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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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/…

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…

I wrote this song for the More-Tishans, a Stillwater, Minnesota band that was a big hit in the Twin Cities in the 1960s and even had a hit song on the radio. This band was inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame in 2008. I joined them as the lead guitarist for that event…

I recently read an article about the popularity of social media sites devoted to describing and interpreting dreams. I think dreams are pretty interesting, and I certainly have my share of wild ones. But I’m not sure there is much guidance in them, and, indirectly, that’s what this song is about. The choppy rhythm stands…