Chris Kokesh "Lucy"

In "Lucy," Chris Kokesh writes matter-of-factly yet poignantly about a mother facing death and assessing of her children. If this one doesn't touch you, check for a pulse.



Most of the time lately I am not myself
Sometimes I’m just so tired, sometimes I feel like hell
We made it through the winter and it’s starting to turn spring
But the cancer just keeps growing and killing everything

My son’s just turning 15, he already tows the line
He’s so much like his father I know that he’ll be fine
Lucy is two years younger, but she smells like cigarettes
She still needs her mama, but she doesn’t know it yet

Lucy, Lucy
There’ll be joy and there’ll be pain
Lucy, you have no idea what the world can throw your way
From the moment you could crawl you thought you’d seen it all
Little flame that burns so bright
Lucy, Lucy
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight

Lucy do you remember when your mama’s gentle hand
Woke you in the dark and flew you off to Disneyland
Now I never see you smiling as you creep around this house
But I know you keep a hotel soap in the shape of Mickey Mouse

Lucy, I remember when you found that baby bird
You were so mad at its mama because she never returned
But Lucy it’s a world of plans that fall apart
And you must be a brave girl and not let it break your heart

Lucy, Lucy
There’ll be joy and there’ll be pain
Lucy, you have no idea what the world can throw your way
From the moment you could crawl you thought you’d seen it all
You are a flame that burns so bright
Lucy, Lucy
Goodnight, sweetheart, goodnight

Chris Kokesh and "Lucy"

Chris Kokesh is a relatively unknown singer-songwriter out of Portland with a very good release titled "October Valentine." One cut on it -- "Lucy" -- just gets it so right as a mother dying of cancer observes her two teenagers:

"My son’s just turning 15, he already tows the line
He’s so much like his father I know that he’ll be fine
Lucy is two years younger, but she smells like cigarettes
She still needs her mama, but she doesn’t know it yet"

The release is full of such gems. As Kokesh puts it: "I write songs about real people, and my audiences see themselves there. There are plenty of people who are louder and showier than I am. My strength is in my emotional connection with the song and the music. I believe in the stories I tell, and that comes through." 

To play the song, go to Chris' MySpace page and click on "Lucy"