Where Angels Hang Around

Album: Sunset Man (2007)
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song Otto visits the emotions a parent prays never to experience in a tribute to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis.
  • Otto co-wrote this touching ballad with Monty Criswell. He told AOL's The Boot about the story behind the song: "That song was written about a friend of Monty's whose child was diagnosed with cancer. He asked me if it was something that would be too heavy to write about. I related it to my mother-in-law [who had] breast cancer and how it affected me -- I was so afraid when it happened. You put it in reverse and go, 'How hard would it be to see your child go through cancer?' It's horrible. I can't imagine anything worse. So we tried to put ourselves in the position of being a father, what would you be going through. I ended up going to St Jude [Children's Research Hospital] a few years later and got to know some of the kids and doctors and see what they do there. I really found a reason to put the song on my record while I was there. I didn't have any experience with it necessarily until then, so it really took hold there."

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