Hangovers are when most spiritual deals are broken, as in: “Please God don't let me puke in front of all of these people this early in the morning, I swear I'll do whatever you want.” We're willing to give up anything that we were probably going to give up anyway, such as killing raccoons for sport. This song by The Louvin Brothers is the gentle balm that the bargaining soul needs. This song is the whimper after the fury. The brothers were fundamental to their righteous black-bible belts. Which is why this parable of a drunkard missing his mother's death is so touching, or, at least, palatable early in the morning. The slide guitar is restrained of its typical shrill twang, at moments it even seems haunting. The brothers tell a straightforward tale of failure, regret and redemption, so soft are their voices that they must have had the hungover in mind while singing it. It is a simple song sung by proudly simple folk for the morally enfeebled, which is us. The message is simple: get drunk, mother dies, have splitting hangover, ask sky for forgiveness, Jesus cries and clean slate. Done, so long as we don't puke.