James McMurtry：Meaning of Deaver's Crossing Songmeaning

"Deaver's Crossing" is a song by James McMurtry that tells the story of a man named Deaver who walked the same road every day with his back all bent, leaning on his walking cane. It is revealed that Deaver's back was bent from an accident, but he remained steadfast in his routine and kept walking the same road every day. The chorus mourns the fact that Deaver is gone from the crossing and no one is keeping the ford anymore. Throughout the song, McMurtry alludes to significant events in American history that Deaver lived through, such as the gypsy moth and chestnut blight infestations, the market crash, the Teapot Dome scandal, and World War I. He was a witness to these events, and his daily routine of walking along the road and over the ford remained constant. The song also alludes to Shenandoah National Park, which was established in Virginia during the Great Depression and involved government acquisition of land from local residents. McMurtry suggests that some of this land may have belonged to Deaver and others who lived in the area. The song ends with a call to remember Deaver and his wife, who were fine people that always had smiles for passersby. McMurtry asks listeners to honor their memory by sharing their morning's catch when fishing and by not forgetting the people who lived and walked across the land.