Artist:   Hacienda Brothers
Song:   "Break Free"
Album: Arizona Motel
Label:   HBR
Year:    2008

There are times when songs can get too close. Hacienda Brother Chris Gaffney died earlier this year, not long before their Arizona Motel album was released. The last song is “Break Free,” a heartfelt ode to finding that part of life where secrets are discovered, ones capable of changing everything. Written by Memphis guru Dan Penn and Hacienda Brother David Gonzalez, on its surface the song sounds pleasant enough, a summer sound maybe, something to whistle along with. Scratch the surface, and another world opens up, one that offers the promise of a brand new beginning and the secrets of a second dimension. Gaffney’s rough voice takes on a gorgeous glow, maybe because we know he’s gone, or maybe he really did reach way down to find a center inside himself, like he knew there was something to pass along: “There’s a whole lot more I can say/but right now I’ve got to fade away/remember to keep your dukes up high/and even if it makes you cry/break free, break free /from whatever it is break free.” The sense of otherworldliness in Chris Gaffney’s voice says he realized his time here was almost over, and was at peace about moving on. He was the kind of man who lived life according to his own playbook, didn’t expect exceptions or favors and rarely looked back. No one loved to sing more than him, which is how he finally broke free.