This is a song about non-conformity. The lyrics might be a little obtuse, and perhaps I should have called the song something like, “The Eccentric.” The speaker is someone who follows their own course and is largely immune to much of the peer pressure and doomsday babble that surrounds them. I suppose it’s a bit…
Read more →I am very fond of Irish music. I play it as part of the song list in the acoustic band that I am in. We are not all that traditional in how we treat these songs, but I have a good deal of respect for those who are. I enjoy bands like the Dropkick Murphys, with…
Read more →I started writing this song on a really cold day in April, a.k.a. the cruelest month. I have to admit that I get impatient for spring. Minnesota has long winters, although this last one was mild in comparison. But the song is about more. It’s about the longing for the greener grass on the other…
Read more →I have always been a vivid dreamer and for most of my life, have been able to interact with my dreams. This does not mean that I am immune from nightmares, just that I can occasionally steer them in a less harrowing direction. Trying to catch the sense of nightmare in a song was a challenge. I chose a kind of heavy rock format and lyrics that were suggestive rather…
Read more →I wrote this song in the early weeks of the second Trump presidency. I try not to be blatantly political here, but I am very disturbed by what I see going on. This has nothing to do with politics and in many ways, nothing to do with values. The access given to Musk and his…
Read more →I was out at Guide Dogs For The Blind in San Raphael, California, to train with my new guide. After going for some months with no guide dog and using my white cane, where I most resemble a drunk with a weed whacker, getting back behind a guide dog was a liberating experience. This song…
Read more →This song is about alienation. It’s about seeing the negative events of the world and choosing how to react. There is, for many, a strong temptation to pull away, to remove oneself from the events and any action. That’s becoming a ghost. I understand this feeling, but also think it’s not the best strategy in…
Read more →I wrote this song in mid December, but it’s not a particularly cold December this year. A couple years ago, during Covid, we met with our friends outdoors, sitting around a fire. That was a much colder winter than we have so far. And a lot of my imagery comes from those experiences. But it is also meaningful to…
Read more →This is a lament from a person who has been dumped and taken by surprise. They are revisiting a place and a time. I wanted kind of an 80s pop/rock song vibe to this, hence the classic synthesizer tone. Had fun with the guitar parts! If you would like to check out the lyrics: http://craigjhansen.com/done-with-me/…
Read more →I consider this a blues song although it’s not about pain, but optimism, or at least dealing with challenges. Also, it’s got more of a jazzy vibe than some electric blues. Nonetheless, it’s reflective and was really a fun vehicle for bluesy guitar. If you would like to check out the lyrics: http://craigjhansen.com/the-upside/ The song…
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