Saturday, July 12, 2025
Time: 9:20 PM
Song: If We Were Vampires
Artist: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Mode of Consumption: Live at concert at Coronado Theatre
Link to song: https://open.spotify.com/track/250RLekaiL1q9qZer975Eg?si=eb7de3c723d24f2e
The band opened this song with their backs to the audience, the stage dark with a pulsating white light. It is a Jason Isbell song that I know, but hadn’t really ever studied.
As the band turned and played the opening notes, a round of applause broke out to our right. I should say that Jodi and I were in the very back row in the balcony at the Coronado Theatre in Rockford, IL. We were the only ones in the row, pretty much the only ones within twenty feet. We could stretch out and enjoy the show without intruding on any other human’s space. It was nice.
Back to the applause, a short, wide-shouldered man was rising from his knee in the aisle. He had picked this song to pop the question. It was a bold move.
It made me pause and listen closer to the lyrics because I assumed he knew them in order to pick that one to propose. Of course, it was possible it was her favorite song, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good one to commit to a life together with.
The song is a lament that nothing lasts forever, but in the case of love, perhaps that’s a good thing. I could paraphrase, but I think it’s best to just point out the section that had to be the heart of the proposal:
“Maybe time running out is a gift
I’ll work hard ‘til the end of my shift
And give you every second I can find
And I hope it isn’t me who’s left behind.”
If you don’t know Isbell, you should look him up. I was thinking while watching the concert, I should put together a quick primer list of songs of Isbell for anyone who asks about him.
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