Each day in December, I’ll be reflecting back on a song from the 2000’s. The decade saw the return of post-punk and the popularization of folk music, all while some of music’s biggest acts gained their indie footing. Thankfully, it’s a period that I can look back at fondly without cringing. #31DaysOf2000sSongs
The band name unfortunately kept me from exploring the exceptional My Morning Jacket catalog for quite a few years. But once I explored it, it was like opening up a treasure trove of great music. Jim James is more of a musical mastermind than a showy frontman, which I always appreciated. A gifted songwriter, his penning of the entire It Still Moves is a remarkable highlight from the 2000’s. There isn’t a weak track on the album, but the opener “Mahgeetah” stands out for several reasons.
The term “alt country” is often used to describe My Morning Jacket’s music, and it’s a befitting description of “Mahgeetah”. The guitar layers and tempo transitions give it that alt feel, while the harmonies and lyrics are reflective of the band’s southern roots. The big guitar solo happens at the 5 minute mark of the studio recording, but it’s the shimmering guitar hook that gives the song its festive, nighttime feel. My favorite aspect of the track, however, isn’t any of the guitar parts, but the song’s theme itself. James not only personifies his “geetah”, he refers to it as his lady.
“Don't rock bottom, just listen, just slow down. So, now are you ready to go, my lady? I been waitin on the boat here, I been waitin so long.”