Fifteen keys… where do they go?

“Dad, why is it fifteenkey?” The simple answer is that it’s from an Uncle Tupelo song called “Fifteen Keys” from the bands last full-length recording, 1993’s Anodyne.

Anodyne was the first “alt-country” record dropped on me ten years ago by pal Jeff. As I write this, it’s chilling to think it may be ten years to the day or pretty damn close. What Jeff didn't know is that he was handing me a life-preserver that helped save me for the next few years while adrift on a furious sea of inner-conflict and guilt. Anodyne, defined by Wikipedia as a painkiller, echoes those themes, as during the time of the recording the band was also coming apart at the uh, seams. (Note: That is so bad I refuse to edit it.)

The words of the songs in Anodyne are an enduring part of me now, and still often an effective prescription. So, Megan, that’s why it’s fifteenkey. I love you. Dad.