‘December’ Story
Writing & Background
This was one of 2 songs never originally intended for this project. We thought to add it literally a week before we sent it to be pressed, to replace a song we decided to not include. The core of it was also recorded 2 years prior to most of the others, in demo form – therefore not to our usual level of musical scrutiny. As such, we embarked upon a lot of last-minute editing and and ’emergency sessions’ prior to mixing. Despite the production challenges, many have graciously told us that December is their favorite song we’ve produced.
This song – which begins “On a cold winter’s morn of December” – was actually written during a heat wave, from June 22-27, 2007 – the beginning of summer! It was also written at a time when, due to medical vocal problems, I didn’t speak at all for nearly 4 months. In fact, it would be until January the following year before I could speak strongly enough to return to regular work – but even then, I was unable to speak beyond 15 minute clips.
So, this song was written – and then taught to Natasha – in complete silence. During this same period, I also wrote ‘Hungry For You’ and ‘When He Died.’
Most of the time, I keep fairly detailed notes concerning what I was thinking and where I was when I wrote a particular song. But, upon returning to my journal, even I was surprised to see how many locations I visited to finally complete this song! The following is the actual excerpt from the journal:
“December” notes – this song was finished on June 27, 2007 – It was written at mostly the stone fortress in White Haven, but also the road to Hickory Run, White Haven Diner, Tunnel Road where I grew up, cemetery near Charlie Weaver’s, White Haven playground, Penn Lake, Francis Walter Dam, Solomon Creek, Moon Lake State Park, Nescopeck State Park (Lake Francis), and at Tom & Lisa Hill’s in Quakertown, PA – a song of the romance of our God, through the years.
Why so many locations? Well, truth is that I struggle with writing lyrics incessantly. When I write a song, I typically labor over the entire thing from top to bottom. But hands down, the music is usually right there for me – playing in my head in its completed form. But lyrically, I have to work and work and work and rework… until the story is cohesive and stated emotionally – until all vowel sounds and syllables match the music… and it just has to ‘sing well.’ I become even more particular in the case of a melody that emotionally resonates with me… and such was the case with December. I kept bouncing from one location to the other to find the right inspirational atmosphere.
In the end, December has probably become the one song that I am most pleased with, from a lyrical standpoint.
The early working title was actually ‘A Dance In December.’ But I changed it for the project, because that line never occurs in the song. Poetically, it is a combination of the Song of Solomon (illustrating Christ’s romance of His bride), and “It Was A Very Good Year,” by Frank Sinatra… in the sense that it moves through the various seasons of life and relationships.
When I write songs, I usually hear the voice that’s ‘supposed’ to go with it… the texture of the voice (smooth or gravely) and whether male or female. From the start of this song, I’ve heard Natasha’s voice in my head. The choice of having her sing it was (to me) affirmed when my brother-in-law David commented “this is a good song for her voice.” In fact, the only other singer I can imagine pulling it off equally well would be Celine Dion (just maybe???). The only challenge with writing this for a female vocalist was to ‘internalize’ the dance from a female romantic perspective.
Meaning
For the opening verse (“wandering back through the forest of days”), I pictured a very cold and snowy day, with an older woman, now living alone, staring out the window at the snow on the trees, as a fire crackled in the fireplace. Aware that she is in her latter days, she is now resigned to her advancing years. But rather than be defeated by the cold outside, she finds warmth in the comfort of her memories – which at first seem to be that of a life-long romance – but which reveal themselves as the reminisces of a woman toward her God.
She then describes both the opening and closing of that relationship in terms of dance. The dance is a symbolic picture of intimacy, freedom, and discovery. And though she is facing the impending close of her earthly chapter, she is heartened by the prospect of once again dancing with her God with the vigor of her youth.
In every respect, she recounts her life as one lived for and with her suitor (her God). Her testimony of faithfulness to Him throughout her years affirms the notion that our heavenly relationship is the richest and most fulfilling of all.
The bridge had to be a climactic return to her early passions… as if she were mustering up her every last ounce of passion for one final turn… only to resolve it beneath the tenderness of abiding love.
Production
Being that we were up against the clock, and that I was revisiting an older recording done with a different production standard, I was walking into a landmine of editing. The vocal track hadn’t been scrubbed. The piano track was inferior sample quality, and the guitar track… well, I actually contemplated scrapping it altogether, or going to a sampled performance.
Frankly stated, I was frantic, with only 2 days to edit this to excellence, mix it down, and send if off to print. I literally pulled an all-nighter editing, drove 2 ½ hours to mix it, and returned early the next day, just to work this song into the project.
The original piano was tracked in midi, so I still had the performance. But I had since purchased a better piano sample, so I proceeded to re-track it with that. Much to my horror, there were ‘clicks’ all over the new piano track! It turns out where some of the samples were clipping off in the initial attack. I literally had to revisit EVERY note, adjusting its velocity to find the sample that did not click when sounded. That alone was a 12 hour process.
For the bridge, I remember wanting a melody that would climb to this great climax. My initial inclination of the arrangement was to have full orchestra and tympanis crescendo in the ‘-vote’ of ‘devoted.’ But that was too stock. I’ve learned that going gentle can sometimes be more heart rending than going big. That’s just what we did – and it breaks down powerfully.
Natasha still felt the bridge still needed something, and returned to the studio when I wasn’t there. The following day I came in, and there they were… ghosts! She cascaded a four part sequence of smooth vocal harmonies – which were (in a ‘Dickens’ sort of way) like the ghosts of the 4 seasons past.
If the ghosts and her vocal performance are the high point of the song, I would have to say the classical guitar is the low point. First of all, the guitar I used cost me $5. I put $20 more into it, and used it on the recording. But it refused to ‘mic’ well – sounding too mellow to cut through the track. So I decided to play it with a pick… I’m sure thousands of classical players are rioting in the streets right now. But it was the only way I could make it rub the track the right way. (And for context… it was only ever supposed to be a glorified demo.)
The guitar part itself was somewhat inspired by a little known ballad by the Bee Gees that I‘d heard many years before, called “Reaching Out” (no, it wasn’t a disco song!). That guitar part arrested me with its beauty the first time I heard it, and this was my chance to employ something similar.