Art. It’s so personal, so intimate so… je ne sais quoi. There is such an intangible quality to art that resonates with us, which is why it makes it especially difficult to let go once we realize it’s time has come. My first experience parting with art that was once so close to my heart, was tainted by the inconsolable anguish I felt upon discerning that I could never again listen to Uncle Kracker’s iconic smash hits like, “Smize (?)” or, um, uh, um, “Kracker Barrel (?)” without feeling unconscionable weight on my soul.
When I first heard that Uncle Kracker had been found guilty of misdemeanor assault on a woman in a bar in 2007 it was October 1st, 2019, when I googled “Uncle Kracker” for the first time. My heart broke. How could this artist, whose songs I’ve heard the first 12 seconds of on Youtube that one time 2 minutes ago, betray his longtime, loyal fans like this?
Uncle Kracker’s carpe diem attitude towards life helped me through some truly difficult times in my life. His magnanimous rallying cry “Bring the Krack!” saved my life when I was at rock bottom and you could find me yelling this inspirational battle cry in the middle of everyday tasks. Washing the dishes, I would begin to feel some existential dread creep up on me; “Bring the Krack!” I would yell, and banish the feeling instantly.
Yes. The 30 seconds I’ve spent listening to Uncle Kracker have brought some impactful change to my life, but I can’t, in good conscience, listen any longer. I will forever cherish those fleeting 25 seconds of country-themed(?) confusion I got to experience on that sweltering October day. Oh well, at least there’s always Kid Rock.
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