MINNESOTA

Iowa's Renaissance Man

I love Minnesota. I love its natural beauty and abundance. I love its people. I love its educational system and dedication to the arts. I even love the friendly jabs I have received at my Minnesota shows directed towards my home state of Iowa.

My heart aches for the people of the state to our North. But I am also so proud of the strength and courage by the residents who live there. So I decided to rework an old song of mine to suit the times. The haunting viola and harmony vocals are from my dear friend and Weary Ramblers partner, Kathryn Severing Fox . Thank you, Kathryn. I pray for a peaceful resolution to the senseless atrocities that have fell upon this beautiful state.

America is with you, Minnesota. You continue to inspire.

---

MINNESOTA (edited for 2026)

Way up in Minnesota
Where the stars are frozen bright
Way up in Minnesota
Where the stars are frozen bright
We sing ourselves a love song because we all need love tonight 

There was something in the woods
Hidin’ in the tall, dark trees
Something in the woods, mama 
Hidin’ in the tall, dark trees
And we dropped our lantern when we ran away
Now we cannot see

But Lo, the wind, she’s howlin’
Across the prairie lands
Lo, the wind, she’s howlin’
Across the prairie lands
We're still searching for that ribbon
The wind had taken out of our hands

We spoke to one another
Each in our own dreams
We spoke to one another
Each in our own dreams
But now we can’t fall back to sleep
We're wide awake wondering what it all means

Way up in Minnesota...
Way up in Minnesota…
We sing ourselves a love song

---

Thank you for reading and listening! Please consider a paid subscription to this page. I support my family through creative pursuits and it means a great deal to me. Thank you!

Chad Elliott

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Also, please subscribe to this wonderful community of writers!