To Live Is to Fly
The song he said he would choose at knifepoint.
Townes Van Zandt, from High, Low and In Between
- Written by
- Townes Van Zandt
- Length
- 3:13
- Album
- High, Low and In Between
He told John Kruth that it was impossible to have a favorite song, but if he were forced at knifepoint to choose one, it would be To Live Is to Fly. It sits on High, Low and In Between. Stephen Deusner wrote in Pitchfork that the song conveys a simple philosophy of existence as a journey to some unknown destination, and quoted its lines "It's goodbye to all my friends, it's time to go again."
Deusner thought the version on the Sunshine Boy demos set may be the best one. Townes also played it at the Old Quarter in 1973 and on Rear View Mirror, and in a 1970 radio session for Bob Fass at WBAI.
Covers and versions
- Guy Clark and Emmylou Harris (1988) a duet on Old Friends
- Steve Earle (2009) on Townes, with Allison Moorer
- Mike Scheidt of YOB (2014)
More songs by Townes Van Zandt
Pancho and Lefty, Waiting Around to Die, Lungs, Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold, Tecumseh Valley, Nothin'
Sources
- High, Low and In Between, Wikipedia
- Townes Van Zandt: High, Low and in Between / The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt / Sunshine Boy, Pitchfork (2013-07-02)
- Townes Van Zandt: Live at Bob Fass Radio Show, 1970-10-20, Internet Archive (1970-10-20)