ASHLAND — In my mind, the day after Thanksgiving is the official dawn of the Christmas season. It’s a struggle for me every year to wait until the appropriate time to turn the radio dial to a station that plays those classic Christmas songs.
From Elvis Presley to Mariah Carey, it seems every notable artist has recorded at least one holiday canticle. This Christmas, I thought I would throw my hat into the ring by attempting to write a Christmas carol that somehow related to Ohio.
If you ask me, the best Christmas songs tell a story. Therefore I sought for my ballad to be less Christmas-forward and more fixated on the carol’s anecdote.
After much deliberation, I settled on the tale of a newly recruited United States soldier visiting an Ohio barroom on Christmas Eve, only to be whisked away by a French enchantress.
Writing the lyrics to reflect the two character’s motives was challenging. The song contains a lot of dialogue that had to be composed to fit into an instrumental.
My songwriting process typically begins by scribblng chunks of lyrics that I deem rhythmically attractive. It’s almost like writing a poem, but you must keep in mind the poem will be sung to music.
After the lyrics were finished, I contacted Tracy Thorne, an acquaintance from New York, to assist me with orchestrating a felicitous instrumental. Thorne has had numerous songs recorded under Grammy award-winning producer Will Hensley, so I knew she would be a significant contributor to this project.
She elegantly arranged a beautiful composition to the lyrics with her acoustic guitar. Thorne also gracefully harmonized with my lead vocalization.
When it came to an instrument break, I pondered at what apparatus I should utilize. Sleigh bells? Chimes? An organ? I eventually decided to simply whistle an accompaniment during the musical transition.
After being mixed and mastered, the final product resulted in a Christmas jingle that narrates a one-of-a-kind holiday chronicle. You can listen to the completed carol on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you stream music.
You can also read through the lyrics below:
Come With Me This Christmas (Viens Ma Chérie)
He combed his hair. He was headed where he had never been before.
Looking his best; felt his heart in his chest as he opened the door.
Not much a drinker, just a freethinker, so what would one hurt?
That’s when she saw him. She slyly watched him tuck his tag down his shirt.
His tag down his shirt.
The only ones there, she pulled over a chair and requested two drinks.
He looked up at her, ordered two more as she took off her mink.
She asked, “Why are you here?” He said, “If I’m being sincere, I really don’t know why.
“Ohio’s winters are nice but it doesn’t suffice this hunger inside.
“This hunger inside.”
He said, “I couldn’t do nothing. I had to do something.
“Otherwise, I’d be home. I’m alone. I’m alone.
“And it’s Christmas Eve, but in three days I leave
“To battle overseas. Pray for me. Pray for me.
She said, “Hey Mr. Hotshot, it might be a longshot,
“But you’ve got to believe. C’est la vie. C’est la vie.
“Tomorrow is Christmas, so give me your wish list.
“We can go anywhere. Everywhere. Everywhere.”
“You’re being absurd,” he said. “Let’s see the world,” she said. “I’ll be your chauffeur.”
He said, “I hate to be cynical, but that would be a miracle.” She laughed, “No monsieur.
“It’s the holiday season. I’ll bring back your feelings. I’ll make you believe.
“This might sound ambitious: come with me this Christmas. Viens ma chérie.
“Viens ma chérie.”
He said, “You’re the finest woman that I’ve ever seen from Cleveland to Columbus.
“Is this the eggnog speaking or am I in a dream meeting you this Christmas?”
She asked him, “Have you ever been to Santa Fe? Odds are it’s not snowing.
“We might not get there faster than Santa’s sleigh, but why don’t we get going?”
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