Spencer White performs ‘I Hate Iced Tea,’ the second movement of his grief suite about two brothers lost in close succession. The song uses quiet, intimate imagery — iced tea, cologne, giving away possessions — to evoke anticipatory grief, prolonged loss, and the tender, mundane memories that survive death. The performance ends with a heartfelt thank-you to the audience.

Watch on YouTube at 00:04:25

Transcript

[00:04:26] ¶¶

[00:04:44] ¶ Boring bitter taste

[00:04:46] ¶ Goes down my throat

[00:04:50] ¶ We sat and talked about life

[00:05:26] pass up a microphone

[00:05:28] embrace it

[00:05:30] say you’re peace

[00:05:33] don’t have a speech

[00:05:35] for no big deal

[00:05:36] just get up there

[00:05:38] and say you’re high

[00:05:40] and we all knew

[00:05:42] it was coming

[00:05:43] like a storm

[00:05:48] morning we knew to run

[00:05:50] spray cologne in my car

[00:05:58] with the air

[00:06:01] I feel some more alive

[00:06:20] gave away your things

[00:06:38] like you gave away

[00:06:43] your time

[00:06:45] you always had

[00:06:49] a second chance

[00:06:50] to say you’re peace

[00:06:50] second or third

[00:06:51] time was money

[00:06:53] your plans were

[00:06:55] to be made

[00:06:57] but I always

[00:06:59] found her

[00:07:01] we all knew

[00:07:16] it was coming

[00:07:20] like a storm

[00:07:22] morning we knew to run

[00:07:24] spray cologne in my car

[00:07:31] with the air

[00:07:35] I feel some more alive

[00:07:37] we all knew

[00:07:43] it was coming

[00:07:45] didn’t know

[00:07:50] make it easier

[00:07:52] spray cologne in my car

[00:07:59] all the frightened memories

[00:08:05] of you

[00:08:07] thanks for having me

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