Calexico and Sam Beam were made for each other; both excel in creating music that makes an unobtrusive background that meshes perfectly with the vocals, enhancing them instead of distracting from them. Calexico simply does this on a larger scale with a full band, while Beam does it with just a guitar. As a backing band here, Calexico create a murky country-folk soundscape that fits the songs references to trees and ponds perfectly. Twangy electric and acoustic slide mix with shimmering pedal steel flow over John Convertino's signature hollow drums seamlessly.Lyrically, the song is one of Beam's best because it's one of the few times he drops his poetic, hyper-literate shtick and writes true human emotions in traditional, American folk song style. The song bleeds regret and nostalgia as Beam begins relating a story of first love, but then changes gears to the climax of the song... "I met my wife at a party when I drank too much, my son is married and tells me we don't talk enough, call it predictable, yesterday my dream was of you". In truly heartbreaking fashion, he contrasts the innocence of youth and the complex sadness of adulthood. The message is this: love is simple and joyful as a child, complex and painful as an adult.
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