By now you are assuredly aware that Atlanta has had a little rain lately. The flooding touched everyone, even if only through the discomfort of a long commute or a day off school for the kiddies (which may or may not be a bad thing). The historic neighborhood of Cabbagetown took on it’s share of water. Here’s a shot of the view from Krog Street under the trestle last Wednesday. 
But this post really isn’t about kayaking or the flood, it’s about Cabbagetown. We’ve mentioned Cabbagetown before but the blurb we borrowed then is worth repeating:
For over half a century Cabbagetown remained home to a tight-knit, homogeneous, and semi-isolated community of people whose lives were anchored by Appalachian roots and the Fulton Cotton and Bag Mill, until it closed in 1977. Afterwards, the neighborhood went into a steep decline which didn’t end until Atlanta’s intown renaissance of the mid-1990s. Today, Cabbagetown is home to a wonderful mix of families, singles, young couples, artists, corporate executives, independent businesses, and several churches – all within a six block area.
There is a phenomenon (or at least we see it that way) in modern literature called Southern Literature. What is phenomenological about it? (how’s that for a Ph.d word?) Well, if you’ve wandered out of the region for any period of time, you may have noticed that there is no Pacific Northwest literature, or Mid-Atlantic literature, and certainly no Upper MidWest literature (all apologies to Keillor fans). Why is that?
From the perspective of somebody who ambled into this region only four short years ago, it’s hard to put my finger on it. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist though. Quite to the contrary, there is a mythology that seems to seep up from the southern soil. Where I grew up people talked about getting their knees wet in the Allegheny. Maybe here it’s the dusty clay of drought and the thick mud of uncontrolled floods that fertilizes the minds of the authors and songwriters of the South. I don’t know. However, I do know that I find myself growing increasingly fond of that voice while also realizing that it is one I will always admire but never really have (heritage tends to work that way).
In that spirit, I wanted to share three great songs about Cabbagetown (well, the third is a live shout out – listen closely) from three brilliant artists. If you’d rather read, then open some Southern Literature like Bound South by Susan Rebecca White (known to hang in Cabbagetown for A-List interviews (coming soon)).
MP3 Cabbage Town – Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band
MP3 Cabbagetown Girl – Bernadette Seacrest & Her Provocatuers
MP3 The Living Bubba – Drive-By Truckers
