I still remember the exact moment I discovered Joe Bonamassa. I was in the Army at Fort Bragg in 2002 and my roommate was fond of turning the TV to those music channels where there is no video, just music. That’s when I heard a familiar song, but it was clearly by a different artist. The song was “Unbroken” and I was only familiar with the Tim McGraw version. This new version was good! “Who the hell is this?” That’s how I discovered Joe Bonamassa. Ten years and eight studio albums later, he would release Driving Towards the Daylight. Assisted by the likes of Anton Fig, Brad Whitford, Arlan Schierbaum, and Jimmy Barnes, I loved what Bonamassa did with this album. Of course, his playing got better in the intervening decade. But so did his vocal talent. The titular song is what I’m sharing today in the Hangover Cafe.
Driving towards the daylight, running from the midnight
—Joe Bonamassa & Danny Kortchmar
Trying to get my way home
Running from the spotlight, trying to find the daylight
Trying to get back home
Whenever I hear this song I always imagine myself being someplace other than where I want to be. Typically it’s a long and arduous drive where all you’ve got are miles you don’t care to count and tedium. Lots and lots of tedium. In a roundabout way, it serves as a reminder of mindfulness. Maybe I should learn to “look upon a mountain” and appreciate that it’s there. That I am here. Driving toward the daylight doesn’t have to mean I dislike the moonlight.
And maybe I can be grateful that I’ve learned better ways to cope with hangovers. I hope you have too.
