Tim Krekel “Casualties”

Hitting Random on the iTunes list . . .

“What does this song make me think about” is the game I play here, daily. And sometimes a really clear picture of a moment or idea pops into my head.

And other times, it’s like a pumpkin hitting the pavement. So many thoughts and emotions and ideas hit at once, in a bit of a jumble.

Today, it's the latter.

Tim Krekel died this year. Cancer. Quickly.

He’d found out that he was sick in March. By June 24th, he was gone.

On June 24th, my wife and I were in this room (I’m writing, on my laptop, at home), working on details for my sister’s impromptu wedding, scheduled for the 27th.

She had cancer. She was gone a month later. Cancer. Slowly.

Eight years she fought cancer. It kept coming back. She fought. Literally, Fought. Angrily.

Tim Krekel didn’t know he was sick when he wrote “Casualties,” for 2007’s “Soul Season.” It’s a song about lifting off the burdens of your troubles, despite the hardship of life.

Though he was a star in his hometown of Louisville, Krekel had never achieved the mainstream National success of the folks he worked with, including NRBQ, Jimmy Buffett (he plays on “Son Of Son Of A Sailor”) or even Kim Richey (with whom he co-wrote “Come Around”). But when he knew he was dying, he still was able to describe his as “a most wonderful life.”

Just 10 days before he was gone, he decided to get married, and, he got hitched in a private ceremony.

My sister did the same thing. When she knew her time was at the end, she and her long-time boyfriend got hitched in a private ceremony.

At that point, in June, she was weak enough that she had to be in a wheelchair. And within a couple of weeks, cancer in her brain took away her most of her ability to speak.

In the end, she could only conjure up a handful of words. They included “No,” but not “Yes.” And “Fuck.”

I met Tim Krekel once. Just once. So I’m placing a lot on him, as I think about the parallels and perpendiculars and particulars between him and my sister, and how they left.

My wife just looked across the room and asked “Are you still at it?” I’ve been working on this post for a couple of hours now.

I started with a jumble. I’ve touched on the things I wanted to think about. But I don’t know how I want to end here.

How to leave it. I guess that’s the question, isn’t it?


Hear a clip of "Casualties" plus a Buffett track Tim played on, and several clips of songs he co-wrote:


See The Tim Krekel Orchestra perform "Casualties" live and check him out on acoustic guitar, supporting Jimmy Buffett on Saturday Night Live, 1978.

Tim played guitar during one of the best, funniest, most personally memorable interviews I ever did, when I talked to Kami Lyle, in Louisville.

Buy "Soul Season".