It’s a little embarrassing how long I held onto this idea before I buckled down to write it. The chorus goes back all the way to spring 2011.
It was around 10 in the morning, but it felt earlier because we had been driving all night. I was on an impromptu trip to New York with my then-boyfriend, his friend, and his friend’s girlfriend. A business errand turned into the perfect opportunity for a double-date vacation. Our college semester had just ended, so we had no classes to miss. Our band had launched our first mini-album with a local release party, and we had a bit of downtime before we really started grinding on minivan weekend tours to promote it. It would be awhile before any of us would have free time again.
I am not what you would call a spontaneous person. When they invited me less than an hour before hitting the road, I almost declined out of principle, just because I hadn’t planned ahead or been in control. I wracked my brain for a more logical excuse but found none. The timing was perfect. I had nothing to lose.
At 10am, we were along the road somewhere in Pennsylvania, taking turns driving and napping. In silence I watched the hills roll by and reflected on how this reckless road trip was a perfect microcosm of the relationship…and started dreaming up a love song.
I initially thought it was too corny to develop, especially since at the time I was primarily writing epic poetry with mythological war themes for power metal lyrics. I never shared it with my bandmates, but the melody stuck with me, like a guilty pleasure Nickelback tune. Last year when I made up my mind to start this solo project, it was one of the first songs I remembered, and the first one I finished writing.
I think the best relationships draw you out of comfort zone. It’s a precious vulnerability that changes you, for better or worse. I’ve been lucky to have found that sort of connection a few times now, but somehow it never gets less bewildering. Every encounter is its own, one-of-a-kind rollercoaster. And even when you’ve been with the same person for some time, there’s always another level; another layer to uncover, a new chance to open up and get hurt all over again. That’s what this song is about: accepting that risk and diving into the deep end.
The track below is the piano/lead vocal/programmed drum pre-production demo I recorded in my makeshift home studio last month. I’ve still got a lot more work to do. There’s a very important guitar solo missing at 3:51. On the whole it needs more texture; bass to support the verses, power chords in the choruses, strings to lift the main theme. Background vocals, of course. So think of this demo as a progress shot. I’m looking forward to recording real live drums for this and three other songs in a couple weeks. Maybe I’ll even update this post when some of those other elements are in place.
I promise I do occasionally write songs that are not about driving. In fact, I’ve decided to put that theme on the shelf for a little while. Explore some new metaphors! KM
Wherever You Roam
There’s a world I’ve never known
Just beyond the dark
And a candle on my window
Waiting for a spark
The wind whistles cold, cautiously
The fire in your eyes says follow me
And we’ll drive tonight
We don’t know which way is right
There’s no guarantees
So we cannot see
Where the road may lead
But I know where I’ll go
‘Cause home is Wherever You Roam
Racing on too fast to wonder
How the tides may change
Feather canyons turn to thunder
Streets aflood with rain
The water is wide, rising high
I’ll let your light be my guide
And we’ll drive tonight
We don’t know which way is right
There’s no guarantees
So we cannot see
Where the road may lead
But I know where I’ll go
‘Cause home is Wherever You Roam
Take my hand, hold on tight
Everything will be alright
Hush, my darling, close your eyes
You’re mine
The water is wide, rising high
I’ll let your light be my guide
And we’ll drive tonight
We don’t know which way is right
There’s no guarantees
And along the ride
I’ll set my fears aside
‘Cause I know where I’ll go
Home is Wherever You Roam