I was torn between which of the songs that Dan & Paul recorded at this gig for Dig Radio in Sydney I’d post but somehow this song, which I didn’t really like when I first heard it, has really grown on me over the years and manages to drag a deep sadness from within in the first couple of verses…but by the time you get to the end of the song you are in another place entirely…here is a loving tribute to all those absent friends and family (whether in jail, lost, too-far-away or just gone) whose ghosts are always hanging around at every party, dinner, chance meeting with a mutual acquaintance, quiet moments alone or sometimes just down at the noisy pub…most times we ignore their silent presence but in this song Paul weaves his magic and brings them back among us.
Often as not I shed a quiet tear when I hear this – a testament to Paul’s power with words and notes and a reflection on the losses we all suffer – I’d love to hear how other people react to it…
Who’s gonna make the gravy, pour the wine, make the salad or keep us laughing or in tears of happy rage quite like that absent friend, lover or brother, mother or sister…
2 Comments
Must agree. It is a tear-jerker, and it never gets old. I was lucky enough to hear the pair of them sing it at a recent Leonard Cohen concert. Was the first time I’d seen Paul live. Loved it.
Awesome song. Loved it the first time I heard it. Went out and bought the greatest hits album that it was on – which I managed to get signed by the man himself. Learned how to play it on my guitar. Always good to play after a few beers with mates.