Song Lyric Sunday — “My Favorite Picture of You”

Weekly, Song Lyric Sunday provides two great pleasures: Nostalgia and discovery. This week’s theme, “picture/photograph“, satisfied both pleasures for me. My nostalgic favorite, Jim Croce’s “Photographs and Memories,” has already been posted by Scarlett79. In searching for a second choice, I discovered Guy Clark’s “My Favorite Picture Of You,” his sweet, poignant ode to his late wife. The picture he sings about was taken in 1972, the first of their 40-year marriage. Clark, with his writing partner Gordie Sampson, wrote this song in 2011. Released in 2013, a scant 13 months following Susanna Clark’s passing, it debuted at #12 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

“My Favorite Picture Of You“

My favorite picture of you
Is the one where you’re staring
Straight into the lens

It’s just a Polaroid shot
Someone took on the spot
No beginning, no end

It’s just a moment in time
You can’t have back
You never left but your bags were packed
Just in case

My favorite picture of you
Is bent and it’s faded
And it’s pinned to my wall

Oh and you were so angry
It’s hard to believe
We were lovers at all

There’s a fire in your eyes
You’ve got your heart on your sleeve
A curse on your lips but all I can see
Is beautiful

My favorite picture of you
Is the one where
Your wings are showing

Oh and your arms are crossed
Your fists are clenched
Not gone but going

Oh a stand up angel
Who won’t back down
Nobody’s fool, nobody’s clown
You were smarter than that

My favorite picture of you
Is the one where
It hasn’t rained yet

Oh and as I recall
That came a winter squall
And we got soaking wet

A thousand words
In the blink of an eye
The camera loves you and so do I
Click

My favorite picture of you
Is the one where you’re staring
Straight into the lens

photo by Senior McGuire