Birmingham (Shovels and Rope song)
"Birmingham" is a 2012 song by the Charleston, South Carolina-based folk duo Shovels and Rope. The song reflects on a road trip from Nashville, Tennessee to Birmingham during which husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst made the decision to "marry" their separate careers in music and to record and perform together.
The song concludes with these lyrics
- "When the road got rough and the wheels all broke
- Couldn’t take more then we could tow
- Making something out of nothing with a scratcher and our hope
- With two old guitars like a shovel and a rope
- Rock of Ages, cleave for me
- Let me hide myself in thee
- Now I understand
- On better terms since Birmingham."
The song, which is the opening track from the album O' Be Joyful, was inadvertently played by DJ John Richards on KEXP-FM in Seattle, Washington before its official debut. Shovels and Rope performed the song for their appearance of "The Late Show with David Letterman" on January 30, 2013. It was honored as "Song of the Year" at the 2013 Americana Music Honors & Awards.
Shovels and Rope have performed in Birmingham at Secret Stages in 2012 and Iron City on February 13, 2015.
References
- Beckmann, Jim (August 29, 2012 ) "Song of the Day: Shovels and Rope – Birmingham" KEXP.org
- Leahey, Andrew (March 7, 2013) "Shovels & Rope, “Birmingham”" American Songwriter