I coaxed your petals into full bloomBy nurturing your needsOn moonlit nights or in sunlit beams.A careful whisper, a hand that feeds,And, in tenderness, sweet surrender.Precious cargo, calyx-protected.Envy of the effete and lechers aplenty,Overlooking the oft neglected.
What follows is the speech I gave at an old Army friend’s wedding in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in November of this year. I’ve known Don for twenty-two years. My earliest memories of him are from Ft. Huachuca wherein I thought, “Who’s that old guy running in our group?” [aside: he’s only five years my elder].…
We all remember our first loves, right? When it comes to music, my first love was grunge. My parents exposed me to great music: southern rock, classic rock, and 80s country for the most part. My older brothers—between four and eight years my elders—turned me on to heavy metal and hip-hop. On any given day…
Contemporary folk music seems to be right at home here at the Hangover Cafe and Gregory Alan Isakov’s “The Stable Song” is no exception. Naturally. As with most of the songs I’ve selected for this column, this song’s lyrics are introspective and poetic. I also contend that the vocals can evoke an emotional response from…
In 2020 Nathaniel Rateliff released his third studio album And It’s Still Alright. He wrote the album during a tough time in his life (his divorce and the death of a close friend) so it makes sense that the lyrics from this album would cut deep. The most emotionally charged song on the album is…
Tracy Chapman’s “Stand by Me” cover is a captivating interpretation of Ben E. King’s 1961 hit classic. With over 400 covers to its legacy—hell, even Muhammad Ali has a version, it’s a passable rendition, but forgettable—this is a song that really needs no introduction. I’m willing to bet anyone over 20 years of age can…
Joshua Radin’s “Three Little Birds” may be the most touching cover of Bob Marley’s classic. The original is excellent and technically doesn’t need a cover. That hasn’t stopped anyone though. Most aren’t worth mentioning and I won’t. But my second favorite cover features Baaba Maal and several others (including previous Hangover Cafe featured guest, Keb’…
Some time ago, I was taking a creative writing course in one form or another. The instructor offered a challenge (assignment even) of writing a short story. A very short story. The story could be no longer than fifty-five words. Nor could it be any shorter than fifty-five words. Additionally, we couldn’t create a clever…
Tuesday night (August 1, 2023) was the Alpharetta, Georgia, stop of Disturbed’s “Take Back Your Life” Tour. Jinjer and Breaking Benjamin accompanied the headliner as special guests. I had never seen any of these bands until this show and I almost didn’t this time. None of my friends could make the show and coordinating it…