Music Review // TRIPI "Charlie's Song"

 

"Charlie's Song" is about one of the few things in this life that no one should have to go through and that is a parent losing a child.  As this song states several times, Charlie was almost three and that's also just too young for someone to die, as they didn't really have a chance to live their life, to realize their potential and see what it's all about.  It's sad in and of itself that a child doesn't get to grow up, but this song is also about those parents who have lost children.

Tripi sings about the differences between the parents, as with the father: "And he said please, why don't you come and pick me", which is just a way I think every parent would feel- they would rather it be them than their child.  As the lyrics discuss the mother they say: "Now Charlie's mom is good with words / But there ain't no way to describe this hurt" and it's true.  There is a line after this about how this is a club no one should be a part of and that also very much rings true.

With pianos and an overall folk type of sound which reminds me of The Wallflowers, the way in which Tripi tells this whole story also reminds me a bit of Shawn Mullins.  It's just that vibe of the 1990's when grunge was fading away and artists were coming around such as Cracker, with that almost country twang to them though they were definitely not country.  In some ways, because of the subject matter, this song also can have spiritual reflections, as if the sorrow you have collected has become your own personal church.

The biggest part of this song is that no one parent should lose a child and this should be relatable and something everyone can agree on.   If you are fortunate enough to be a person who has not lost a child because either you're not a parent or your child is still alive, then I think you should still be able to take something from this song because of the parents who lose their children in tragedies such as Sandy Hook.  This is a subject which feels like a touchy one at times, but Tripi has found a way to describe it appropriately.