It was like loving the last time, when you fumble like it's the first time and it's sweet and mutual you want to please. You've already decided it's over but want to say goodbye. JJ missed some words and Tebone missed some chords and the whole band didn't sound together but it was full of such love and ache, so much tension, I thought they sounded better than ever. It was JJ's last show with the band, she waves bye bye. Her voice sounded like laughter through the tears, it was shining and sweet last night, clear as a bell and then smooth as silk and then growly and deep, she really pushed it, flexed it, worked it.

It hurts it hurts it hurts so bad
Oooh you are the best man I ever had
Why was I so blind to see?
There was no bigger fool than me...

She got tears in her eyes but her voice never wavered, never shook, never faded, it rang out hard and clear and tapped everyone's heart, said, "Look, pay attention." And we did. We all watched a beautiful girl sing her heart out in a way few ever do.

She & Tebone did three songs just the two of them, and her favorite, a cover of a Patty Griffin song, brought a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes, not just the words and the meaning of the words, but her powerful and hauntingly sweet sad voice raising the hair on the back of my neck with its strength and beauty. The words do not translate in written form how this song felt to me, but here they are.

We are swimming with the snakes
    at the bottom of the well
So silent and peaceful in the darkness where we fell

But we are not snakes and what's more we never will be
And if we stay swimming here forever we will never be free

I heard them ringing the bell between heaven and hell
They got a secret
     they're getting ready to tell

It's falling from the skies
It's calling from the grave

Open your eyes boy, I think we are saved

Let's take a walk on the bridge
Right over this mess

Don't need to tell me a thing baby, we already confessed

And I raise my voice to the air
And we were blessed

It's hard to give
It's hard to get
But everybody needs
A little forgiveness

We are calling for help tonight on a thin phone line
As usual we're having ourselves one hell of a time
And the planes keep flying over our heads
No matter how loud we shout Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!

And we keep wavin and wavin our arms in the air
But we're all tired out

I heard somebody say
   today's the day
Big old hurricane she's blowing our way
Knockin over the buildings
Killing all the lights

Open your eyes boy, we made it through the night

Let's take a walk on the bridge right over this mess

Don't need to tell me a thing baby, we already confessed
And I raise my voice to the air
And we were blessed

It's hard to give
It's hard to get
It's hard to live
But still I think it's the best bet

Hard to give
Never gonna forget
Everybody needs a little forgiveness
Everybody needs a little forgiveness