I had the idea for this song while on tour this fall and wrote down as many words as I could at the time. Now that I’m days away from the year bringing a close to this project and still a good handful of songs away from making my goal, I’ve decided that I don’t have any more time to wait for the words to show up. One of the things I have learned this year with this whole writing experiment is that I am inclined to be an inspired writer rather than a craft writer. I’m guessing that professional writers who are also required to make deadlines might find themselves with a similar conflict but I really have a hard time stomaching what people in entertainment call “phoning it in”. Especially when I know who is going to hear this stuff. I want to bring my very best to you all who have been supporting me and the band for so long and that (as you all can probably tell) sometimes acts as a bit of a hang up.

This is my “nostos” song (see: poems by Homer) . Touring is hard, no matter how much I love it. Because the bulk of what I currently do is college shows, touring is heavy in two parts of the year; Fall and Spring. So, after a busy September, October and November of being far from home (equal parts literal and figurative) December was the month to which I was looking forward. I’ve got to assume that’s pretty similar for most people who give their attention to their work all year and then get to break for Christmas or any vacation, whether it’s a week or just a couple of days. Christmas has always represented the best pieces of home for me and even though things aren’t exactly the same as those growing up years, I still try to hold on to them. With all this, I still never intended to write a holiday song.

Looking back on these songs, a lot of them are centered in relationships. I have always said relationships are the most important thing to me and it seems this project is yet another piece of supporting evidence. I wonder, though, if the evidence shows what it is about relationships that I find most important. Is it other people that I find important or is it how those other people make ME feel? Should have probably considered how personally revealing all of this content was going to be before releasing it.

Can’t wait to finish this song, whether it’s for you or just for me.

Tell me you love me
Say it again
I’m wearing smile as if you can see it
On the other end
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Come December I’ll be more than a sound
More than a memory, never around
Under water, out to sea
Come December I can breath
For now I’m out here on the run
Come December I’ll be done
So Come December come

So break out the holly
Bring out the tree
If there’s a present left for me to dress
Leave the ribbon out for me
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Again, not that I need to point it out, but a lot of this is mumbled. I know where I’m going with the concept and I could quickly fill in missing holes with words that fit, but I want to make sure that they are the “right” words. A ton of FX to sonically fill space, (for the studio geeks; stereo verb, delay, chorus on the the guitar, verb on the delay channel) my only acoustic that I have ever owned ( and vocals but hopefully enough of a skeleton of the song for you to comment and appreciate for now.