Who's The Song About?

Last night Zirpu and I went to see Miz Jinkins sing. It's the first time she's sung in public since before the baby came and since we were invited, we went to support her return to the rock 'n' roll lifestyle (though Zirpu pointed out that it's really more like the folkie lifestyle). The last song she sang was about a time in her life when she was "a shadow of herself" and was resistant to falling in love. In the chorus she tells Love to go away, she "can't play with you." I found myself wondering if the song was about the period during which she was falling in love with her husband, whom I've known much longer than I've known Miz Jinkins.


I've written just one song, though I wrote a lot of poetry, some of it not half-bad, in writing classes in college. The Killer Lady and I were at the Cabin before Cabinstock in 1996 sitting on the rock looking over Lake Creek. I don't remember if we were talking or just reclining in the sun quietly, but I must have gotten teary about Phil not being there with us (this was just four years after he'd died, and that pain still freshens when I'm at the Cabin without him). The Killer Lady went inside and brought us both whiskey and waters in coffee mugs. I don't drink whiskey but somehow it fit the occasion. I sipped, and this came out as a song about people I knew. Later Kid Paully added the music notations.

Whiskey In The Afternoon

Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Sittin' on a rock overlooking the river
Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Watchin' clouds, thinkin' 'bout old lovers

Time moves differently in Colorado
And the all seem to be here at once
There's people I haven't seen before
Maybe they'll be lovers in a few years more

I'm sittin' here thinkin' 'bout a younger me
And all the things I did right and wrong
Together the right length of time and
The times I left early or stayed too long

Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Sittin' on a rock overlooking the river
Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Watchin' clouds, thinkin' 'bout old lovers

The river rushes them somewhere
Prob'ly down to the Colorado River
Carrying them on to other lives and lovers
Columbines and the aspens wave goodbye

But you know they didn't need to hurry
Now I'm out on this rock all alone
I'm drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Watchin' clouds, thinkin' 'bout old lovers

Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Sittin' on a rock overlooking the river
Drinkin' whiskey in the afternoon
Watchin' clouds, thinkin' 'bout old lovers