Psalm/Psong for April 21 – “Dimming of the Day” by Alison Krauss and Union Station

I once heard a reviewer comment that one way to know that a song is a classic is if when other artists cover the song, they hew closely to the original arrangement, presumably because it can’t be improved upon. Of course, my leaky memory can remember the comment, but not the song the reviewer was referencing.

Richard and Linda Thompson’s psong “Dimming of the Day” was already a classic before their marriage fell apart. Their divorce makes the Thompson’s duet on this psong that much more intensely beautiful. On the new album “Paper Airplane,” Alison Krauss and Union Station stay almost too true to the Thompson’s arrangement of this psong. Still, Krauss’ voice is one of the wonders of the universe, so she could sing the ingredients list from a cereal box and that’d be just fine with me. Hearing her swoop and soar through this perfect Maundy Thursday psong is a treat, even if the video is lame.

Lyrics to “Dimming of the Day”:

This old house is falling down around my ears
I’m drowning in a river of my tears
When all my will is gone you hold me sway
I need you at the dimming of the day

You pull me like the moon pulls on the tide
You know just where I keep my better side

What days have come to keep us far apart
A broken promise or a broken heart
Now all the bonny birds have wheeled away
I need you at the dimming of the day

Come the night you’re only what I want
Come the night you could be my confidante

I see you in the street in company
Why don’t you come and ease your mind with me
I’m living for the night we steal away
I need you at the dimming of the day
I need you at the dimming of the day