Country Music

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Country Music

Rory Feek – Josephine

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“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”

Introduction

“Josephine” is one of those songs that feels like a handwritten letter to your soul. It’s heartfelt, raw, and dripping with an intimacy that draws you in from the very first note. The song unfolds like a story, a deeply personal one, filled with longing, love, and perhaps a touch of bittersweet nostalgia. You can almost picture the protagonist pouring their emotions into every line, as if “Josephine” isn’t just a name but a vessel for all the things unsaid.

What makes this song so special is its ability to transport you into its world—whether it’s through a haunting melody that lingers in your heart long after the song ends or lyrics that hit a little too close to home. It’s not just a song; it’s a connection. It taps into universal themes of yearning and devotion, making “Josephine” feel both uniquely personal and widely relatable.

Listening to this track is like stepping back in time, hearing someone’s heartache and love story in its purest form. It’s the kind of song that makes you wonder: Who was Josephine, and what did she mean to the person behind these words?

Whether it’s the poignant lyrics, the soulful arrangement, or the sheer vulnerability in the delivery, “Josephine” is a reminder of the power of music to tell stories that stay with us, whispering their truths long after the final chord fades

Video

Lyrics

I’m writing this letter, my darling, from high on the hill
We’ve been marching ten days and we’re just outside Hopkinsville
It’s been snowing all night and we ain’t got no more kerosene
It’s colder than hell, hope you’re doin’ well, Josephine
There’s a fever in camp and our boys are too sick to fight
We done lost old Calvin, Beaver won’t make it through the night
I hope I heard the captain say it’s the worst he’s ever seen
I’m losin’ some weight but I’m still standin’ up straight, Josephine
Tell my children I miss ’em and wish I could kiss ’em once more
Bet they’ve grown a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I’m alright and just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine
There’s three thousand union troops camped at the river below
There’s six hundreds of us, least there was two nights ago
When Erwin deserted they hung him down by the tree
God I’m so scared, keep me in your prayers, Josephine
Well the orders come down, we’ll attack tonight at nightfall
If we can stop them right here we can win this war once and for all
You know, I killed a union boy last week, bet he wasn’t fourteen
He looked just like our son, forgive me for what I’ve done, Josephine
Tell my children I miss ’em and wish I could kiss ’em once more
Bet they’ve grown a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I’m alright and just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine
And lastly my darling, in case I should be killed
Don’t breathe me too long, promise me that you will
Marry another, don’t let him treat our babies mean
When he’s holding you, would you think of me too, Josephine?
Tell my babies I miss ’em and wish I could kiss ’em once more
Bet they’ve grown a foot since they waved me goodbye at the door
Tell mama and daddy I’m alright and just want one more thing
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine
I love you, I love you, I love you, Josephine

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