The Story of "Poison and Wine"
“Poison and Wine” by the Civil Wars is my favorite song my husband #ChrisLindsey ever wrote for me. I remember the day it happened— there was a writer's retreat (when a group of songwriters show up and get split into groups and write in random combinations. It's kind of like speed dating, except you come out with a song.
I didn't want to go to the retreat because I was trying hard to focus on what my heart was telling me to do the most--finish my book. Chris wanted me to go with him, and we got in a screaming fight in the driveway. You don't even write songs anymore!
The last thing I remember screaming at him before he got in his vintage Mercedes and slammed the door was, "you think your dreams are the same as mine!"
That day on his drive to the writer's retreat, he was furious at me - he said he started singing I don't love you, but I always will. I don't love you, but I always will.
When he got to EMI Publishing, he took all that energy into the room from our fight. He was set up with John Paul White and Joy Williams. They were planning to be a duo, but nothing had really happened yet.
Chris had this song title— Poison and Wine, he had had it for a while and pitched it around to other songwriters and me, but nobody knew what to do with it.
Like a lot of big, powerful songs, it happened fast. I think Chris was just about in shock when he heard John Paul and Joy start singing together and figuring out the melodies. Their melodies and the way their voices ached together into something that felt like magic.
Through the years, we've written each other lots of love songs. "Amazed" by Lonestar (written with Marv Green) was the biggest one. I'm also partial to "Your Everything" by Keith Urban that Chris wrote (with Bob Regan) for me before we got married.
And I wrote “My Best Friend” by Tim McGraw (with Bill Luther) for him.
Those are lovey-dovey *new-love*songs. But to me — Poison and Wine is a real grown-up, passionate, and painful love song. Amazed was played at about a million weddings (side note-- it was Tony Robbins wedding song which I always thought was cool.) People used to come up and tell me, “Oh my ga … that's our wedding song! I love that song so much!” But after about 15 years, strangers would wander over drunk at songwriter show's when we played it and hiss, "I hate that ffff-ing song!" It was their wedding song, but now they're divorced.
When Chris came home and played me that song that night— chill bumps shot down both my arms and legs. It was a piano vocal and the ache in their voices along with their melodies that took off like rockets together — blew me away.
They recorded the song, and their record came out, but no one knew who they were yet, and not much was happening with them.
About a month went by, and I sent the song to Taylor Swift— she's a weapons-grade word-lover just like me.
Taylor posted about the song, and a couple of years later, The Civil Wars were singing the theme song for The Hunger Games with her and had a handful of Grammys. The song came on tonight while we were sitting outside at a Greek Cafe. Every time I hear this song, I think about that day and how romantic my husband is.
There is a straight-out stunning performance of “Poison and Wine” by @KellyClarkson and @BrandiCarlile—
Love and blessings,
#KellyClarkson #BrandiCarlile #Chrislindsey #poisonandwine #lovesong #CivilWars #TaylorSwift #TalkingtotheSky