Craig J. Hansen

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Single Release: Gentian Melody

This is a gentle, simple instrumental. It reminds me of a wildflower, not pretentious, but evocative in its own way. A gentian is a prairie wildflower. Sometimes these simple songs are the most difficult to record. The song is available on all streaming services, and if you do not have a music service, you can…

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Single Release: There We Stood

This is a song about a relationship that has weathered some storms, but perhaps to everyone’s surprise, it still stands strong. This is another one of my songs that does not seem to fit neatly into any genre. But that doesn’t bother me, as long as people enjoy the music. This was a fun one…

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Single Release: City Song

OK, I live in a small town. Well, it’s not that small, just under 20,000 people. But we are part of a much larger metropolitan area that is approaching 4 million people. I sometimes think about living in the urban center and I think there is much to say for it. So this song is…

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Single Release: When You’re Gone

The song is about long distance relationships, whether for a short time or something that’s just central to how it works. The narrator in the song thinks about change in the passing of time and how some change is inevitable if people are separated. I guess I’d call this a country song, but maybe it’s…

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Single Release: The Peshtigo Fire

Here’s another one of my historical tragedy songs. I’m not sure why I like these as topics, but I certainly do! This song describes a real event, the deadliest wildfire in US history. I say in the lyrics that 2000 died. The official death count is just over 1000, but estimates made in modern times…

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Single Release: Lighthouse

This is a straightforward electric blues song. I played in a blues band, inspired by Chicago electric blues, for a number of years. It was a really fun band, and a good one.  For this song, I wanted a live feel. I recorded each part straight through, with no edits of any individual sections, which…

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Single Release: The Gate

Single Release: The Gate This is a rock instrumental, which owes something to King Crimson, Metallica, and Queen, although it cannot hold a candle to any of them. Nonetheless, it was fun to record, as I like to explore lead guitar. As for the title, I am seeing this song as part of a concept…

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Single Release: One Bad Day

Well, I might as well be direct. This song is about how your existence can be snuffed out in a second. The first verse refers to things that might happen to you and the second verse are the things you might bring on yourself. The refrain, one bad day, refers to that day when you cease to be, although that…

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Single Release: Hey You

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…

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Single Release: A Whiskey Song

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…

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