Saturday, February 16, 2013

Venerable Video: "Ain't No Ash Will Burn" - Jill Andrews and Josh Oliver

Former co-lead singer and songwriter of pre-Americana-explosion Americana/folk/true-country act The Everybodyfields, the beautiful and talented Jill Andrews teams up with former Everybodyfields band member, musician, and talented solo artist in his own right, Josh Oliver, for a no-frills rendition of the song "Ain't No Ash Will Burn." The song, written by Walt Aldridge, has been covered by many artists throughout the years, but Andrews' and Oliver's take is the first one I've come across, and I was immediately struck by it. There is nothing quite so moving to hear as uniquely talented singers harmonizing over the simple melody of chords strummed on an acoustic guitar. Gracefully ignoring the brief mic feedback that occurs around the thirty-five second mark, Andrews and Oliver take this song about love lost and not easily rekindled and turn it into something transcendent and even uplifting. Plus, you can't go wrong with a sad love song that references coal.

   

I have seen snow that fell in May
And I have seen rain on cloudless days 
Some things are always bound to change 
There ain't no ash will burn 

Love is a precious thing I'm told 
It burns just like West Virginia coal 
But when the fire dies down it's cold 
There ain't no ash will burn 

You say this life is not your lot 
Well I can't be something that I'm not 
We can't stoke a fire that we ain't got 
There ain't no ash will burn 

 In every life there comes a time 
Where there are no more tears to cry 
We must leave something dear behind 
There ain't no ash will burn 

There is one lesson I have learned 
There ain't no ash will burn

Lyrics courtesy of www.bluegrasslyrics.com.