What To Keep And What To Throw Away

Album: Ashes and Roses (2012)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Carpenter reflecting on one of the most upsetting days she had to endure after divorcing her husband, contractor Timmy Smith. "That was a moment-by-moment replay of having to clean out my former spouse's things from my house," she explained to Billboard magazine. "I think anyone who has ever had to do that will testify that it's pretty harrowing to do that. It was a very difficult day. Writing this song and reliving every moment. The repeating line is 'These are your instructions,' and the reality is that there are no instruction manuals for getting through something like this. You just have to steel yourself, and be as strong as you possibly can."

Comments: 1

  • Red Pierce from TacomaWhen Ashes and Roses first came put, I didn't play it much; it wasn't the MCC I was used too. My wife of 43 years passed in '18 and the album made sudden sense. For a few months I was playing it in the house, the car...everywhere. Probably kept me from. anything stupid. Well, stupider. Thanks for this CD and all the beautiful, funny and insightful music all these years. Red
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