Early Access: Christmas Is When I Miss Us (Patreon)

The inspiration: I started writing this in 2016... on the piano... and the only thing that's stayed the same over the years is the chorus. I started writing this a month after a serious breakup. Nobody likes to be single at Christmastime! We had spent the previous Christmas in Ireland and it was one of those trips you never forget. To walk through the cobblestone streets of Dublin and see the lights all hung up will get any Scrooge in the holiday spirit... hence the lyrics "the lights all out shining..." 

The writing process: 

I wrote more versions of this song than any other song I've written before. There were at least a dozen different verses... experimenting with storylines and melodies! If you're at the 'loyal' lizard level or up on my Patreon, you can go back to the video I shared Aug 27th as I was working through the arrangement of this song. That video was only days before recording this song, and still, it was different from what you hear on the album. 

I took what you hear in that video and played it for Paul Moak. I expressed my ambivalence toward the 2nd verse lyrics. I didn't know if I could re-write them to my satisfaction before we recorded it. He took the pressure off and suggested we put the solo there. Huh! Not the typical place for a solo but I loved the idea. We went with it and it's honestly one of my favorite moments on the EP.  Kris Donegan's slide guitar playing makes me tear up. 

Thanks for listening, and for showing up here on Patreon when I share! I love ya, Lizards! 

XO - LL