there are Holes in the Floor of Heaven with My Angel watching over Grandma’s Garden at Mamaw’s House

Hello Monday! First day of fall arrived yesterday – looks like summer will hang around a bit longer here in the Pacific Northwest – but bonafide fall weather is just around the corner! Since it is Monday, that, of course, means music! This week’s theme is “National Calendar Day themed songs – Gorgeous Grandma Day or Vanilla Ice Cream Day – your choice!”

I’m going with Grandma – I miss my maternal grandmother; she was a firecracker—she always colored her hair red so she’d be like Lucille Ball. I was born on her birthday, so we shared a special bond. She taught me how to play many different card games; my favorite was gin rummy (she always let me win). She also taught me how to play cribbage and a host of other games when she and my grandpa would come camping with us over our summer break. She was truly one of a kind! Let’s get this grandma party started!  

Let’s start with kind of a tear-jerker; the singer recalls the deaths of his grandmother (“One day shy of eight years old”) and his young wife and the sadness he felt upon each passing. Each time, the artist recalls how a cold rain reminds him of his beloved ancestors crying down from Heaven, wishing they could still be with him, experiencing and sharing various joys in his life:

“There’s holes in the floor of Heaven / and her tears are pouring down / That’s how I know she’s watching / wishing she could be here now”

In the case of the young man’s wife (who died from pregnancy complications giving birth to their daughter), the point is driven home in the final verse of the song, which depicts his now 23-year-old daughter’s wedding day. At the end of the ceremony, it begins to rain, making the father of the bride very sad; the daughter picks up on this and comforts him by saying the rain is her late mother’s tears of joy.

The song won the award for Song of the Year in 1998 from both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM).

Get those tissues ready – here’s Steve Wariner with “Holes in the Floor of Heaven”:

Next up, At 15, this artist lost her grandmother to lung cancer just one day after she was diagnosed. She wrote this song on her debut album in remembrance of her grandmother, who was “the woman I called ‘mom.’”

Even though I can’t touch your face / I feel you with me every day / I wish you could see all my dreams coming true / When I get lost I close my eyes / And I feel you shining down so bright / I feel you shining down on me

She said:

“One of the hardest things I’ve had to experience was losing my grandmother to lung cancer.  Not only was she a loving, strong, and gracious person, she was also the woman that I called “Mom.””.

Still have those tissues? You’ll need them – here’s Kellie Pickler with “My Angel”:

Next, back in 2016 a multi-artist concept album was curated called “Southern Family”. The record focuses on themes centered on family and the artist’s experiences growing up in the South. In this ballad, this favorite artist pays tribute to his family matriarch backed by a string arrangement. The producer of the album said:

“It was cool, I never met him before. We walked in there, and man, I knew he was good, but hearing him get behind the microphone and sing, his voice sounds as big as a house. And his song is just devastating. He pulled that song out of the left field. We were going to do a different song, and he just for some reason pulled out this song and it shut us all down. So it was kind of instant, it didn’t take very long. What a talent.”

Get ready for goosebumps, here’s Zac Brown with “Grandma’s Garden”:

Last but certainly not least is a newer song these two artists teamed up to do. They take us on a heartfelt journey down memory lane with a song that celebrates the cherished haven of their grandmothers’ homes. This is their second collaboration.

One artist takes the first verse and chorus, where he transports us back to the heat of grandma’s kitchen, where the aroma of fried chicken mingled with the scent of Marlboro Reds and buttery biscuits. And who can forget that trusty old Lincoln from ’82? He paints a vivid picture of his grandma’s house where “cussin’ and complainin’ weren’t allowed. The chorus ties it all together with a universal message of longing for simpler times, where every nightstand had a Bible, every front porch had a swing, and every town had a “Mamaw’s house.” 

The other artist’s verse testifies how his mamaw played a pivotal role in shaping the man he’s become. From constant offers of food to colorful phrases like “hellfire,” “tarnation,” and “I reckon,” his memories are a snapshot of a South Georgia summer spent shelling peas and shucking corn.

Without further ado, here’s Thomas Rhett and Morgan Wallen with “Mamaw’s House”:

That’s a wrap for this week – have a great Monday! See you on the dance floor!

Now, onto the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:

I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, and Alana of Ramblin’ with AM!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!