It’s four minutes and change, essentially a whimper set to song, with a vocal that seemingly floats through the ether from long ago. Heartbreak and heartache linger like a cloud stuck to the ground, the cool mist soaking through the clothes and skin and encasing the soul. It’s mesmerizing.
It’s not a new song, I should mention. Written by Michigan-born singer-songwriter/guitarist—and Motown session player—Ted Lucas, who passed away in 1992, it first saw the light of day on his self-released eponymous album in 1975. Don’t fret if you’ve never heard of it or him; few have. But in the decades that followed, the album gained a cult following, with several of its songs gaining traction in the wider world. A few years back, for instance, Fruit Bats (aka Eric D. Johnson, formerly of the Shins and now one-third of Bonny Light Horseman) covered it. The best known version, most likely, is the 2013 rendition by the Blind Boys of Alabama that features Shara Nova singing lead. It’s a moving, gospel-accented performance, to be sure, yet one that simultaneously feels bigger than it should.
Bella White’s rendition strips the accoutrements from the song despite featuring a robust band behind her, including Buck Meek on guitar, Gabe Noel on bass, Will Gramling on piano, Jonathan Wilson on drums, Grant Milliken on vibraphone, Patrick M’Gonigle on violin, and Erin Rae on backing vocals. It’s sad, mournful and even spiritual, a perfect soundtrack to both rainy mornings and nights.
The Old Grey Cat 