Townes Van Zandt died on New Year’s Day 1997 at age 52 from cardiac arrhythmia aggravated by years of drug and alcohol addiction.

He wrote songs before he died. Good ones.

If I needed you, would you come to me?
Would you come to me and ease my pain?
If you needed me, I would come to you
I’d swim the seas for to ease your pain

Well, in the night forlorn, oh, the morning’s born
And the morning shines with the lights of love
And you will miss sunrise if you close your eyes
And that would break my heart in two

The lady’s with me now since I showed her how
To lay her lily hand in mine
Loop and Lil agree, she’s a sight to see
A treasure for the poor to find

Well, if I needed you, would you come to me?
Would you come to me and ease my pain?
If you needed me, I would come to you
I would swim the seas for to ease your pain