Ball of Wax 62 Songs: Peter Spencer – “Beyond the Demon Lover”

Finger-picker extraordinaire Peter Spencer makes his Ball of Wax debut with “Beyond the Demon Lover,” a simple, yearning folk tune that acts as a showcase for his beautiful guitar work and rich baritone voice. This song fits neatly in the folk tradition of songs about the afterlife – or at least another world beyond this one – such as “No Depression” or “Get Happy.” (Whether the Great Depression or 2020, it seems such songs are more often prompted by hard times on a national scale.) The singer describes a world beyond, where “a new home waits for me.” Whether it’s on the other side of the mortal plane, a widespread vaccine, or the Canadian border, I think the idea of yearning for something or somewhere else should resonate with us all in the present moment. In less than two minutes, Peter paints a beautiful picture that makes me wish I believed in an afterlife. If nothing else, here’s to a time with less lying and less grief in the not-too-distant future.