Discover the story of the song > When We Were Close – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

The protagonist has a picture that reminds him of when he and his partner were close and happy. Despite not having much, his partner always dressed nicely. He also remembers a picture of them playing music together, even though his partner was the star. The protagonist feels like he was the weaker of the two, while his partner was destined for greatness. He also sees a picture of his partner with their child, hoping that their child will remember their smile. The protagonist also has a picture in his mind of his partner dying, surrounded by their demons. He can still hear his partner's voice and sees them playing their guitar until the very end. The protagonist wonders why he wasn't the one to die instead. The protagonist realizes it's not his place to forgive his partner for the tough times they went through, and now he'll never have to face them again. He is the last one left, while his partner has crossed over. The Fort Worth Blues, which represents their struggles, is still a part of the protagonist's life and he wonders why he's the one left behind.