My boyfriend Patrick is Mr. Christmas Music. He has a carefully curated holiday playlist that he breaks out every year on Thanksgiving, and it’s the only thing he listens to until the new year. The Christmas songs he loves are precious, even sacred.
This one we wrote together is all the more special because it’s the first song idea Patrick has wanted to actually write in over four years. We wrote a handful of songs together when we first started dating, but then our personal music goals had us working on different things – me trying to learn commercial country and recording, and him laser-focused on playing guitar. If 2020 has been good for anything, it’s been nice to slow down, get back to basics, and explore different ways to be creative. I like to think that seeing me try to write every day for WeCreateNow inspired Patrick and made him want to get back on the horse.
There isn’t much scribble evidence of this song because we wrote it out loud in conversation. Just a few voice memos at my very out-of-tune piano, and Patrick’s chicken scratch once we had our final draft:
I am many things, but a fan of jazz music is decidedly not one of them. Still, we knew the classic theme and form of this song called for a vocal jazz treatment. I borrowed some brushes from my drum teacher Chris Belin and he gave me a crash course in how the four limbs behave differently in jazz drumming. As such, the drums are pretty rough on this recording – luckily they don’t really have to stand out. With Patrick’s pristine vocal and a killer trumpet solo from his college friend Kevin Johnson, I think the spirit of the song comes through bright and clear.
I hope you enjoy the song and the goofy little music video Patrick put together. If you’d like to learn it and play it yourself, let me know and we’ll put up a chord chart. We’d love to see this tune become a part of your Christmas. KM
(Part of) Your Christmas
Baby I’ve been thinking
I know that we’re brand new
I don’t want to scare you off
So I’ll tell you the truth…
I want to be part of your Christmas
I want to be under your tree
Watching the snow come down
Driving to your hometown
Getting to meet your family
Please
I want to start a new tradition
Mistletoe kisses, holiday sweets
I want to be part of your Christmas
If you would only spend it with me
I want to start a new tradition
Mistletoe kisses, holiday sweets
I want to be part of your Christmas
If you would only spend it with me
If you would only spend it with me