A friend that both my wife and I have had for decades passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. It was during a week where there were other tragedies, including a relative whose house burned to the ground in Altadena, California in the Eaton fire.

All of this makes you pause and reflect on things that may not ordinarily play a big role in your daily thinking. It has to do with your good fortune, with memories that flood from the past, with empathy for those who are suffering, and with perhaps a heightened sense of fragility.

I had been working on this slow, jazzy blues tune for a while and was waiting for inspiration to compose the lyrics. That came, although I would’ve preferred different circumstances.

In the lyrics themselves, there is a contrast between the mundane, routine aspects of life and the sudden introspection and deep thinking triggered by a tragedy.

The song is available on all streaming services, and if you do not have a music service, you can access the song on YouTube: https://youtu.be/shMSbjaYCxA

If you would like to check out the lyrics: http://craigjhansen.com/on-the-death-of-a-friend/