crying.
RAGGEDY ANN
