Heads Carolina

I am not the fan of country music that my character Teddie is, but there is one song in her story that skyrocketed into my list of favorite songs as I was writing this book. A good bit of how much we like music has to do with our own circumstances, doesn’t it? I wrote c3 at a time when my husband and I were contemplating a major move from Texas to one coast or the other. I was lobbying for Oregon or Northern California, he was pushing for something along the coast in South Carolina. New Mexico became the compromise that neither of us quite wanted. Then we started talking about the mountains of Western North Carolina and everything seemed to come together.

It’s not surprising that “Heads Carolina Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina became my theme song for a few months. In the end “heads” won for us, but I will always think fondly of the Pacific coast, and of the restlessness in this song.

Enjoy this heartfelt version of Jo Dee Messina performing “Heads Carolina, Tails California” at the Country Rendez-vous Craponne in France in July of 2009. Below it is an excerpt from c3 with the part of the story that refers to this song.

Teddie knew that she should have called Amy before she went over to the office, but she was so excited to have a pass to leave school and be allowed to go off somewhere by herself that she didn’t want to wait. The constant monitoring and need to stay in groups was one more thing that she hadn’t considered before she left for India. She knew it was for her own safety, but some days the whole arrangement made her feel claustrophobic, and she yearned to get into her very own little pick-up truck, all by herself, turn her music up loud, and just drive. The famous country song about heading anywhere, “Heads Carolina Tails California” played in her head over and over as she lurched along the crowded, narrow street in the over-packed bus.

The employee at Amy’s small office was apologetic when she saw how disappointed Teddie was that Amy was gone. “She is chasing a lead on Usha and she is very excited. She made me promise to tell no one where she was going, for Usha’s own safety.”

“Can you even give me a direction she went?” Teddie begged, hoping maybe she could somehow intercept Amy.

“No, but she has left the city. She will not be back until tomorrow.”

As Teddie left, it occurred to her that the school expected her to be gone for a while and she could go shopping. Or go to the park. She could even, maybe, visit some of the little art galleries and street stands set up by local artists along Nehru Road. The last idea sounded especially appealing, and there was a city bus that would drop her off there. Maybe playing hooky for just an hour would improve her outlook.

You can purchase this song at Amazon.com.

With the second song of each book, I pick up on the intensity of the theme a little more. Click on to read about x0’s “We are the World“, y1’s “Party Like it’s 1999“, z2’s “Only the Strong Survive“, and d4’s “I Follow Rivers“.