The Season Finale of Justified ended with a couple lines from the haunting song in the video below. "You will never leave Harlan Alive" was written by Darrell Scott, who grew up in this part of Kentucky. Though Scott didn't grow up in the mines, he had family who did, so what he wrote in the song pretty much described a way of life from his family's past. Brad Paisley rendition of the song is used for Season I and 2's finale. The song reappears again in the Finale of Season 4, but only with just a few lines played. This time the song was a bluesy version, sung by Dave Alvin (interesting take on the song which is worth watching in full. Now I'm sure for some, the Artist version one hears first will most likely determine, which version of this song they like best. For me it's easy, I like them all. Patty Loveless whose Dad was a miner, is credited with making the song popular on the bluegrass circuit in 2002, singing it at Merle Fest. Her father died from Black Lung in 1968. Patty sang her version almost 8 years before Paisley's hit came out. All the versions by the Song Artists, including this one sung by the writer Darrell Scott himself are quite good in their own right. All the artists have amazing background ties to some very famous Artist, except for Brad Paisley, I've provided a bio link to each when you click their names..
While the TV show Justified in no ways reflects the true character of Harlan, Kentucky or Harlan County, Kentucky, The song I feel really does personify the community of Harlan in the TV Series, Harlan County, and Harlan, Kentucky. It also transcend the geographical boundaries of these places. There are many people who I've met in real life who struggle just as hard with every day life. A lot of us never know because we live in a better life or we have better health. Sadly a lot of these folks share the same belief as those in Harlan County " back in the day". Health Issues place limits on some people's ability to escape. For a large percentage of people in America and the rest of the world, we all struggle to make ends meet at times. Those who work the minimum wage jobs insure that they will always have to work longer hours, just to get by. I see these people everywhere and I smile and applaud when good fortune finally finds them. "Finally they will have the opportunity to "leave their own Harlan alive", to a place where the sun comes up earlier and sets later in the evening.
Justified is a great TV series and if you haven't watched it, I definitely recommend you start with Season I. I'm definitely looking forward to Season 5. The actors and acting is always superb and other than AMC's "The Walking Dead", there is no better TV series on television in my opinion.
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