IRIS DEMENT - SWEET IS THE MELODY 

There are some who don't care for her vocal style, but the heart and soul of her performance are undeniable. There is a genuine and pure sound here that warms me whenever I hear it.

Iris'song moved me all all all the time,what a delicious voice ，no one can delivers such a sadness.

This woman has a beautiful voice. She is the genuine article. I LOVE her!

So beautiful. The most unique voice ever!

I remeber singing this in the car with my grandma when I was 4, one first songs I ever learned all the lyrics to. I tear up a little bit every time I hear it.

beautiful, just beautiful, what a voice

I agree with you man. Iris is a treasure- they don't come along very often. Embrace her America! She is a one off!

I bought several of Iris's CDs after hearing "Our town" this song is probably my favourite , the sentiments of the songwriter ......you lay down the hours and leave not one trace, but a tune for the dancing is there in its place. I get severely emotional when listening to this talented lady , the words , the voice just tears your heart out .

jes love to listen to iris , what a great talent

To who can we possibly compare this sassy voice to? An angel that knows the measurement of time, or the ways of our folly? Should we not instead treasure this voice and carry it with us in our journey of fond memories? Yes, these are the pieces that accompany us, that comfort us along the way.

Good to find Iris's recording of her song here at YT. It seems lots of people now think Aselin Debison wrote it, because she covered the song and used the title as her album title. Lovely song.

A great singer songwriter,a voice to die for.

I've just discovered this wonderful singer - thanks so much Gwen!

"The dance floor is for gliding ...not jumping over ponies....." I love Iris.

I was lucky enough to see Ms. Demint play her very first open mikes in Kansas City. I recall her playing between sets at a Jeff Black show at "Buzzard Beach". The unruly crowd started out ignoring her, but was soon entranced.. The owner asked Jeff to not bring her back. Said she was running off customers. A two years later she was nominated for a Grammy :)

I can't believe I just discovered this wonderful singer!!! Wonder why she isn't more famous. Or maybe she is famous, and I missed that fact also.

Lovely song and lovely voice - great memories

iris is wonderful! i love to hear her sing. such a beautiful voice.

This is the song that I love ,when my eldest grandaughter now 19 was much younger she used to run into the house and look at me expecting me to put on this song,I could feel the tension as she sat with me. I played this as she came in the other day,she said I remember that song grandad.A magic moment.

Thank you Prairie Home Companion for introducing me to Miss Iris, she gives me a feeling of old lace, creaking wood floors, dumplings and peace.

i dont understand why people listen and watch videos of performers they dont like and then make comments,if you dont like it dont watch pretty simple, I love Iris thats why I watch her and not eminm , 50 cent,jlo and all the others

Iris is great. Nice to see her perform in the Old Country. She's probably related to some of the Hebridean girls that sing in Gaelic and summon the Ancient Ones...

An American original. She is entitled to enjoy her place among our best country/bluegrass vocalists...to include Mary Chapin Carpenter, Nanci Griffith, Clair Lynch, Allison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Rosann Cash, and many others.

What an amazing voice. Just entrancing.

This wonderful songbird forever has a place in my heart and she gets better and better! Beautiful talent, Iris!

What a very special voice. I love it.

Such incredible voice, and passion...very moving.

Well said, Toby. She is a true wonder. I've seen her live on two occasions, and she's one of the few whose songs can bring tears to my eyes...especially "My Life": "My life, it's half the way travelled, And still I have not found my way out of this night. And my life, it's tangled in wishes, And so many things that just never turned out right...."

This is the first time I've seen this video, love it, she did a short tour that time and played in South Shields where I saw her. I've been in love with that voice ever since ;-))

The first like 10 seconds I first heard Iris singing on "Our Town", I didn't like her voice but by the time the song was over I was loving it. Her vocals are very unique and she has a sincerity about her. Very good stuff!

Absolutely SUPERB this Canadian lassie,welcome back to Scotland anytime for myself and my family as we all love here,Murray

This is just wonderful. Wish I had a better way to describe it, but what a combination of writing, playing and singing.

such a pure voice.... love it

One of the greatest American songwriters

Iris is in a tiny small club of the truly gifted......Sweet is the Melody.....angelic is the Voice.....

I wasn't sure at first, but i am now, she's great.

Thanks for the video. I first heard in Iris Dement in The Songcatcher and couldn't believe the authenticity of her accent in the film. Then I found this and discovered that's just her natural self. Wonderful!

@rylandv , It's a set of a roof-top and the light is the neon, supposedly, on the front of the building. I agree it's a bit distracting. But what a performance, mm? I think it's the Yankees who don't like her Southern delivery. WHAT A SWEET VOICE.

God....I Love this girl......I'm going to waltz to my wedding to this......

catch her live. she is BRILLIANT

have favourited 3 or 4 videos of her music over the last half hour, beautiful

I've been in love with Iris for so long...

An angel sent from heaven to sing for us.

Beautiful! From some of the comments I guess some can't handle the accent. I love it because I love the people from down home that sound just like her. You dislike somebody because of the way they sound? A persons accent talks of where they have been. She ain't no put on.

Very pretty old Martin D45 she's a playin.....This is one of my favorite videos of Iris.

@ckyro121 she has a distinct voice, no doubt, very haunting I think it a good adjective for her style. I remember her from Song Catcher, I loved her voice there, then heard Our Town without knwing it was the same woman, I had the first initial reaction to that sound you did, then I remembered who she was and the style makes you fall in love with her voice.

Thank you Iris Dement, this song is great. Canadian Aselin Debison sings a version of this good song too.

She is an amazing singer

How I love that lady.

such a pure voice... i love this woman and her voice

Iris you are a delight,i love your music and song writing.

I've listened to this song since I was 5 now I feel so emotionaly attatched to it

Love this song and singer

Beautiful.

Love your heart and voice iris,,,your special

@thegrinchl7 Ah, that was so kind. Please, tell us how you really feel. Luckily, there are many who don't share your sentiments about Ms. Dement's talent, or we might be deprived of the beauty of her music. I wish I had a small bit of her talent and inspiration, and for you, my pity.

Still a beautiful song,I love it.....Murray.

Beautiful

She is wonderfull isnt she.

Thank you, John Prine, for introducing me to Ms. Dement. She gives me dumplings and peas. Not bad for a former Wal-Mart cashier.

No one like Iris for sure. Nanci Griffiths "other voices" got me hooked.

impeccable!!

At the theatre I work at, people always watch the credits to find out who sang "Leaning on the everlasting arms"

What talent

Get your hands on the Transatlantic Sessions DVDs..........

Thank you for posting this jewel. A true beauty.

I love you Sweetie

A perfect song.

@ckyro121 yes here voice is different....gotta love here...

really nice picking here too.

@michaelb5e2 i agree 100% one would think , if ya don't likek why watch it . but youtube has made it so every arse feels the need to say something pos or neg ... I LUV THSI WOMAN'S SINGING AND SHE SOUNDS EVEN BETTER OR MAYBE HE DOES singing with john prine

@TrashcanBoogie No, she is married to Greg Brown for years now.

I love Eminem AND Iris. They have a similar rawness. Why do all videos of great music have sarcastic comments about other music below it -- and they're always the highest ranked ones too.

@Doctg100 yup shes the real deal..no fake or phony ....

There are eleven dislikes against 478 likes. It turns out there's more angels than demons here.

@thegrinchl7 So sad that this missed your heart. Could it be that the target was too small? Open your window and let the heart and soul fly through.

Good ol' Arkansas gal.

I LOVE HER TOO. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

@thegrinchl7 Presumably this includes you. Us humans appreciate good music.

neg.folks are more upset with them selves not iris ,,she is great

@thegrinchl7 Honestly - why do you bother listening to every Iris DeMent video on RU-vid and feel compelled to comment on how much you dislike her voice? Are you trapped in a basement with a gun to your head and this is the only way you can communicate a cry of help without tipping off your captors? If so, let us know, so we can either call the cops to come save you, or let your kidnappers put you out of your misery. Your comments are far more annoying than her voice...

sweet !!

Grinch17. You lost all credibility when you compared Iris to Yoko. Yoko could not hold a note if she had a bucket. Iris is an accomplished singer. A beautiful voice.

@IfWallsCouldSpeak nice martin too

Billy Connelly doesn't say much funny these days... Iris, however, sings wonderfully all the time.

@restinopolis1 Iris is married to Greg Brown. Has been for years.

Yuck, stupid commercials sound even more stupid after listening to her wonderful singing;-(

BRAZILIAN GREETINGS! SHALOM!

She sounds like me Irish Mother...

good !

@thegrinchl7 How sad that this misses your heart. Maybe the target is too small....Was Bob Dylan's voice a little weird for you too?

@thegrinchl7 I'm sorry. Was that non sequitur description of some Thirty-somethings behaving like 13 year-olds supposed to be relevant to what I posted? At the end of it all, we simply disagree about the woman's talent. I can't change your view, and you'll not change mine. Incidentally, Leaning On the Everlasting Arms is a very old, and quite well known American hymn. You've never heard it?

Up until about 2000....she had this perfectly sweet voice that she controlled with such an uplifted spirit. Today.....yuck......she is pulling the hillbilly nasal stuff up from her guts and ruining wonderful songs like this. Of course we still love her....but she should stick to nothing but new songs. She can't do the old ones anymore.

can't load it and youtube help blank!!!

"nasal honks"? What exactly is a "nasal honk"? Could you please make a video demonstrating a "nasal honk " and post it on RU-vid?

She was always good with John Prine.

@thegrinchl7 How sad that this misses your heart. Maybe the target is too small....

I din't know she was from Arkansas

@briartlaw try some punctuation.

@Brittneyjade1983 Never mind dear - one day you'll grow up and appreciate the better things in life.