Time In a Bottle

My Number #8 choice of musical tearjerkers is not the sad Jim Croce song (although it certainly could qualify ten times over), the "Time In A Bottle" title refers to talented songwriters/musicians who lost their battles with self-abuse, whether from drugs or alcohol. Like Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt, Keith Whitley made membership to that terrible club in 1989 when he died of alcohol poisoning.



He was married to country star, Lorrie Morgan in 1986, and she recorded a tribute that is just as heartbreaking to listen to: "If You Came Back From Heaven" - lyrics here and sound clip from Amazon here.


Whitley's song, "Tell Lorrie I Love Her" seems to have some presentiment, a memento mori hidden in the lyrics and in his anquished voice. You can listen to a soundclip here.

Tell Lorrie I Love Her

If I were alone in the desert
Without a drink of water around
With my knees and hands in that white scorching sand
With the hot Sahara, sun beating down
If I could be granted my wishes
Anything I want would come true
I know that it might sound funny
But here’s what I want you to do

(Chorus)
Tell Lorrie I love her
Tell Lorrie I need her
Tell her everything would be ok if I could just see her
Tell Lorrie I love her
Tell Lorrie I need her
And If I leave this old world tell her she’s the only girl for me

If I were a drift on the ocean
A vessel with no sails or steam
Floating aimlessly on the endless sea
Hopelessly lost it would seem
If all of the fish in the water
Could echo my last dying plea
I know you might not understand it
But here's what I want it to be

Tell Lorrie I love her
Tell Lorrie I need her
Tell her everything would be ok if I could just see her
Tell Lorrie I love her
Tell Lorrie I need her
And if I leave this old world tell her she’s the only girl for me
And if I leave this old world tell her she’s the only girl for me