The actual history behind our celebration of St. Valentine is very cloudy. Was he a priest who rebelled against a Roman ruler who declared no Roman soldier could marry? Was he a martyr who helped early Christians escape imprisionment and persecution? Or…was he an imprisoned man who sent the first Valentine to his jailor’s daughter professing his love – and was slain for that “crime”. Who really knows? I do know we’ve got two great tunes on the Flashback tonight!

This week’s Valentine’s edition of Flatlands Flashback focuses on a couple of great “Love” Songs…our first is a favorite from Drive By Truckers. Goddamn Lonely Love is a gritty, hard forged lament belted out and left beating slowly on the floor. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit released a later version of the song, which is also great, but we opted for a live 2006 Jason and the Truckers version. <insert Jason and the Argonauts joke here>

Our second selection a song I’ve always liked – it’s hit in a number of different formats by a number of different artists. It’s a Bob Dylan original and folks from Bob to Garth to Billy to Adele released versions. I like the Adele version, but I really feel this version of Make You Feel My Love by Joan Osborne rendition from 2000. It’s a bare bones re-do with Joan’s smooth voice, some lilting steel, some gravel guitar and some distant percussion.

Enjoy the Flashbacks and we’ll enjoy a Flatlands Valentine’s Day!